"Surrogates introduces an important new philosophical topic: the pervasive ways that things stand for one another in nature and human experience. Going beyond semiotic theory, Paul Weiss interprets surrogacy in terms of metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and religious dimensions of life, integrating the concept into a systematic way of regarding reality. Just as philosophy brings to the issue of surrogate reality a systematic set of questions, Weiss's investigation of the topic raises new questions for philosophy itself, manifesting his great concern for philosophy's freedom and creativity. The author concludes each chapter with an imaginative set of questions and answers that engage imagined critics in a dialogue."--BOOK JACKET.