En 1869, le jeune Brentano (1838-1917) consacre une étude à Auguste Comte (1798-1857), dans laquelle il rend un vibrant hommage au fondateur du positivisme. La question de la métaphysique mise à part, l’étude fait apparaître des affinités profondes entre le positivisme comtien et la philosophie de Franz Brentano : chez les deux penseurs on rencontre en fait le même refus de séparer la philosophie de la science. Au-delà de ces affinités qui existent au départ, la lecture de Comte aura durablement (...) marqué la pensée de Brentano. Tout ceci explique pourquoi l’héritage de Brentano a pu jouer un rôle certain dans l’avènement du néo-positivisme dans la Vienne des premières décennies du XX e siècle. La position particulière que Brentano occupe aussi bien par rapport au positivisme ancien qu’au néo-positivisme soulève deux problèmes majeurs. Le premier a trait au rôle que Brentano a pu jouer dans la transmission de l’idéal positiviste. Le second, plus fondamental, se rapporte aux liens généralement sous-estimés qui existent entre le néo-positivisme et la philosophie positiviste de Comte. (shrink)

Die auf G. Frege zurückgehende logische Urteilslehre, die die universalen Aussagen im Sinne existenzfreier und die partikulären im Sinne existenzmitbehauptender Urteile deutet, hat ihren Ursprung in der nicht-mathematischen Logik des 19. Jahrhunderts. Bei J.F. Herbart findet sich die hypothetische Konzeption der Allaussage, die eine bedeutsame, Fregesche Gedankengänge antizipierende Verfeinerung durch Chr. Sigwart erfährt. Die genaue Struktur der partikulären Aussage bleibt vorerst noch im Dunkel. Erst F. Brentano gelingt es, die universalen wie die partikulären Aussagen in ihrer Eigenart herauszustellen. In dieser (...) Entwicklung spielen die Problematik fiktiver Gegenstände und leerer Begriffe, die apriorische Gesetzlichkeit sowie der Einfachheitsbegriff eine zentrale Rolle. (shrink)

Die auf G. Frege zurückgehende logische Urteilslehre, die die universalen Aussagen im Sinne existenzfreier und die partikulären im Sinne existenzmitbehauptender Urteile deutet, hat ihren Ursprung in der nicht-mathematischen Logik des 19. Jahrhunderts. Bei J.F. Herbart findet sich die hypothetische Konzeption der Allaussage, die eine bedeutsame, Fregesche Gedankengänge antizipierende Verfeinerung durch Chr. Sigwart erfährt. Die genaue Struktur der partikulären Aussage bleibt vorerst noch im Dunkel. Erst F. Brentano gelingt es, die universalen wie die partikulären Aussagen in ihrer Eigenart herauszustellen. In dieser (...) Entwicklung spielen die Problematik fiktiver Gegenstände und leerer Begriffe, die apriorische Gesetzlichkeit sowie der Einfachheitsbegriff eine zentrale Rolle. (shrink)

Die Zusammenhänge die zwischen G. Freges und R. H. Lotzes logischen Lehren bestehen, sind, wie die gemeinsame Beurteilung der Gebrauchssprache zeigt, noch tiefer als allgemein angenommen. Insbesondere die von Frege konzipierte logische Sprachkritik ist in drei Punkten von Lotze beeinflußt. Lotze fordert nämlich die strenge Trennung von Logik und Gebrauchssprache. Daneben spielt der Begriff des Logischeinfachen eine zentrale Rolle in seiner Logik. Schließlich unterscheidet er den objektiven Gedanken von seiner Färbung. The connexions that exist between the logical doctrines of G. (...) Frege and R. H. Lotze are, as shows their common treatment of natural language, deeper than is generally admitted. In particular, the logical criticism of language conceived by Frege is influenced in three points by Lotze. Firstly, Lotze postulates the strict separation of logic and natural language. Furthermore, the idea of logical simplicity plays an important role in his logic. Finally, he distinguishes objective thought from its tone. (shrink)

In der Wissenschaftslehre Bolzanos (1837) spielt der Begriff der Auslegung eine nicht unwesentliche Rolle. Seine Hauptfunktion besteht in der Explikation der logischen Elemente im Satz und in der Reduktion der sprachlichen Sätze auf das Grundmuster,,A hat b". Die Herausbildung und die Behandlung der Auslegungsproblematik bei Bolzano sind stark vom neuzeitlichen Gedankengut, aber auch von der mittelalterlichen Philosophie und Logik beeinflußt. Obwohl sein Auslegungsbegriff der logischen Tradition weitgehend verpflichtet bleibt, weist er doch andererseits tiefgehende Parallelen mit der von Frege und Wittgenstein (...) entwickelten Methode der logischen Analyse auf, sodaß Bolzano auch in diesem Punkt als ein Vorläufer der analytischen Philosophie gelten kann. (shrink)

In der Wissenschaftslehre Bolzanos (1837) spielt der Begriff der Auslegung eine nicht unwesentliche Rolle. Seine Hauptfunktion besteht in der Explikation der logischen Elemente im Satz und in der Reduktion der sprachlichen Sätze auf das Grundmuster,,A hat b". Die Herausbildung und die Behandlung der Auslegungsproblematik bei Bolzano sind stark vom neuzeitlichen Gedankengut, aber auch von der mittelalterlichen Philosophie und Logik beeinflußt. Obwohl sein Auslegungsbegriff der logischen Tradition weitgehend verpflichtet bleibt, weist er doch andererseits tiefgehende Parallelen mit der von Frege und Wittgenstein (...) entwickelten Methode der logischen Analyse auf, sodaß Bolzano auch in diesem Punkt als ein Vorläufer der analytischen Philosophie gelten kann. (shrink)

Alfred Tarski a joué un rôle déterminant dans la déconstruction du clivage classique de l’analytique et du synthétique alors même que les ouvrages consacrés à ce chapitre de la philosophie restent, en général, relativement discrets au sujet de son rôle au profit de W. V. O. Quine. La critique de Tarski, qui s’articule dès 1930, s’organise le long de deux axes principaux. Le premier a trait à la difficulté de définir objectivement la notion de logicité ; le second, qui s’appuie (...) sur une conception holiste de la science, admet la possibilité d’une rectification des principes logiques au nom de l’expérience. Sur ce point, les objections ponctuelles de Tarski anticipent la critique plus systématique que Quine adressera à la notion de l’analyticité. L’analyse des principales étapes de la critique de Tarski révèle toutefois que sa pensée n’est pas toujours exempte de tensions internes. Alfred Tarski has played a decisive role in the refutation of the classic cleavage between analytic and synthetic truths, though the studies which deal with this chapter of philosophy generally stress the role of W. V. O. Quine in this question and omit to mention Tarski’s name. Tarski’s critique, which has been expressing itself since 1930, is developed along two main lines. The first concerns the difficulty of giving an objective definition of logical notions ; the second, based on a holistic conception of science, maintains the possibility of the refutation of logical principles by experience. In this question the selective objections of Tarski anticipate the more systematic critique of analyticity by Quine. However, the analysis of the different steps in Tarski’s critique shows that his way of thinking is not free of inner tensions. (shrink)

Sowohl in seiner Habilitationsschrift Das Wesen der Wahrheit nach der modernen Logik (1910) als auch in Allgemeine Erkenntnislehre (1918) setzt Moritz Schhck sich kritisch mit der Phänomenologie Husserls auseinander. Im Zentrum der Kritik steht neben dem Anschauungsbegriff die Hypostasierung der logischen Bedeutungen. Es läßt sich zeigen, daß die Auseinandersetzung mit Husserl eine wesentliche Rolle in der Herausbildung der lingualistischen Bedeutungstheorie Schlicks spielt.

How natural is natural deduction?– Gentzen's system of natural deduction intends to fit logical rules to the effective mathematical reasoning in order to overcome the artificiality of deductions in axiomatic systems (¶ 2). In spite of this reform some of Gentzen's rules for natural deduction are criticised by psychologists and natural language philosophers for remaining unnatural. The criticism focuses on the principle of extensionality and on formalism of logic (¶ 3). After sketching the criticism relatively to the main rules, I (...) argue that the criteria of economy, simplicity, pertinence etc., on which the objections are based, transcend the strict domain of logic and apply to arguments in general (¶ 4). (¶ 5) deals with Frege's critique of the concept of naturalness as regards logic. It is shown that this concept means a regression into psychologism and is exposed to the same difficulties as are: relativity, lack of precision, the error of arguing from `is' to `ought' (the naturalistic fallacy). Despite of these, the concept of naturalness plays the role of a diffuse ideal which favours the construction of alternative deductive systems in contrast to the platonic conception of logic (¶ 6). (shrink)

L’A. revient, dans le prolongement de son ouvrage L’anthropologie logique de Quine (qui plaçait l’accent sur la traduction, la logique et le principe de charité chez Quine) sur un élément souvent négligé de la thèse d’indétermination de la traduction, à savoir la reconstruction/identification des connecteurs logiques par l’assentiment et le dissentiment. Après avoir examiné diverses objections à l’utilisation par Quine des « fonctions de verdict » dans la traduction, l’A. en vient à la véritable motivation de Quine dans son recours (...) à l’assentiment, qui émerge dans l’ouvrage méconnu the roots of reference. Quine revient, par cet usage de l’assentiment, à la question de l’analyticité et à sa critique des « Deux dogmes », qu’il nuance, dans son oeuvre tardive, par la suggestion d’une analyticité non seulement naturalisée, mais socialisée. (shrink)

Introduction: Conversion and the practice of transformation -- The philosophical structure of Jonathan Edwards's religious affections -- Habit, habit change, and conversion in C.S. Peirce -- Reconstructing faith : religious overcoming in Dewey's pragmatism -- Transforming obligation in William James -- Dwelling in absence: the reflective origin of conversion -- Creative transformation : the work of conversion -- The evasion of conversion in recent American philosophy.

This paperback edition is fully updated with new chapters on the livestoick crisis, fishing and BSE and a layman's guide introduction to philosophical concepts, ...

Philosopher Roger Scruton offers a wide-ranging perspective on philosophy, from logic to aesthetics, written in a lively and engaging way that is sure to stimulate debate. Rather than producing a survey of an academic discipline, Scruton reclaims philosophy for worldly concerns.

Argues that the only way to understand the Confucian vision of the consummate moral life is to take the tradition on its own terms.

Descartes and the last Scholastics: objections and replies -- Descartes and the Scotists -- Ideas, before and after Descartes -- The Cartesian destiny of form and matter -- Descartes, Basso, and Toletus: three kinds of Corpuscularians -- Scholastics and the new astronomy on the substance of the heavens -- Descartes and the Jesuits of La Fleche: the Eucharist -- Condemnations of Cartesianism: the extension and unity of the universe -- Cartesians, Gassendists, and censorship -- The cogito in the seventeenth century.

Roger North's The Musicall Grammarian 1728 is a treatise on musical eloquence in all its branches. Of its five parts, I and II, on the orthoepy, orthography and syntax of music, constitute a grammar; III and IV, on the arts of invention and communication, form a rhetoric; and V, on etymology, consists of a history. Two substantial chapters of commentary introduce the text, which is edited here for the first time in its entirety: Jamie Kassler places his treatise within (...) the broader context not only of North's musical and non-musical writings but also their relation to the intellectual ferment of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and Mary Chan describes physical and textual aspects of the treatise as evidence for North's processes of thinking about musical thinking. (shrink)

In this lucid and engaging introductory volume on the nature of society, Roger Trigg examines the scientific basis of social science and shows that philosophical presuppositions are a necessary starting point for the study of society.

This book is intended as an equivalent to or substitute for that "more reflective reading" which Rousseau considered essential to an understanding of his ideas. It is designed to complement perusal of the texts themselves, and the arrangement is such that chapters on each of Rousseau's major writings can be consulted separately or the commentary may be read through in sequence. The author's purpose is not to present a "key" to Rousseau's political philosophy, but rather to explore the works themselves (...) in an effort to reveal Rousseau's "system," from which the reader may then draw his own conclusions. Originally published in 1976. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. (shrink)

This volume provides a philosophical introduction to and analysis of the study of metaphor. By proceeding from the concrete analysis of complex metaphors, White is able to identify a range of features which are incompatible with standard accounts of the way words function in metaphor.

_The Undiscovered Dewey_ explores the profound influence of evolution and its corresponding ideas of contingency and uncertainty on John Dewey's philosophy of action, particularly its argument that inquiry proceeds from the uncertainty of human activity. Dewey separated the meaningfulness of inquiry from a larger metaphysical story concerning the certainty of human progress. He then connected this thread to the way in which our reflective capacities aid us in improving our lives. Dewey therefore launched a new understanding of the modern self (...) that encouraged intervention in social and natural environments but which nonetheless demanded courage and humility because of the intimate relationship between action and uncertainty. Melvin L. Rogers explicitly connects Dewey's theory of inquiry to his religious, moral, and political philosophy. He argues that, contrary to common belief, Dewey sought a place for religious commitment within a democratic society sensitive to modern pluralism. Against those who regard Dewey as indifferent to moral conflict, Rogers points to Dewey's appreciation for the incommensurability of our ethical commitments. His deep respect for modern pluralism, argues Rogers, led Dewey to articulate a negotiation between experts and the public so that power did not lapse into domination. Exhibiting an abiding faith in the reflective and contestable character of inquiry, Dewey strongly engaged with the complexity of our religious, moral, and political lives. (shrink)

Brings together essays on the philosophy of art in which a philosophical theory of aesthetic judgment is tested and developed through its application to particular examples. Each essay approaches, from its own field of study, what Roger Scruton argues to be the central problems of aesthetics -- what is aesthetic experience, and what is its importance for human conduct? The book is divided into four parts. The first contains a resume of modern analytical aesthetics, which also serves as an (...) introduction to subsequent chapters. It also includes an essay that reviews current theories of literary criticism. The second part is devoted to musical aesthetics and contains the theoretical core of the work. Here Scruton describes the contours of aesthetic understanding, and defends the view that the object of aesthetic experience is inherently significant, even when it has no "content" that can be described in propositional terms. He rebuts the view that music is representational, and in the third part goes on to propose a theory of representation whereby to refute the suggestion that photography is a representational art. This third section also contains a study of film. The final part comprises essays relating aesthetic judgment to the understanding of culture, humor, and design. It covers many subjects, including the prose works of Samuel Beckett and the architecture of Leninism. The essays in this book form parts of a single intellectual enterprise, which is to give analytical foundations to the criticism of literature, visual art, music, and culture. (shrink)

This volume contains eighteen essays by established and younger historians that examine non-democratic alternative political systems and ideologies--oligarchies, monarchies, mixed constitutions--along with diverse forms of communal and regional associations such as ethnoi, amphiktyonies, and confederacies. The papers, which span the length and breadth of the Hellenic world highlight the immense political flexibility and diversity of ancient Greek civilization.

Aesthetics, hermeneutics, criticism -- Social Werktreue and the subjectivization of aesthetics -- From musike to metaphysics -- Formalist aesthetics and musical hermeneutics -- Deconstructing the disciplinary divide -- The question of metaphor -- Mimesis and the hermeneutics of music -- Political critique and the politics of music criticism -- Toward a hermeneutics of music criticism.

Each title in the "Key Issues" series aims to set the work in its historical context. In this collection of contemporary responses to "Leviathan", attention is focused on its critics who attacked Hobbes's moral, political and religious ideas in a series of pamphlets and short books.

This paper argues for two theses: that degrees of belief are context sensitive; that outright belief is belief to degree 1. The latter thesis is rejected quickly in most discussions of the relationship between credence and belief, but the former thesis undermines the usual reasons for doing so. Furthermore, identifying belief with credence 1 allows nice solutions to a number of problems for the most widely-held view of the relationship between credence and belief, the threshold view. I provide a sketch (...) of a formal framework on which both theses are true. This is a modified Bayesian framework; I argue that despite making credences context-sensitive, the framework lets Bayesians hold on to their signature explanatory successes. The sort of context-sensitivity claimed for credences here mirrors the sort of context-sensitivity I have elsewhere claimed for outright belief: one's credences depend, in part, on the space of alternative possibilities one takes seriously in a context. (shrink)

This paper discusses recent changes to state legal frameworks for mandatory vaccination in the context of school and healthcare worker vaccination. It then discusses state laws that allow pharmacists the authority to vaccinate.

The earliest Analects yet discovered, this work provides us with a new perspective on the central canonical text that has defined Chinese culture--and clearly illuminates the spirit and values of Confucius.

Challenging commonly held biological, religious, and ethical beliefs, internationally well known historian of science Roger Smith boldly argues that human nature is not some "thing" awaiting discovery but is active in understanding itself. According to Smith, "being human" is a self-creation made possible through a reflective circle of thought and action, with a past and a future, and studying this "history" from a range of perspectives is fundamental to human self-understanding. Smith's argument brings together historical and contemporary debates concerning (...) materialism and human nature and the relations of the different fields of knowledge. He draws on classic writings from across the human sciences, touching on sociology, anthropology, brain sciences, history, philosophical hermeneutics, and critical theory, and demonstrates that there is no position outside history for an absolutely objective or eternally valid view of human nature. The question "what is human?" does not have and could not possible have one answer. Instead, there exists a variety of answers for different purposes, and there are good reasons for the many conceptions of what it is to be human. Smith does not treat human nature as only biological, economic, or moral, but as a multidimensional subject that should be considered in its proper historical context. By understanding this context, Smith believes, we can come to a truer understanding of ourselves. Persuasively and elegantly written, _Being Human_ takes an important new turn in the philosophical study of being human. (shrink)

In Reasons and the Good Roger Crisp answers some of the oldest questions in moral philosophy. Fundamental to ethics, he claims, is the idea of ultimate reasons for action; and he argues controversially that these reasons do not depend on moral concepts. He investigates the nature of reasons themselves, and how we come to know them. He defends a hedonistic theory of well-being and an account of practical reason according to which we can give some, though not overriding, priority (...) to our own good over that of others. (shrink)