American Philosophers

Dr. Cantens

Fall 2008

Assignment 3

Assignment: Answer the following in short answers. The assignment should be two to  three pages, double spaced and 12-font.

Hilary Putnam: “Is There Still Anything Left to be Said About Reality and Truth”

1) Explain the problem of reality and truth  as described by Putnam. Use his example of  Scientific Realism vs. Common sense Realism.

2) How do the views of intrinsic properties and projections exacerbate the problem?

3) Explain Putnam’s solution as elaborated in his view of Internal Realism. (use his example of the Polish logician and the Euclidean plane.

Richard Rorty: “Pragmatism, Relativism, and Irrationality”

4) Explain Rorty’s view concerning the historical significance of Dewey’s  and James’ philosophy.

5) List and explain Rorty’s three characteristics of Pragmatism.

6) Explain what Rorty means by Relativism?

7) Why does anti-pragmatists claim that pragmatism leads to irrationality?