CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH

The paper deals with the relation between realism and (neo)pragmatism in the contemporary philosophy of science by investigating two rival positions: Ilkka Niiniluoto’s "critical scientific realism" and Hilary Putnam’s "internal realism." The crucial difference between these two...

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Main Author: Vardenis Pavardenis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Vilnius University Press 1998-01-01
Series:Problemos
Online Access:https://test.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/4259
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author Vardenis Pavardenis
author_facet Vardenis Pavardenis
author_sort Vardenis Pavardenis
collection DOAJ
description The paper deals with the relation between realism and (neo)pragmatism in the contemporary philosophy of science by investigating two rival positions: Ilkka Niiniluoto’s "critical scientific realism" and Hilary Putnam’s "internal realism." The crucial difference between these two philosophers lies in their notions of truth. It turns out, however, that Putnam has, in his most recent writings, come closer to the kind of scientific realism he earlier abandoned as "metaphysical." Many realistic critiques of his thought have, therefore, become rather irrelevant. Putnam’s pragmatic version of realism can even be seen as accommodating the traditional idea of correspondence truth, provided that this notion is liberated from all kinds of essentialism. The Putnamean pragmatist does not share Niiniluoto’s and other realists’ desire to "define" truth. What is extremely problematic in Putnam’s latest views, however, is his attempt to return to a pre- or non-philosophical way of thinking about the relation between language and the world. His pragmatism is at least sometimes unpleasantly close to Rortyan anti-representationalism.
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spelling doaj.art-b14775c3b95249d490f3c6485f33d1862024-04-23T04:58:06ZengVilnius University PressProblemos1392-11262424-61581998-01-0152CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTHVardenis Pavardenis The paper deals with the relation between realism and (neo)pragmatism in the contemporary philosophy of science by investigating two rival positions: Ilkka Niiniluoto’s "critical scientific realism" and Hilary Putnam’s "internal realism." The crucial difference between these two philosophers lies in their notions of truth. It turns out, however, that Putnam has, in his most recent writings, come closer to the kind of scientific realism he earlier abandoned as "metaphysical." Many realistic critiques of his thought have, therefore, become rather irrelevant. Putnam’s pragmatic version of realism can even be seen as accommodating the traditional idea of correspondence truth, provided that this notion is liberated from all kinds of essentialism. The Putnamean pragmatist does not share Niiniluoto’s and other realists’ desire to "define" truth. What is extremely problematic in Putnam’s latest views, however, is his attempt to return to a pre- or non-philosophical way of thinking about the relation between language and the world. His pragmatism is at least sometimes unpleasantly close to Rortyan anti-representationalism. https://test.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/4259
spellingShingle Vardenis Pavardenis
CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
Problemos
title CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
title_full CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
title_fullStr CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
title_full_unstemmed CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
title_short CORRESPONDENCE AGAIN? INTERNAL REALISM AND THRUTH
title_sort correspondence again internal realism and thruth
url https://test.zurnalai.vu.lt/problemos/article/view/4259
work_keys_str_mv AT vardenispavardenis correspondenceagaininternalrealismandthruth