Theories and Things

Front Cover
Harvard University Press, 1981 - Fiction - 219 pages

Here are the most recent writings, some of them unpublished, of the preeminent philosopher of our time. Philosophical reflections on language are brought to bear upon metaphysical and epistemological questions such as these: What does it mean to assume objects, concrete and abstract? How do such assumptions serve science? What is the empirical content of a scientific theory? Further essays deal with meaning, moral values, analytical philosophy and its history, metaphor, the nature of mathematics; several are concerned with logic; and there are essays on individual philosophers. The volume concludes with some general reflections on the contemporary scene and two playful pieces on the Times Atlas and H. L. Mencken.

W. V. Quine is always, whatever his subject, an elegant writer, witty, precise, and forceful. Admirers of his earlier books will welcome this new volume.

 

Contents

Things and Their Place in Theories
1
Empirical Content
24
What Price Bivalence?
31
On the Very Idea of a Third Dogma
38
Use and Its Place in Meaning
43
On the Nature of Moral Values
55
Five Milestones of Empiricism
67
Russells Ontological Development
73
Lewis Carrolls Logic
134
Kurt Gödel
143
Success and Limits of Mathematization
148
On the Limits of Decision
156
Predicates Terms and Classes
164
Responses
173
Postscript on Metaphor
187
Has Philosophy Lost Contact with People?
190

On Austins Method
86
Smarts Philosophy and Scientific Realism
92
Goodmans Ways of Worldmaking
96
On the Individuation of Attributes
100
Intensions Revisited
113
Worlds Away
124
Grades of Discriminability
129
Paradoxes of Plenty
194
The Times Atlas
199
Menckens American Language
203
References
209
Index
215
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Theories and Things
Willard Van Orman Quine
Snippet view - 1981
Theories and Things
Willard Van Orman Quine
Snippet view - 1981

Common terms and phrases

abstract atomic axiom of choice belief bivalence bodies called Carroll Carroll's cognitive equivalence concepts constituent quantifications context continuum hypothesis contrast copula defined dicto difference discriminability distinction empirical essay example expression external fact Fido functor Gödel's grammatical particles individuation jects language linguistic mathematics matter meaning metaphor milk modal logic molecules monadic formula moral values natural notation notion number of planets observation sentences occasion sentences ontology open sentence paradox philosophy phrase physical objects physical theory place-times possible worlds predicate letters problem proof procedure propositional functions quantification theory question recognize reference reinterpretation relation relative clause Reprinted rigid designator Russell Russell's scientific theory semantics sense data sensory receptors set theory simple singular term sort standing sentences stimulation syllogism synonymy tences theorem theory formulations things tion tive true truth functions truth table truth values ultimate classes vague verb Word and Object

About the author (1981)

W. V. Quine was Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University. He wrote twenty-one books, thirteen of them published by Harvard University Press.

Bibliographic information

TitleTheories and Things
AuthorWillard Van Orman Quine
Editionrevised
PublisherHarvard University Press, 1981
ISBN0674879260, 9780674879263
Length219 pages
Subjects › 

Fiction / Short Stories (single author)
Philosophy / General
Philosophy / Logic
  
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