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Putnam’s Proof Revisited

  • Joshua R. Thorpe and Crispin Wright
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Engaging Putnam
This chapter is in the book Engaging Putnam

Abstract

The enigmatic few paragraphs around pages 14-15 of Reason, Truth and History that offer the “proof” of our title have probably generated more interpretative reaction than any other short argument in recent philosophy. Their achievement and significance, however, have remained stubbornly controversial. We reckon that, through the settling dust of the debates over the last 35 years, it is now possible to make out the contours of a reasonably clear set of lessons. Stable answers are in prospect to each of the three main issues: Does the proof work? If so, what exactly does it show? And of what, if any, significance, metaphysical or epistemological, is the result? We outline these answers in this paper.

Abstract

The enigmatic few paragraphs around pages 14-15 of Reason, Truth and History that offer the “proof” of our title have probably generated more interpretative reaction than any other short argument in recent philosophy. Their achievement and significance, however, have remained stubbornly controversial. We reckon that, through the settling dust of the debates over the last 35 years, it is now possible to make out the contours of a reasonably clear set of lessons. Stable answers are in prospect to each of the three main issues: Does the proof work? If so, what exactly does it show? And of what, if any, significance, metaphysical or epistemological, is the result? We outline these answers in this paper.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. List of Abbreviations VII
  4. An Introduction to Hilary Putnam 1
  5. Introduction to this Volume 47
  6. Putnam’s Proof Revisited 63
  7. Language, Meaning, and Context Sensitivity: Confronting a “Moving-Target” 89
  8. Externalism and the First-Person Perspective 107
  9. Putnam on Trans-Theoretical Terms and Contextual Apriority 131
  10. Mathematical Internal Realism 157
  11. The Labyrinth of Quantum Logic 183
  12. Fulfillability, Instability, and Incompleteness 207
  13. Putnam’s Aristotle 227
  14. Davidson and Putnam on the Antinomy of Free Will 249
  15. Putnam on Radical Scepticism: Wittgenstein, Cavell, and Occasion- Sensitive Semantics 263
  16. Natural Laws and Human Language 289
  17. Balance in The Golden Bowl: Attuning Philosophy and Literary Criticism 309
  18. Bibliography 331
  19. Contributors 349
  20. Index 353
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110769210-003

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. List of Abbreviations VII
  4. An Introduction to Hilary Putnam 1
  5. Introduction to this Volume 47
  6. Putnam’s Proof Revisited 63
  7. Language, Meaning, and Context Sensitivity: Confronting a “Moving-Target” 89
  8. Externalism and the First-Person Perspective 107
  9. Putnam on Trans-Theoretical Terms and Contextual Apriority 131
  10. Mathematical Internal Realism 157
  11. The Labyrinth of Quantum Logic 183
  12. Fulfillability, Instability, and Incompleteness 207
  13. Putnam’s Aristotle 227
  14. Davidson and Putnam on the Antinomy of Free Will 249
  15. Putnam on Radical Scepticism: Wittgenstein, Cavell, and Occasion- Sensitive Semantics 263
  16. Natural Laws and Human Language 289
  17. Balance in The Golden Bowl: Attuning Philosophy and Literary Criticism 309
  18. Bibliography 331
  19. Contributors 349
  20. Index 353
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