Customer Reviews

Necessity, Essence, and Individuation: A Defense of Conventionalism

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is the most important critique yet written of the causal theory of reference, and the associated theory of a posteriori necessity, that revolutionized the field of analytic philosophy when it was introduced by Saul Kripke and Hilary Putnam. The Kripkean theory is widely held to have demolished the earlier conventionalist accounts of reference and necessity. But Sidelle mounts a serious and compelling attack on that view. For the most part I disagree with Sidelle's conclusions, and am more sympathetic with the Kripkeans. But anyone wishing to resist conventionalism must come to terms with Sidelle's arguments. I think it is scandalous that this book has yet to receive the attention it deserves within the philosophical community.

Alan Sidelle's contribution to philosophy in this book is perhaps been overlooked by many, but should be read by anyone who wishes to seriously defend Kripke and Putnam. While I don't think Sidelle's theory provides enough support for conventionalism, I do think his objections are valid and need to be answered.

Sidelle hits a home run with this blockbuster! The action flows nonstop from the powerful beginning to the ubelievable ending. BRAVO!!! Finally I understand: The world is illusion, only God is real, the illusion is God!!! All this and more... I finally realized that the a posteriori truths I previously held are not necessary on an a priori basis, but rather are sufficient to describe a beatific yet discriminatory bellief that all is post humouslly prescibed. YO HOMEY! This is some SERIOUS S__T!!! No damn cat, no damn cradle