Overview

When political action is imperative, we can be tempted to look to philosophy for guiding principles. This project, however, historically has been doomed to fail. Throughout Tracks in Chaos, philosopher Raymond Geuss examines closely the consequences of this failure. In crisp and lucid prose, he ranges over topics that include political realism, reflection in politics, universalism, solidarity, our utopian aspirations, and the role of fear in motivating censorship. Geuss ultimately paints a picture that is both rich and uncompromising, as is his conclusion: that we must learn to accept incompleteness, contingency and pluralism in our search for orientation. This is an incisive and elegant new collection of essays by one of our finest moral and political philosophers.

Full Product Details

Author:   Raymond Geuss
Publisher:   Polity Press
Imprint:   Polity Press
ISBN:  

9781509573431

ISBN 10:   1509573437
Pages:   216
Publication Date:   09 April 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

:Preface and Acknowledgements   1 These interminable discussions that lead nowhere 2 He/she/they and we ourselves 3 Identity and worldview 4 Republic, democracy, electronics 5 Realism, yet again 6 Universalism 7 Must philosophy know its own history? 8 On Alasdair MacIntyre 9 Some varieties of utopia 10 Don’t say that – you're frightening me 11 Solidarity 12 A conversation on politics   Notes Index Preface and Acknowledgements   1 These interminable discussions that lead nowhere 2 He/she/they and we ourselves 3 Identity and worldview 4 Republic, democracy, electronics 5 Realism, yet again 6 Universalism 7 Must philosophy know its own history? 8 On Alasdair MacIntyre 9 Some varieties of utopia 10 Don’t say that – you're frightening me 11 Solidarity 12 A conversation on politics   Notes Index

Reviews

""Raymond Geuss is profoundly disappointed by what academic philosophy has become. These historically rich, provocative and consistently deep essays stake out a different path, one that aspires to reconnect philosophy to actual human struggle. Tracks in Chaos forwards a critical theory devoid of illusions, animated throughout by a subterranean vein of hope."" Espen Hammer, Temple University ""Nobody on the contemporary scene better embodies the ethos of critical theory than Raymond Geuss, and this latest volume brings his long-standing debate with traditional philosophy and its quest for foundations to a new pitch of intensity. Indispensable."" Jacob McNulty, Yale University

Author Information

Raymond Geuss is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. His books include Seeing Double, Not Thinking Like a Liberal, Changing the Subject, Reality and Its Dreams, Who Needs a World View?, and The Idea of a Critical Theory.

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