Twentieth Century Analytic Philosophy

Avrum Stroll, University of California, San Diego Research Professor of Philosophy. He is a distinguished philosopher and an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of epistemology and philosophy of language.
Analytic philosophy can be difficult to define. It is not a particular doctrine but a loose concatenation a number of approaches to problems. It is not only strongly linked to scientism, the idea that only the natural sciences can give rise to knowledge, but also has strong humanistic ties with the great thinkers of the past and the philosophical problems they have solved. Analytic philosophers’ activities are not defined by one characteristic. Avrum Stroll, unaffected by these difficulties investigates the “family similarities” between this impressive breed of thinkers known to be analytic philosophers. He then ponders the purpose and point of philosophy. What are its tasks and goals? What information, illumination and understanding can it provide, if it isn’t one of the natural science? Stroll’s book is full of clarity, humor, and philosophical sophistication. It presents a comprehensive picture of major developments in logic, philosophy, epistemology and metaphysics over the past century. This is done by focusing on the most influential thinkers. Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy focuses on three major themes: * Gottlob Frege’s invention of mathematical logic at the end of the nineteenth century; * the importance of science in understanding philosophy doctrines such as logic positivism, philosophy, philosophy mind and eliminative materialism; * Wittgenstein, Moore and Austin’s refusal to consider logic an ideal language superior in natural languages; and * a conjecture as to which philosophers, if any, will be included in the pantheon of philosophical deities. Stroll also discusses Rudolf Carnap’s theories, W.V.O. Quine, Gilbert Ryle and Hilary Putnam are all included. John Searle, John Searle (John Searle), Ruth Marcus, Patricia, and Paul Churchland are also included.