Hilary Putnam (Contemporary Philosophy in Focus)

This volume appraises the major philosophical contributions of Hilary Putnam (b. 1926) to the theory of meaning, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and mathematics, and moral theory. Concerned not only with the broad spectrum of problems addressed, it also details the transformations and restructuring his positions have undergone over the years. The analysis constitutes a critical introduction to central issues in contemporary philosophy, including quantum logic, realism, functionalism, the "mind as computer" metaphor, and the fact/value dichotomy.