[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I will add that the anti-metaphysical animus of logical positivism was wholly gone
by then; courses were offered on metaphysics, and "epistemology metaphysics" is one
of the core specializations.
The anti-metaphysics of the original Logical Positivists was ultimately
aimed at destroying bogus reactionary political theories like Nazism
which rest on a lot of metaphysics (i.e. empirically unverifiable
propositions) Many of the LP's were with the left and their specific
target was the old Nazi Heidegger. The situation today is somewhat
inverted with many political leftists embracing various post-analytic
philosophical theories under the rubric "postmodernism" which has
re-introduced a lot of the metaphysics the LP's were trying to disprove
or at least discredit.
However, 25 years later, things have rather come apart. There are no common
doctrines or methods, the territory is pretty well mapped, and while there is a lot
of sophistication, there is not much progress or sense of progress.
I studied analytic philosophy for many years including,briefly, with
some big
names Keith Lehrer, Robert Solomon, Martin Davies Kit Fine... Many
professional philosophers are themselves dissatisfied with the current
situation. Hundreds of journal articles do nothing but clarify a few
terms (their real function is to promote careers.) The
motto "never a climb a fence unless you can sit
on it" fits here.
Sam Pawlett
