Of Mind and Other Matters

“Of Mind and Other Matters defends what Goodman calls a ‘constructivist’ philosophy. It is at once a philosophy of science, a philosophy of art, and a philosophy of cognition… Its central thesis, ‘constructivism,’ is that, contrary to common sense, there is no unique ‘real world’ that preexists and is independent of human mental activity and human symbolic language… Goodman puts the case well for the relevance of his views for the cognitive analysis of worldmaking through the arts.”—The New York Review of Books

“A series of works, wide in their sweep and often provocative in their argument, have established Nelson Goodman as an important and influential philosopher… For those interested in Goodman’s work (as who should not be) [Of Mind and Other Matters] is essential reading.”—Philosophical Quarterly

“The content and style of this book, though definitely not acid free, are a superb expression of strength and durability.”—Journal of Philosophy

“[Goodman’s] ideas are already being tested in anthropological studies of symbol systems, in semiotics, music theory, architecture, studies of visual and pictorial communication, psychology, and aesthetics, as well as in his ‘original’ fields—logic, linguistics, and philosophy of science… Criticism and theory are badly in need of the rigor Goodman has to offer. Of Mind and Other Matters…does provide a dazzling array of Goodman’s leading themes, and it illustrates once again the remarkable applicability of his thought to the entire range of problems we call ‘criticism and theory.’”—Poetics Today