Until quite recently, almost no philosophers trained in the continental
tradition saw anything of value in realism. The situation in analytic
philosophy was always different, but in continental philosophy realism
was usually treated as a pseudo-problem. That is no longer the case.
In this provocative new book, two leading philosophers examine the
remarkable rise of realism in the continental tradition. While exploring
the similarities and differences in their own positions, they also
consider the work of others and assess rival trends in contemporary
philosophy. They begin by discussing the relation between realism and
materialism, which DeLanda links closely but which Harman tries to
separate. Part Two covers the many different meanings of realism, with
the two authors working together to develop an expanded definition of
the term. Part Three features a spirited exchange on the respective
virtues and drawbacks of DeLanda's realism of attractors and
singularities and Harman's object-oriented theory. Part Four shifts to
the question of the knowability of the real, as the authors discuss
whether scientific knowledge does full justice to reality. In Part Five,
they shift the focus to space, time, and science more generally, and
here Harman offers a defence of actor-network theory despite its obvious
anti-realist elements.
Lively, accessible and engaging, this book is the best attempt so far to
clarify the different paths for realism in continental philosophy. It
will be of great value to students and scholars of continental
philosophy and to anyone interested in the cutting-edge debates in
philosophy and critical theory today.