Is Eliminative Materialism Materialistic?

Abstract

RORTY'S INITIAL VERSION OF MATERIALISM HAS RECEIVED TWOLINES OF CRITICISM. ONE HAS BEEN THE CHARGE BY LYCAN ANDPAPAS THAT HIS FORM OF ELIMINATIVE MATERIALISM ISINCOHERENT. THE OTHER, PRESSED BY BERNSTEIN AND CORNMAN,MAINTAINS THAT IT IS INADEQUATE. I SHOW THAT RORTY CAN MEETBOTH CRITICISMS BUT IN MEETING THEM THE PLAUSIBILITY OF HISPOSITION BECOMES DETACHED FROM ANY SPECIFICALLYMATERIALISTIC CLAIMS. RATHER, IT SIMPLY BECOMES ANIHILISTIC CLAIM ABOUT DESCRIPTIVE VOCABULARIES.