Hilary Putnam

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Hilary Putnam (July 31, 1926 – March 13, 2016) was an American philosopher, mathematician, and computer scientist, who made significant contributions to the fields of philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, philosophy of mathematics, and philosophy of science. He is known for his development of the concept of "functionalism" in the philosophy of mind, his work on the semantics of natural language, and his defense of realism in the philosophy of science.

Biography

Hilary Putnam was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1926. He studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and later obtained his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he wrote his dissertation on the philosophy of mathematics under the supervision of Hans Reichenbach.

Throughout his career, Putnam held several academic positions, most notably at Harvard University, where he was the Cogan University Professor Emeritus. He was also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the British Academy.

Philosophical Work

Putnam's philosophical work is characterized by his willingness to apply rigorous logical and mathematical methods to traditional philosophical problems. His contributions span several areas of philosophy:

Philosophy of Mind

In the philosophy of mind, Putnam is best known for proposing functionalism, a theory that suggests mental states are defined by their functional role rather than by their internal constitution. This theory was a significant departure from the prevailing theories of mind-body dualism and behaviorism.

Philosophy of Language

Putnam contributed to the philosophy of language through his work on the theory of reference and semantics. His most famous argument in this area is the "Twin Earth" thought experiment, which challenges traditional notions of meaning and reference.

Philosophy of Mathematics

In the philosophy of mathematics, Putnam, along with W.V.O. Quine, developed the "Quine-Putnam indispensability argument," which posits that mathematical entities must be considered real because they are indispensable to our best scientific theories.

Philosophy of Science

Putnam's work in the philosophy of science includes his defense of scientific realism, the view that the theoretical entities posited by scientific theories exist independently of our thoughts or perceptions. He argued against the instrumentalist view that scientific theories are merely useful tools for predicting observable phenomena.

Legacy

Hilary Putnam's work has had a profound impact on contemporary philosophy, influencing debates in nearly every major area of the discipline. His willingness to revise his own positions in light of new arguments and evidence exemplified his commitment to philosophical inquiry as a dynamic and ongoing process.