The Story of Analytic Philosophy The Story of Analytic Philosophy: Plot and Heroes is an edited collection of essays looking at analytic philosophy in its historical context. Analytic philosophy has been, for some time now, in a state of crisis—having to deal with its self- image, its relationship with philosophical alternatives, its fruitfulness and even legitimacy in the general philosophical community. This crisis manifests itself both within analytic philosophy, as we can see with the discussions and debates concerning the interpretation of its origins and key players (such as Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein), as well as in its evaluation by philosophers of different bents (such as postmodernists and Continental philosophers). The Story of Analytic Philosophy: Plot and Heroes presents an obvious and explicit awareness of the crisis by “insiders,” with a view to interpreting it. Such an interpretation is accomplished by telling the story of analytic philosophy— that is, by presenting its raison d’etre and the motivations, methods, and results of its eminent figures. The “plot,” or the theoretics of a philosophical movement, is told by contributors Hacker, Hylton, Sacks, Skorupski and others. Each of the essays falling into this category addresses essential issues such as analysis, style, psychologism, and empiricism. The story of the “heroes,” signifying the likes of Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein, is a well known story, but still worth retelling. Floyd, Friedlander, Putnam and Lurie are some of the philosophers in this collection who examine the story of the heroes in a new light. The unique position of the collection is its internal critique. The collection is an undertaking by analytic philosophers to assess the challenge posed by changing cultural and philosophical winds. Anat Biletzki is a senior lecturer in Philosophy. Anat Matar is a lecturer in Philosophy. Both teach at Tel Aviv University. Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Philosophy The Story of Analytic Philosophy Plot and Heroes Edited by Anat Biletzki and Anat Matar The Story of Analytic Philosophy Plot and Heroes Edited by Anat Biletzki and Anat Matar London and New York First published 1998 by Routledge This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1998 Anat Biletzki and Anat Matar, selection and editorial matter; individual chapters, the contributors All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Ths story of analytic philosophy: plot and heroes/edited by Anat Biletzki and Anat Matar. Includes index. 1. Analysis (Philosophy). I. Biletzki Anat. II. Matar, Anat. B808.5.S76 1998 97–23396 146'. 4–dc21 CIP ISBN 0-415-16251-3 (Print Edition) ISBN 0-203-04857-1 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-21108-1 (Glassbook Format) For Burton Dreben and Michael Dummett Contents Notes on Contributors ix Preface xi Part I Introduction 1 Analytic philosophy: what, whence, and whither? 3 P.M.S.Hacker Part II Plot 2 Analysis in analytic philosophy 37 Peter Hylton 3 Analytical philosophy as a matter of style 56 J.J.Ross 4 Analytic philosophy: rationalism vs. romanticism 71 Anat Matar 5 The subject, normative structure, and externalism 88 Mark Sacks 6 Empiricism without positivism 108 John Skorupski 7 Psychologism and meaning 123 Yemima Ben-Menahem Part III Heroes 8 Frege, semantics, and the double definition stroke 141 Juliet Floyd viii Contents 9 Analysis without elimination: on the philosophical significance of Russell’s “On Denoting” 167 Gilead Bar-Elli 10 Perception: from Moore to Austin 182 Ruth Anna Putnam 11 Wittgenstein: analytic philosopher? 197 Anat Biletzki 12 Wittgenstein as the forlorn caretaker of language 209 Yuval Lurie 13 Heidegger, Carnap, Wittgenstein: much ado about nothing 226 Eli Friedlander Part IV An eye to the future 14 Kripkean realism and Wittgenstein’s realism 241 Hilary Putnam 15 Who is about to kill analytic philosophy? 253 Jaakko Hintikka Index 270 Contributors Gilead Bar-Elli is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Yemima Ben-Menahem is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Anat Biletzki is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Juliet Floyd is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Boston University, Boston, Mass. U.S.A. Eli Friedlander is Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. P.M.S.Hacker is Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxford, U.K. Jaakko Hintikka is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Boston University, Boston, Mass. U.S.A. Peter Hylton is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Il. U.S.A. Yuval Lurie is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Ben- Gurion University, Beer Sheba, Israel. Anat Matar is Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Hilary Putnam is Pearson Professor of Mathematical Logic, Department of Philosophy, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. U.S.A. Ruth Anna Putnam is Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass. U.S.A.