Charles Hartshorne is arguably the most important living metaphysician and one of the most eminent figures of American philosophy in the twentieth century. He is internationally known for his contributions to the philosophy of creativity and for his distinctive brand of process philosophy and theology. For more than seven decades Hartshorne has presented his theses ever more persuasively, comparing and contrasting them in illuminating fashion with those of major historical figures and movements, from Plato to Kant to Popper. Central to his outlook are fresh interpretations of such notions as God, freedom, chance, creativity, the primacy of aesthetic meaning, affective tone, the social character of experience, sympathy as self-creative, relatedness and asymmetry, feeling and feeling of feeling, and generalized causal possibility with a place for probabilities and open possibilities.
This collection of Charles Hartshorne's writings -- many never before published -- is an indispensible introduction to his rich and indelible contribution to contemporary philosophy. It covers the extraordinary range of Hartshorne's thought, including his reflections on the history of philosophy, philosophical psychology, philosophy of science, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, literature, ornithology, and, above all, theology and metaphysics.