Men Of Ideas (EP09): W. V. O. Quine on “The Ideas of Quine”

Hosted by David S.

Scott & Dave’s High Ontology

Details

Welcome to Week 4 of SADHO’s Short Course in Analytic Philosophy!

On June 16, we covered Phases I and II (as represented by Wittgenstein I).
On June 30, we covered Phase III (as represented by Ayer).
On July 14, we covered Phase IV (as represented by Ryle, Austin, and Wittgenstein II).

This time, on July 28, we will cover Phase V (the downfall of Analytic philosophy) as represented by dark horseman and lover of desert landscapes, W. V. O. Quine!

In Magee’s words: “I thought it would be uniquely valuable in this program to have a philosopher at the very summit of world reputation, talking about the basics of philosophy and of his own activity.”

This is the most uncomfortable interview in the series—and so the most gripping and intimate.

Be amazed as Quine handily solves the mind-body problem, and the mystery of agentive causality, by assuming materialist monism!
Feel nostalgic thrill as you relive your own carefree and self-reliant undergrad days as a proud atheist-materialist-determinist and consciousness-denier!
Feel pity and fear as Magee, using his superhuman powers of clarification and recapitulation, forces Quine to change the subject (and for a brief moment induces a fugue state) in order to avoid answering certain basic questions!

This tragic tango of titans should not be missed!

Here’s an overview of the phases for reference:

Phase I (1900–1910) — Propositional realism (Moore and Russell)
Phase II (1910) — Common sense realism (Moore); logical atomism and ideal-language analysis (Russell, early Wittgenstein)
Phase III (1930–1945) — Logical Positivism (Vienna Circle, esp. Schlick, Carnap; A. J. Ayer)
Phase IV (1945–1965) — Ordinary-language analysis (late Wittgenstein, Ryle, Austin, Strawson, Grice)
Phase V (1965–TODAY) — A Potemkin village comprised of complexified logic, maths, and scientism, after the destruction of AnaPhil by Quine, Gödel, and Tarski.

We will savor and discuss four Magee interviews with Analytic philosophers before inviting our Guest Expert, who will field all your by-then integrated questions about the whole of the Analytic Tradition. After we “explore Magee for four,” our famous Guest Expert will be here on Aug 11.

Now, here’s the usual ad copy for newcomers:

In 1978, Bryan Magee interrogated and then flawlessly clarified the greatest living philosophers of our day.

40 years later, these sessions remain the most astoundingly deep and intelligible philosophical discussions I’ve ever heard.

Magee’s skill as an interviewer is absolutely jaw dropping. Even if you have no philosophical training, you cannot help but be floored by Magee’s superhuman powers of recapitulation, clarification, promotion, connection, synoptic overview, and heart-fluttering betterment of every phase of the conversation.

METHOD

Watch this week’s episode prior to the discussion and we’ll go over your favorite parts during the show, many of which will be replayed live for review and discussion.

FULL PLAYLIST

Mar 10 — Episode 01. Isaiah Berlin on “Introduction to Philosophy”

Mar 24 — Episode 02. Rick Roderick on “Marx” (Hegel and Modern Life)

Apr 07 — Special Event ⟩ LIVE WITH HARRY CLEAVER

Apr 21 — Episode 03. Herbert Marcuse on “Frankfurt School”

May 05 — Special Event ⟩ LIVE WITH DOUGLAS KELLNER

May 19 — Episode 04. William Barrett on “Martin Heidegger“ + BONUS

Jun 02 — Special Event ⟩ LIVE WITH STEVEN TAUBENECK

Jun 16 — AnaPhil #1: Episode 05. Anthony Quinton on “Wittgenstein”

Jun 30 — AnaPhil #2: Episode 06. A. J. Ayer on “Logical Positivism”

Jul 14 — AnaPhil #3: Episode 07. Bernard Williams on “Linguistic Philosophy”

Jul 28 — AnaPhil #4: Episode 09. W. V. O. Quine on “The Ideas of Quine”