A. J. Ayer: Memorial Essays (Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements (No. 30))

A. J. Ayer, who died in 1989, was acknowledged as one of Britain's most distinguished philosophers. In this memorial collection of essays leading Western philosophers reflect on Ayer's place in the history of philosophy and explore aspects of his thought and teaching. The volume also includes a posthumous essay by Ayer himself: "A Defence of Empiricism." These essays are undoubtedly a fitting tribute to a major figure, but the collection is not simply retrospective; rather it looks forward to present and future developments in philosophical thought that Ayer's work has stimulated. Frontmatter......Page 1 Contents......Page 3 Preface......Page 5 A Defence of Empiricism......Page 7 Ayer: the Man, the Philosopher, the Teacher......Page 23 Ayer's Place in the History of Philosophy......Page 37 AYER'S ATTACK ON METAPHYSICS......Page 55 Ayer and World Views......Page 69 Language, Newspeak and Logic......Page 83 On the relation between Common Sense, Science and Metaphysics......Page 95 Logical Positivism and Intentionality......Page 111 Probability and the Evidence of our Senses......Page 123 Seeing Qualia and Positing the World......Page 135 Three Varieties of Knowledge......Page 159 The Importance of `If'......Page 173 Ayer's Ethical Theory: Emotivism or Subjectivism?......Page 187 Subjectivism and Toleration......Page 203 An Interview with A. J. Ayer......Page 215 Notes on Contributors......Page 233 References......Page 235 Index......Page 243 A.J. Ayer, who died in 1989, was acknowledged as one of Britain's most distinguished philosophers. In this memorial collection of essays leading Western philosophers reflect on Ayer'' place in the history of philosophy and explore aspects of his thought and teaching. The volume also includes a posthumous essay by Ayer himself: "A Defence of Empiricism." These essays are undoubtedly a fitting tribute to a major figure, but the collection is not simply retrospective; rather it looks forward to present and future developments in philosophical thought that Ayer's work has stimulated.--Publisher description I am very much honoured to have been asked to make the closing speech at this Conference.