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June 27, 2011

the philosopher’s task

The philosopher’s task differs from the others’ ... in detail, but in no such drastic way as those suppose who imagine for the philosopher a vantage point outside the conceptual scheme he takes in charge. There is no such cosmic exile. He cannot study and revise the fundamental conceptual scheme of science and common sense without having some conceptual scheme, whether the same or another no less in need of philosophical scrutiny, in which to work. He can scrutinize and improve the system from within, appealing to coherence and simplicity, but this is the theoretician’s method generally.


Willard Van Orman Quine

Posted by amin at June 27, 2011 7:11 AM