Book contents
- The Philosophical Project of Carnap and Quine
- The Philosophical Project of Carnap and Quine
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Carnap, Quine, and Logical Empiricism
- Part II Carnap, Quine, and American Pragmatism
- Chapter 4 Pragmatism in Carnap and Quine
- Chapter 5 Objectivity Socialized
- Chapter 6 Whose Dogmas of Empiricism?
- Part III Carnap and Quine on Logic, Language, and Translation
- Part IV Carnap and Quine on Ontology and Metaphysics
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 4 - Pragmatism in Carnap and Quine
Affinity or Disparity?
from Part II - Carnap, Quine, and American Pragmatism
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2023
- The Philosophical Project of Carnap and Quine
- The Philosophical Project of Carnap and Quine
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Part I Carnap, Quine, and Logical Empiricism
- Part II Carnap, Quine, and American Pragmatism
- Chapter 4 Pragmatism in Carnap and Quine
- Chapter 5 Objectivity Socialized
- Chapter 6 Whose Dogmas of Empiricism?
- Part III Carnap and Quine on Logic, Language, and Translation
- Part IV Carnap and Quine on Ontology and Metaphysics
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This essay explores pragmatic aspects of Carnaps and Quines philosophy. It begins with a (schematic) characterization of pragmatism, pointing to recurring themes in the writings of leading American pragmatists, such as fallibilism, the social dimension of language and knowledge, the relation between belief and action, and the critique of skepticism, essentialism, foundationalism, and the fact/value dichotomy. It then examines aspects of Carnaps and Quines thinking that appear to be related (conceptually rather than historically) to pragmatism. Carnaps Principle of Tolerance and Quines critique of the analytic–synthetic distinction are primary examples, but there are others, such as their positions on scientific method, truth, and realism. Despite the similarities between Carnap and Quine emerging from this examination, the paper also identifies significant differences between their ways of understanding pragmatism. These differences, I suggest, are related to the difference between the European and American traditions regarding the meaning and use of the term pragmatism
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- The Philosophical Project of Carnap and Quine , pp. 73 - 91Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023