Hilary Putnam's Philosophical Naturalism: Making Philosophy Matter for Life

by Massimo Dell'Utri

Overview

Hilary Putnam’s Philosophical Naturalism: Making Philosophy Matter for Life emphasizes both the nature of Hilary Putnam’s link to the Neopositivist tradition and his progressive critical departure from it. Massimo Dell’Utri argues that one of the main senses of this departure resides in implicitly revealing that there is no opposition between philosophy concerned with hard technical questions and philosophy concerned with "how to live." It is this innovative combination that made Putnam offer what is widely regarded as the most sensible interpretation of philosophical naturalism ever articulated. From the latter comes a multilevel image of reality, the realization of which required a lifelong reflection not only on science and its importance, but also on mathematics, knowledge, mind, truth, religion, morality, and more. This variegated reflection provides insight into how, despite shifts in opinion, Putnam’s thought reveals strong continuities and a systematic backbone issues of central philosophical importance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666912319
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/15/2024
Pages:	276
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Massimo Dell'Utri is professor of philosophy of language in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Sassari.

Table of Contents

Chronology of Life and Work

Introduction

Chapter One: Necessary and A Priori: A Revisitation

Chapter Two: The Nature of Mathematics

Chapter Three: What Is the Human Mind

Chapter Four: The Causal Conception of Meaning

Chapter Five: The Philosophy of Science

Chapter Six: The Faces of Realism and Truth

Chapter Seven: Natural Realism

Chapter Eight: Moral Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion

Chapter Nine: Learning from Pragmatism

Epilogue: The End of a Journey

Bibliography

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Unlike other books dedicated to Putnam, Massimo Dell’Utri’s Hilary Putnam’s Philosophical Naturalism covers all six decades of Hilary Putnam’s philosophical career with great clarity, following a common theme: Putnam’s unwavering attempt to shape a balanced view that does justice to both the extraordinary results of contemporary natural sciences and the enduring heritage of the humanistic view of the world.

Mario De Caro

Hilary Putnam was one of the most profound and influent American thinkers of the last sixty years, an innovator many areas of philosophy. Here, Massimo Dell'Utri, an internationally recognized expert, provides a clear, sympathetic and systematic exposition of Putnam's works, ideas and evolution. Closely adherent to the texts, with plenty of quotations and exhaustive bibliographical references, this book is highly recommendable to scholars for reference and comparison, as well as to students and the wider public.

Mario Alai