Customer Reviews

Quine and Analytic Philosophy: The Language of Language (Bradford Books)

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This book looks at Quine's philosophy and the consequences of Quine's conclusions on analytic philosophy. Though it is fairly lucid, his unquestioning acceptance of everything Quine says makes a lot of what is said seem superficial.

I am not a professional philosopher, but I did read most of Quine's books before this one. I was delighted to find that the book clarified my understanding, organized my thought, and presented me with the Big Picture. I also found it highly enjoyable.

Another reviewer downgraded this volume for, as I would say it, taking an uncritical stance toward Quine's work. This misses the point that Romanos is himself a working philosopher that happens to be directly influenced by Quine's work.

As the publishers note this is "...the first major explication and defense of Quine's systematic philosophy". Thus, the book is an open attempt to explain and _defend_ Quine.

The author succeeds admirably. He clarifies Quine's central contributions to philosophy, explores their implications, and addresses frequent misunderstandings of Quine's work by his critics. He makes a strong case for Quine's place among the very few most important and influental philosophers of the 20th century.

That means you're getting more than a "study guide" or encyclopedia entry for Quine. There's nothing wrong with those, but you'll have to look elsewhere.

If you are aware of Quine's work on a somewhat superficial level, are inclined to dismiss him for one reason or another, and/or don't see what the big deal is, then you should read this book.

For the non-professional, this book is a very useful, brief, and entertaining overview of Quine's philosophy. Quine had a very long career, and his work is scattered throughout a large number articles combined into a large number of books. Some of his papers are highly technical. It can be difficult to take it all in.