Rorty

Richard M. Rorty (1931–2007) was an American philosopher, central to the later revival of pragmatism and a leading advocate of neopragmatism. He challenged the idea that philosophy should seek objective foundations or mirror reality, arguing instead that truth and knowledge are products of social practice and linguistic usage, useful for coping with life and advancing human solidarity.

Rorty studied at the University of Chicago and Yale University, earning a PhD in 1959, and taught at several universities including Princeton University and the University of Virginia. His work bridged analytic philosophy and continental philosophy, and he became one of the most prominent public intellectuals in philosophy during the late 20th century.

His best-known books include Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (1979), which criticized foundationalist epistemology; Consequences of Pragmatism (1982), which advanced a pragmatic theory of truth and inquiry; and Irony, Contingency, and Solidarity (1989), in which he defends the self as contingent and urged liberal solidarity. Philosophy and Social Hope (1999) further argued for liberal democracy and non-reductive approaches to moral and political questions.

Rorty’s reception was mixed. He provoked extensive debate with both critics who charged relativism and linguisticism, and supporters who praised his insistence on democracy, solidarity, and the limits of philosophy. He influenced fields beyond philosophy, including literary theory, political theory, and public discourse. He died in 2007 from pancreatic cancer.