Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volume 2: The Age of Meaning [Paperback]

Scott Soames (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0691123128 | ISBN-13: 978-0691123127

This is a major, wide-ranging history of analytic philosophy since 1900, told by one of the tradition's leading contemporary figures. The first volume takes the story from 1900 to mid-century. The second brings the history up to date.

As Scott Soames tells it, the story of analytic philosophy is one of great but uneven progress, with leading thinkers making important advances toward solving the tradition's core problems. Though no broad philosophical position ever achieved lasting dominance, Soames argues that two methodological developments have, over time, remade the philosophical landscape. These are (1) analytic philosophers' hard-won success in understanding, and distinguishing the notions of logical truth, a priori truth, and necessary truth, and (2) gradual acceptance of the idea that philosophical speculation must be grounded in sound prephilosophical thought. Though Soames views this history in a positive light, he also illustrates the difficulties, false starts, and disappointments endured along the way. As he engages with the work of his predecessors and contemporaries--from Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein to Donald Davidson and Saul Kripke--he seeks to highlight their accomplishments while also pinpointing their shortcomings, especially where their perspectives were limited by an incomplete grasp of matters that have now become clear.

Soames himself has been at the center of some of the tradition's most important debates, and throughout writes with exceptional ease about its often complex ideas. His gift for clear exposition makes the history as accessible to advanced undergraduates as it will be important to scholars. Despite its centrality to philosophy in the English-speaking world, the analytic tradition in philosophy has had very few synthetic histories. This will be the benchmark against which all future accounts will be measured.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I know of no sustained philosophical work that is as clear, deep, and incisive as these two volumes. There are several other excellent books on twentieth-century analytic philosophy, but Soames's is likely to become the standard. His ability to reconstruct arguments, to fill in inchoate arguments, and to detect what may have motivated or underlain some philosopher's position is amazing. . . . These are superb volumes by a superb philosopher. -- A. P. Martinich, Journal of the History of Philosophy

The writing and the organization are admirably clear and straightforward, exhibiting many of the virtues Soames claims for the tradition as a whole. . . . It is hard to imagine another work being produced which would deliver so much solid information on this dense and difficult subject matter in such easy form. -- Charles T. Mathewes, Virginia Quarterly Review

Because of its combination of sympathetic, illuminating exposition of the central doctrines and arguments of the analytic tradition and the hard-nosed critical evaluation to which they are subjected, this will surely be the standard history of analytic philosophy for many years to come. -- Choice

Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century is a marvelous introduction to analytic philosophy. The two volumes unfold as a series of studies of some of the most important and influential philosophers in the analytic tradition. . . . It is a philosopher's history of analytic philosophy, with a careful and critical assessment of ideas about truth, morality, logic, mind, and meaning. -- Alex Byrne and Ned Hall, Boston Review

Review

A history of analytic philosophy and an excellent piece of analytic philosophy in its own right. We can all benefit from Soames's discussion of the central issues that have shaped the subject and his assessment of what we have achieved and where we might have gone wrong.
(Kit Fine, New York University ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (January 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691123128
• ISBN-13: 978-0691123127
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, May 21, 2006

By 

TiZ - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volume 2: The Age of Meaning (Paperback)

This is the second of Scott Soames's two-volume history of analytic philosophy. Together these volumes illuminate the most important developments in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language and ethics from 1900 until 1975. In the first volume the contributions of Moore, Russell, Wittgenstein and Quine, among others, are covered. The second volume covers more of the contributions of Wittgenstein and Quine, and the contributions of Ryle, Grice, Davidson and Kripke, among others.
Soames carefully explains the theories of these philosophers, and clearly sets forth their arguments. He critically evaluates their arguments, showing their successes and their failures. The volumes are also very well organised, with each chapter including a nice outline and each part concluding with suggestions for further reading. What emerges is a work that is comprehensive and detailed, insightful and original.
As Soames explains, some important philosophers are not covered and some material from the philosophers that are covered is not discussed. These volumes are also controversial for not engaging with the secondary literature and for some of the interpretations offered; some of the debate can be followed online.
The intended audience of these volumes is primarily upper-level undergraduates, graduates and professional philosophers. While Soames would also like others to gain from these volumes, I think that those who have not had some exposure to analytic philosophy will find them difficult. As a graduate student in philosophy, these volumes have been of great help to me, filling in some major gaps in my education.
I think that Soames's volumes will illuminate the classics of analytic philosophy for generations of philosophers and philosophy students, and may become classics themselves. I highly recommend both volumes.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The best extant history of analytical philosophy ?, March 22, 2006

By 

Cirdan "the Shipwright" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volume 2: The Age of Meaning (Hardcover)

This is the first attempt I know of to tell a really comprehensive story about 20th-century analytical philosophy. Despite little or nothing on Frege, Tarski, and other important figures, Soames gives a coherent and convincing overview. Not everyone will delight in his assessment of Kripke's importance, and one might wish for wider coverage of the mid-century giants. Still, Soames is typically thorough and lucid in his analysis. So, while the conclusions are disputable, the value of the work is not.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview, September 8, 2006

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Reader From Aurora - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volume 2: The Age of Meaning (Paperback)

Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century: The Age of Meaning is the second of Scott Soames' two volume series on 20th century analytic philosophy.

These two volumes provide the best overview of analytic philosophy that I have come across. In Vol. 2 Soames discusses the later-Wittgenstein, Quine, Kripke et al (a look at the on-line table of contents may be helpful). He provides insight regarding the context within which these thinkers wrote, as well as an overview and assessment of their key works/ideas. Opposed to the first volume that examines relatively broad thinkers (e.g. Moore and Russell), the current volume is much more in the weeds of mid-twentieth century linguistic philosophy - esoteric hairsplitting that may strike readers from outside of the field as meaningless (and a bit silly).

Overall, the two volumes are of high quality. I recommend them to all students of analytic philosophy. Depending on one's interests volume 2 may not be as appealing as its' predecessor. It should be noted that this is not an introductory text, some background in philosophy is probably required to maximize its' value.