Richard Rorty's philosophical career is epitomized by the tensions between these two quotations. He is frequently depicted as an analytic philosopher, originally of no mean talent, who unfortunately strayed from the fold to become, in Jonathan Rée's catchy phrase, “the bad boy of American philosophy” (Rée 1998: 7). This common characterization tends to trap Rorty in an incessant crossfire. For many philosophers now strenuously maintain that he strayed too far – beyond, even, the bounds of academic respectability. Then there are others, equally vocal, who continue to claim that Rorty did not stray nearly far enough, that, while still hostage to an outmoded and politically suspect analytical agenda, he is far less ‘bad’ than he ought to be.