In this provocative and wide-ranging book, Michael Devitt argues for a thoroughgoing realism about the common-sense and scientific physical world, and for a correspondence notion of truth. Furthermore, he argues that, contrary to received opinion, the metaphysical question of realism is distinct from, and prior to, any semantic question about truth. The book makes incisive responses to Putnam, Dummett, van Fraassen, and other major anti-realists. The new afterword includes an extensive discussion of the metaphysics of nonfactualism, and new thoughts on the need for truth and on the determination of reference.
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Editorial Reviews
From Scientific American
A wideranging examination of several central issues in metaphysics, philosophy of language, epistemology, and philosophy of science.... Realism and Truth is well worth reading. Devitt writes with clarity and sophistication, and his book is sure to ruffle some anti realist feathers.
Review
With this worthwhile second edition, Devitt's voice remains one of the most important and distinctive in the arena of contemporary metaphysics-it is too loud and too clear to be ignored. -- John Divers, The Philosophical Quarterly
A wide-ranging examination of several central issues in metaphysics, philosophy of language, epistemology, and philosophy of science. Realism and Truth is well worth reading. Devitt writes with clarity and sophistication, and his book is sure to ruffle some anti-realist feathers. -- Philip Gasper, Philosophical Review
This book is highly recommended for those who want to break into the current realism/anti-realism debate. . . . An ideal text for those teachers who want to give their students a 'map of the territory.' -- Patrick Madigan, The Review of Metaphysics
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Starting Point,
This review is from: Realism and Truth (Paperback)
Devitt does a wonderful job in separating the Metaphysical and epistemological issues in the Realism/Anti-Realism debate. After reading Realism and Truth it is possible to see how so many people are sympathetic to Anti-Realism. It makes an excellent starting point for getting into the Anti-Realism literature.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
What is realism about the external world? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
verificationist truth conditions, global nonfactualism, instantaneous solipsism, sceptical problematic, deflationary truth, scientific physical types, propositional assumption, ontological elimination, deflationary notion, correspondence truth, historical causal theory, realist truth conditions, only independent reality, sceptical standard, equivalence thesis, epistemic doctrine, experiential adequacy, robust truth, determinacy problem, realism dispute, correspondence notion, semantic doctrine, factual perspective, prosentential theory, independence dimension Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Hartry Field, Increasing Verisimilitude, Hilary Putnam, Metaphor Thesis, Simple Convergence, Ontological Change, Twin Earth, Complex Convergence, Michael Dummett, Twin Oscar, David Papineau, Frank Jackson, Richard Kirkham, Stephen Leeds, Twin-Earth Fraser, Twin-Earth Ralph New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
What is realism about the external world? Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
verificationist truth conditions, global nonfactualism, instantaneous solipsism, sceptical problematic, deflationary truth, scientific physical types, propositional assumption, ontological elimination, deflationary notion, correspondence truth, historical causal theory, realist truth conditions, only independent reality, sceptical standard, equivalence thesis, epistemic doctrine, experiential adequacy, robust truth, determinacy problem, realism dispute, correspondence notion, semantic doctrine, factual perspective, prosentential theory, independence dimension Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Hartry Field, Increasing Verisimilitude, Hilary Putnam, Metaphor Thesis, Simple Convergence, Ontological Change, Twin Earth, Complex Convergence, Michael Dummett, Twin Oscar, David Papineau, Frank Jackson, Richard Kirkham, Stephen Leeds, Twin-Earth Fraser, Twin-Earth Ralph New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 100
books:
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100
books
cite this book:
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- Midwest Studies in Philosophy: Philosophy of Science by Peter A. French on 8 pages
- An Essay Concerning Human Understanding: 2 Vols. in 1 (Great Books in Philosophy) by John Locke on page 67, and page 250
- Reality and Representation by David, Editor Papineau in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Laws and Symmetry (Clarendon Paperbacks) by Bas C. van Fraassen on page 148, and Back Matter
- Truth and Meaning: Essays in Semantics by Gareth Evans on page 201, and Back Matter
See all 100 books this book cites
- Realism and Explanatory Priority (Philosophical Studies Series) by J. Wright on 10 pages
- Against Relativism: Philosophy of Science, Deconstruction, and Critical Theory by Christopher Norris on 8 pages
- The Realist Hope: A Critique of Anti-realist Approaches in Contemporary Philosophical Theology (Heythrop Studies in Contemporary Philosophy, Religion ... Philosophy, Religion and Theology) by Christopher J. Insole on 6 pages
- Relativism and Reality: A Contemporary Introduction by Robert Kirk on 5 pages
- Models, Truth, and Realism by Barry Taylor on 4 pages
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