From Kant to Quine: Reading List

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1 From Kant to Quine: Reading List Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, LMU Munich Neil Dewar May 17, 2018 This document collects the relevant literature for this course. For the first six weeks, the reading for each week is split into primary and secondary literature: at least initially, you may want to focus on the secondary literature (although don t assume that the interpretations given there are necessarily faithful to the originals!). You are strongly encouraged to consolidate your understanding of each week s topic by reading some of the further literature and commentary on it. For the remaining weeks, the reading is split into required and recommended reading. The required reading must be done prior to the class, which will be based around a discussion of that reading. The recommended reading is encouraged as a means of consolidating your understanding of the required reading, either before or after the relevant class. 1

2 General and anthology texts The following are good general introductions to logical empiricism, and may be helpful preparation. The Vienna Circle Manifesto: Hahn, H., Carnap, R., and Neurath, O. (1929). Wissenschaftliche Weltauffassung. Der Wiener Kreis. Veröffentlichungen des Vereines Ernst Mach. Translated as Hahn, H., Carnap, R., and Neurath, O. (1973). The Scientific Conception of the World: The Vienna Circle. In Neurath, M. and Cohen, R. S., editors, Empiricism and Sociology, Vienna Circle collection, pages Reidel, Dordrecht u.a. Ayer, A. J. (1936). Language, Truth and Logic. Victor Gollancz Ltd., London. The book that first introduced logical positivism to an English-speaking audience: be aware, though, that Ayer s views are not always that representative of the Vienna Circle s actual views. A. J. Ayer on Logical Positivism and Its Legacy (1976 interview between Ayer and Bryan Magee), available on YouTube at v=ng0ewnezfl4. Comes with a pleasingly weird theme tune. Carnap, R. (1963). Intellectual Autobiography. In Schilpp, P. A., editor, The Philosophy of Rudolf Carnap, number 11 in The Library of Living Philosophers, pages Open Court, La Salle, IL. Carnap s reflections on his life: lots of good insight into the personalities of the members of the Vienna Circle. Creath, R. (2017). Logical Empiricism. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, fall 2017 edition. A very useful overview of logical empiricism. Friedman, M. (2011b). A Parting of the Ways: Carnap, Cassirer, and Heidegger. Open Court. An account of the 1929 debate between Ernst Cassirer and Martin Heidegger, which Carnap attended, and how analytic and continental philosophy came to diverge. There are a few books from which I have drawn a substantial number of the below readings. These include: Ayer, A. J. (1978). Logical Positivism. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT. Reprint of 1959 original Coffa, J. A. (1991). The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap: To the Vienna Station. Edited by Wessels, L. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Friedman, M. (1999b). Reconsidering Logical Positivism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors (2007). The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2

3 Part I. The Historical Background to Logical Empiricism 3

4 1. Kant and his successors Primary literature: The Preface, Introduction, Transcendental Aesthetic and Transcendental Analytic in Kant, I. (1781). Kritik Der Reinen Vernunft. Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, Riga, 1st edition; 2nd ed Translated as Kant, I. (1998). Critique of Pure Reason. Edited by Guyer, P. and Wood, A. W. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Kant, I. (1783). Prolegomena Zu Einer Jeden Künftigen Metaphysik, Die Als Wissenschaft Wird Auftreten Können. Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, Riga Translated as Kant, I. (2002). Prolegomena to any future metaphysics that will be able to come forward as science. In Allison, H. and Heath, P., editors, Theoretical Philosophy after 1781, The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Immanuel Kant, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Both texts have been abridged and simplified by Jonathan Bennett: see www. earlymoderntexts.com/authors/kant Secondary literature: Bennett, J. (1966). Kant s Analytic. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Chapter 1 ( Kant, analysis, and pure intuition ) of Coffa, J. A. (1991). The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap: To the Vienna Station. Edited by Wessels, L. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Guyer, P., editor (2010). The Cambridge Companion to Kant s Critique of Pure Reason. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, especially: Chapter 1 (Hogan, D. Kant s Copernican Turn and the Rationalist Tradition) Chapter 4 (Shabel, L. The Transcendental Aesthetic) Chapter 14 (Horstmann, R. The Reception of the Critique of Pure Reason in German Idealism) Chapter 15 (Pollok, K. The Transcendental Method : On the Reception of the Critique of Pure Reason in Neo-Kantianism) 1 2 of Rohlf, M. (2016). Immanuel Kant. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, spring 2016 edition 4

5 2. Post-Kantian philosophy of geometry Primary literature: von Helmholtz, H. (1868). Über die Tatsachen, die der Geometrie zum Grunde liegen. Nachrichten von der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, (9): Translated as On the Facts Underlying Geometry in von Helmholtz, H. (1977). Epistemological Writings. Edited by Cohen, R. and Elkana, Y. D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht von Helmholtz, H. (1870). Über den Ursprung und die Bedeutung der geometrischen Axiome. Heidelberg Translated as On the Origin and Significance of the Axioms of Geometry in von Helmholtz (1977) Poincaré, H. (1898). On the Foundations of Geometry. Monist, 9(1) Part II of Poincaré, H. (1902). La Science et l Hypothèse. Flammarion, Paris Translated as Poincaré, H. (1952). Science and Hypothesis. Dover, New York Secondary literature: Biagioli, F. (2018). Articulating Space in Terms of Transformation Groups: Helmholtz and Cassirer. Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy, 6(3) Chapter 2 ( Geometry, pure intuition, and the a priori ) of Coffa, J. A. (1991). The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap: To the Vienna Station. Edited by Wessels, L. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Friedman, M. (2000). Geometry, construction, and intuition in Kant and his successors. In Between Logic and Intuition: Essays in Honor of Charles Parsons, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Hyder, D. (2009). The Determinate World: Kant and Helmholtz on the Physical Meaning of Geometry. Walter de Gruyter Ivanova, M. (2015). Conventionalism, structuralism and neo-kantianism in Poincaré s philosophy of science. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 52, Part B: Patton, L. (2016). Hermann von Helmholtz. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2016 edition Torretti, R. (2016). Nineteenth Century Geometry. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2016 edition 5

6 3. 19th-century empiricism Primary literature: Comte, A. (1830). Cours de Philosophie Positive. Rouen, Paris. Published in 6 volumes between 1830 and Freely translated and condensed as Comte, A. and Martineau, H. (1893). The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte. Kegan Paul, London. Mill, J. S. (1843). A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive: Being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation. John W. Parker Mach, E. (1883). Die Mechanik in ihrer Entwickelung: historich-kritisch dargestellt. F.A. Brockhaus, Leipzig. Translated as Mach, E. (2013). The Science of Mechanics: A Critical and Historical Exposition of Its Principles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Secondary literature: Bourdeau, M. (2015). Auguste Comte. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2015 edition, especially 4 ( The Course on Positive Philosophy and the Friendship with Mill ) Cobb, A. (2017). Mill s Philosophy of Science. In Macleod, C. and Miller, D. A., editors, A Companion to John Stuart Mill, pages Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford Cohen, R. S. (1968). Ernst Mach: Physics, perception and the philosophy of science. Synthese, 18(2-3): Hamilton, A. (1998). Mill, phenomenalism, and the self. In The Cambridge Companion to Mill, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Kitcher, P. (1998). Mill, mathematics, and the naturalist tradition. In The Cambridge Companion to Mill, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Macleod, C. (2018). John Stuart Mill. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, spring 2018 edition Pojman, P. (2011). Ernst Mach. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2011 edition, especially 4 5 ( Philosophy of Science and Physics ) Scarre, G. (1998). Mill on induction and scientific method. In The Cambridge Companion to Mill, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 6

7 4. Frege s logic and logicism Primary literature: Frege, G. (1879). Begriffschrift, Eine Der Arithmetischen Nachgebildete Formelsprache Des Reinen Denkens. Halle. Translated as Frege, G. (2002). Begriffsschrift, a formula language, modeled upon that of arithmetic, for pure thought. In van Heijenoort, J., editor, From Frege to Gödel: A Source Book in Mathematical Logic, , pages Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (Reprint of 1977 edition) Frege, G. (1884). Die Grundlagen Der Arithmetik: Eine Logisch-Mathematische Untersuchung Über Den Begriff Der Zahl. w. Koebner, Breslau. Translated as Frege, G. (1980). The Foundations of Arithmetic: A Logico-Mathematical Enquiry into the Concept of Number. Blackwell, Oxford Frege, G. (1893). Grundgesetze Der Arithmetik. Hermann Pohle, Jena; and Frege, G. (1903). Grundgesetze der Arithmetik (2). Hermann Pohle, Jena. Translated as Frege, G. (2013). Gottlob Frege: Basic Laws of Arithmetic. Oxford University Press Secondary literature: Chapter 4 ( Frege s semantics and the a priori in arithmetic ) of Coffa, J. A. (1991). The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap: To the Vienna Station. Edited by Wessels, L. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Demopoulos, W. and Clark, P. (2007). The Logicism of Frege, Dedekind, and Russell. In The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic. Oxford University Press, Oxford Dummett, M. (1991). Frege : Philosophy of Mathematics. Duckworth, London Irvine, A. D. (2016). Principia Mathematica. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2016 edition 1 ( Historical Background ) of Tennant, N. (2017). Logicism and Neologicism. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2017 edition 7

8 5. Neo-Kantianism meets relativity Primary literature: Reichenbach, H. (1920). Relativitätstheorie Und Erkenntnis Apriori. Springer, Berlin. Translated as Reichenbach, H. and Reichenbach, M. (1965). The Theory of Relativity and A Priori Knowledge. University of California Press, Berkeley. Schlick, M. (1917). Raum Und Zeit in Der Gegenwärtigen Physik. Springer, Berlin, 1st edition. 2nd, 3rd and 4th eds. 1919, 1920, and Third edition translated as Schlick, M. (1920). Space and Time in Contemporary Physics. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Schlick, M. (1918). Allgemeine Erkenntnislehre. Naturwissenschaftliche Monographien und Lehrbücher, Berlin, 1st edition. 2nd ed Cassirer, E. (1910). Substanzbegriff Und Funktionsbegriff: Untersuchungen Über Die Grundfragen Der Erkenntniskritik. Bruno Cassirer, Berlin; and Cassirer, E. (1921). Zur Einsteinschen Relativitätstheorie. Bruno Cassirer, Berlin. Translated as Cassirer, E. (1923). Substance and Function and Einstein s Theory of Relativity. Open Court, Chicago. Secondary literature: Chapters 9 10 ( Schlick before Vienna and Philosophers on Relativity ) of Coffa (1991) Friedman, M. (1997). Helmholtz s Zeichentheorie and Schlick s Allgemeine Erkenntnislehre: Early logical empiricism and its nineteenth-century background. Philosophical Topics, 25(2):19 50 Friedman, M. (2016). Ernst Cassirer. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, fall 2016 edition Howard, D. (1994). Einstein, Kant and the Origins of Logical Empiricism. In Salmon, W. C. and Wolters, G., editors, Language, Logic, and the Structure of Scientific Theories, pages University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh Oberdan, T. (2015). From Helmholtz to Schlick: The evolution of the sign-theory of perception. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A, 52:35 43 Ryckman, T. A. (1999). Einstein, Cassirer, and General Covariance Then and Now. Science in Context, 12(4):

9 6. Logical Atomism Primary literature: Russell, B. (1903). The Principles of Mathematics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Russell, B. (1908). Mathematical Logic as Based on the Theory of Types. American Journal of Mathematics, 30(3):222 Whitehead, A. N. and Russell, B. (1910). Principia Mathematica. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Russell, B. (1914). Our Knowledge of the External World: As A Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy. George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London Wittgenstein, L. (1921). Logisch-Philosophische Abhandlung. Annalen der Naturphilosophie, 14. Translated as Wittgenstein, L. (2001). Tractatus logico-philosophicus. Routledge, London; New York. Secondary literature: Chapters 8 ( A logico-philosophical treatise ) of Coffa (1991) Godwyn, M. and Irvine, A. D. (2003). Bertrand Russell s Logicism. In Griffin, N., editor, The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Grayling, M. (2003). Russell, Experience, and the Roots of Science. In Griffin, N., editor, The Cambridge Companion to Bertrand Russell, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Klement, K. (2016). Russell s Logical Atomism. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, spring 2016 edition McGuinness, B. (1985). Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle. Synthese, 64(3): Proops, I. (2017). Wittgenstein s Logical Atomism. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, winter 2017 edition Uebel, T. (2016b). Wittgenstein and the Vienna Circle. In A Companion to Wittgenstein, pages Wiley-Blackwell 9

10 Part II. Logical Empiricism: Key Texts 10

11 7. The Aufbau Required reading: Parts I and II (pp. 5 44) of Carnap, R. (1967). The Logical Structure of the World; Pseudoproblems in Philosophy. University of California Press, Berkeley (originally published as Carnap, R. (1928). Der Logische Aufbau Der Welt. Felix Meiner Verlag, Leipzig). Recommended reading: Chapter 11 ( Carnap before Vienna ) of Coffa (1991). Friedman, M. (1999a). Carnap s Aufbau Reconsidered. In Reconsidering Logical Positivism, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Leitgeb, H. (2011). New Life for Carnap s Aufbau? Synthese, 180(2): Pincock, C. (2009). Carnap s Logical Structure of the World. Philosophy Compass, 4(6): Geometry and convention Required reading: 3 8 (pp ) of Reichenbach, H. (1958). The Philosophy of Space & Time. Dover Publications, New York (originally published as Reichenbach, H. (1928). Philosophie der Raum-Zeit-Lehre. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin). Recommended reading: Chapter VII ( Conventionalism ) of Friedman, M. (1983). Foundations of Space-Time Theories: Relativistic Physics and Philosophy of Science. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, especially 3 ( Congruence and Physical Geometry ) Chapter 3 ( Geometry, Convention, and the Relativized A Priori: Reichenbach, Schlick, and Carnap ) of Friedman (1999bb) Ryckman, T. A. (2007). Logical Empiricism and the Philosophy of Physics. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Weatherall, J. O. and Manchak, J. B. (2014). The Geometry of Conventionality. Philosophy of Science, 81(2):

12 9. Verificationism Required reading: Schlick, M. (1978). Positivism and Realism. In Ayer, A. J., editor, Logical Positivism, pages Greenwood Press, Westport, CT (originally published as Schlick, M. (1932). Positivismus und Realismus. Erkenntnis, 3(1):1 31) Recommended reading: Carnap, R. (1931b). Überwindung der Metaphysik durch logische Analyse der Sprache. Erkenntnis, 2(1): Romizi, D. (2012). The Vienna Circle s Scientific World-Conception : Philosophy of Science in the Political Arena. HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science, 2(2): Schlick, M. (1930). Die wende der Philosophie. Erkenntnis, 1(1):4 11 Uebel, T. (2016a). Vienna Circle. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, spring 2016 edition 10. The Unity of Science Required reading: Neurath, O. (1978). Sociology and physicalism. In Ayer, A. J., editor, Logical Positivism, pages Greenwood Press, Westport, CT. Originally published as Neurath, O. (1931b). Soziologie im Physikalismus. Erkenntnis, 2: Recommended reading: Carnap, R. (1931a). Die Physikalische Sprache als Universalsprache der Wissenschaft. Erkenntnis, II: Translated as Carnap, R. (1934b). The Unity of Science. Kegan Paul, London. 4.3 of Creath, R. (2017). Logical Empiricism. In Zalta, E. N., editor, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, fall 2017 edition. Neurath, O. (1931a). Physicalism. The Monist, 41(4): Stern, D. (2007). Wittgenstein, the Vienna Circle, and Physicalism: A Reassessment. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press Uebel, T. (2007). Philosophy of Social Science in Early Logical Empiricism: The Case of Radical Physicalism. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 12

13 11. Empiricist Theories of Meaning Required reading: 1-10 and 15 of Carnap, R. (1936). Testability and Meaning. Philosophy of Science, 3(4): Recommended reading: Awodey, S. and Carus, A. W. (2007). The Turning Point and the Revolution: Philosophy of Mathematics in Logical Empiricism from Tractatus to Logical Syntax. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press Carnap, R. (1934a). Logische Syntax der Sprache. Springer-Verlag, Wien. Translated as Carnap, R. (1937). Logical Syntax of Language. Kegan Paul. Friedman, M. (2007). Coordination, Constitution, and Convention: The Evolution of the A Priori in Logical Empiricism. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Friedman, M. (2011a). Carnap on theoretical terms: Structuralism without metaphysics. Synthese, 180(2): Schlick, M. (1936). Meaning and Verification. Philosophical Review, 45(4): Skorupski, J. (2005). Later Empiricism and Logical Positivism. In Shapiro, S., editor, The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic, pages Oxford University Press, Oxford 12. Frameworks Required reading: Carnap, R. (1950). Empiricism, Semantics, and Ontology. Revue Internationale De Philosophie, 4(2):20 40 Recommended reading: Thomasson, A. L. (2016). Carnap and the Prospects for Easy Ontology. In Blatti, S. and LaPointe, S., editors, Ontology after Carnap, pages Oxford University Press, Oxford Richardson, A. (2007). "That Sort of Everyday Image of Logical Positivism": Thomas Kuhn and the Decline of Logical Empiricist Philosophy of Science. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 13

14 13. The Quinean Assault Required reading: Quine, W. V. O. (1951). Two dogmas of empiricism. The Philosophical Review, 60(1):20 43 Recommended reading: Carnap, R. (1956). The Methodological Character of Theoretical Concepts. Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 1(1):38 76 Creath, R. (2007). Vienna, the City of Quine s Dreams. In Richardson, A. and Uebel, T., editors, The Cambridge Companion to Logical Empiricism, pages Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Quine, W. V. O. (1969). Epistemology Naturalized. In Ontological Relativity and Other Essays. Columbia University Press 14