Philosophical Papers: Volume 1, Mathematics, Matter and Method

Professor Hilary Putnam has been one of the most influential and sharply original of recent American philosophers in a whole range of fields. His most important published work is collected here, together with several new and substantial studies, in two volumes. The first deals with the philosophy of mathematics and of science and the nature of philosophical and scientific enquiry; the second deals with the philosophy of language and mind. Volume one is now issued in a new edition, including an essay on the philosophy of logic first published in 1971.

Introduction; 1. Truth and necessity in mathematics; 2. The thesis that mathematics is logic; 3. Mathematics without foundations; 4. What is mathematical truth?; 5. Philosophy of physics; 6. An examination of Grünbaum’s philosophy of geometry; 7. A philosopher looks at quantum mechanics; 8. Discussion: comments on comments on comments: a reply to Margenau and Wigner; 9. Three-valued logic; 10. The logic of quantum mechanics; 11. Time and physical geometry; 12. Memo on ‘conventionalism’; 13. What theories are not; 14. Craig’s theorem; 15. It ain’t necessarily so; 16. The ‘corroboration’ of theories; 17. ‘Degree of confirmation’ and inductive logic; 18. Probability and confirmation; 19. On properties; 20. Philosophy of logic; Bibliography; Index.

‘Professor Putnam presents a powerful, coherent and persuasive system of thought. Ranging widely over the topics mentioned in their titles, the two volumes of essays yet have a remarkable degree of unity. Their themes overlap and are linked, as philosophical themes, seriously handled, must always overlap and be linked. In a period in which the general level of philosophical competence, as evidence in publication, is extremely high, Putnam’s work stands conspicuously out by virtue of its combination of technical sophistication, clear-sightedness, depth and power. Nothing of what he says is trivial, most of it is true and all parts of it are systematically interconnected. His prose-lucid, lively and unpretentious - is an excellent medium for his thought.’

– P. F. Strawson, The Times Literary Supplement