Quine on the Analytic-Synthetic Distinction
Madison, WI, USA: Philosophypedia (
2016)
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Abstract
W.V.O. tried to prove that no statement is necessarily true. In this work, Quine's argument is stated, analyzed, and shown to be a broken argument for a false conclusion. It is shown that necessary truths are as important as empirical truths to the empirical sciences, the reason being that, without necessary truths, there is no way to organize or interpret data. It comes to light that, in addition to being false, every form of extreme empiricism (e.g. Dewey's pragmatism, Wittgenstein's verificationism, Comte's positivism) is so incoherent that it cannot be clearly stated without thereby being refuted.