Hilary Putnam (Philosophy Now)

Putnam is one of the most influential philosophers of recent times, and his authority stretches far beyond the confines of the discipline. However, there is a considerable challenge in presenting his work both accurately and accessibly. This is due to the width and diversity of his published writings and to his frequent spells of radical re-thinking. But if we are to understand how and why philosophy is developing as it is, we need to attend to Putnam's whole career. He has had a dramatic influence on theories of meaning, semantic content, and the nature of mental phenomena, on interpretations of quantum mechanics, theory-change, logic and mathematics, and on what shape we should desire for future philosophy. By presenting the whole of his career within its historical context, de Gaynesford discovers a basic unity in his work, achieved through repeated engagements with a small set of hard problems. By foregrounding this integrity, the book offers an account of his philosophy that is both true to Putnam and helpful to readers of his work. Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Preface ......Page 8 1. Introduction......Page 10 Part I. Context......Page 16 2. Overview......Page 17 3. Analytic philosophy......Page 26 Part II. Character......Page 40 4. Structural issues......Page 41 5. Core issues......Page 54 6. Intentionality......Page 66 Part III. Content: earlier perspectives......Page 84 7. Mind......Page 85 8. Science......Page 97 9. Language......Page 106 10. Intentional states......Page 122 Part IV. Content: later perspectives......Page 136 11. Reality......Page 137 12. Reference......Page 146 13. Truth......Page 159 14. Experience......Page 173 15. Conclusion: an integrated vision......Page 187 Notes......Page 206 Bibliography......Page 226 Index......Page 240