Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature

Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature

RICHARD RORTY

Princeton University Press Princeton, New Jersey

Copyright ? 1979 by Princeton University Press Published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Catalog ing-in-Publication Data

Rorty, Richard. Philosophy and the mirror of nature.

Includes index.

1. Philosophy. 2. Philosophy, Modern.

and body. 4. Representation (Philosophy)

(Philosophy) 6. Civilization-Philosophy.

B53?R68 190

79- 84013

ISBN 0-691-07236-1

ISBN 0-691-02016-7 pbk.

3. Mind 5. Analysis I. Title.

Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from The National Endowment for the Humanities

This book has been composed in Linotype Baskerville

Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources

Printed in the United States of America

Second printing, with corrections, 1980

First Princeton Paperback printing, 1980

20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 I I 10

TO M. V. R.

When we think about the future of the world, we always have in mind its being at the place where it would be if it continued to move as we see it moving now. We do not realize that it moves not in a straight line, but in a curve, and that its direction constantly changes.

Philosophy has made no progress? If somebody scratches where it itches, does that count as progress? If not, does that mean it wasn't an authentic scratch? Not an authentic itch? Couldn't this response to the stimulus go on for quite a long time until a remedy for itching is found?

Wenn wir an die Zukunft der Welt denken, so meinen wir immer den Ort, wo sie sein wird, wenn sie so weiter Hiuft, wie wir sie jetzt laufen sehen, und denken nieht, das sie nieht gerade lauft, sondern in einer Kurve, und ihre Riehtung sieh konstant andert. (Ludwig Wittgenstein, Verrnischte Berner? kungen, Frankfurt, 1977, p. 14?) Die Philosophie hat keinen Fortschritt gemaeht? Wenn Einer kratzt, wo es ihn juckt, muss ein Fortschritt zu sehen sein? 1st es sonst kein echtes Kratzen, oder kein echtes Jucken? Und kann nieht diese Reaktion auf die Reizung lange Zeit so weitergehen , ehe ein Mittel gegen das Jucken gefunden wird? (Ibid., pp. 163- 1 64.)

Contents

Preface

xiii

Introduction

3

PART ONE: Our Glassy Essence

15

CHAPTER I: The Invention of the Mind

17

1. CRITERIA OF THE MENTAL

17

2. THE FUNCTIONAL, THE PHENOMENAL,

AND THE IMMATERIAL

22

3. THE DIVERSITY OF MIND-BODY

PROBLEMS

32

4. MIND AS THE GRASP OF UNIVERSALS

38

5. ABILITY TO EXIST SEPARATELY FROM

THE BODY

45

6. DUALISM AND "MIND-STUFF"

61

CHAPTER II: Persons Without Minds

70

1. THE ANTIPODEANS

70

2. PHENOMENAL PROPERTIES

78

3. INCORRIGIBILITY AND RAW FEELS

88

4. BEHAVIORISM

98

5. SKEPTICISM ABOUT OTHER MINDS

107

6. MATERIALISM WITHOUT MIND-BODY

IDENTITY

114

7. EPISTEMOLOGY AND "THE PHILOSOPHY

OF MIND"

125

PART TWO: Mirroring

129

CHAPTER III: The Idea of a "Theory of Knowledge" 131

ix

CONTENTS

1. EPISTEMOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY'S

SELF-IMAGE

131

2. LOCKE'S CONFUSION OF EXPLANATION

WITH JUSTIFICATION

139

3. KANT'S CONFUSION OF PREDICATION

WITH SYNTHESIS

148

4. KNOWLEDGE AS NEEDING "FOUNDATIONS" 155

CHAPTER IV: Privileged Representations

165

1. APODICTIC TRUTH, PRIVILEGED REPRE-

SENTATIONS, AND ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY 165

2. EPISTEMOLOGICAL BEHAVIORISM

173

3. PRE-LINGUISTIC AWARENESS

182

4. THE" 'IDEA' IDEA"

192

5. EPISTEMOLOGICAL BEHAVIORISM,

PSYCHOLOGICAL BEHAVIORISM, AND

LANGUAGE

209

CHAPTER V: Epistemology and Empirical

Psychology

213

1. SUSPICIONS ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY

213

2. THE UNNATURALNESS OF EPISTEMOLOGY 221 3. PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES AS GENUINE

EXPLANATIONS

230

4. PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES AS

REPRESENTATIONS

244

CHAPTER VI: Epistemology and Philosophy of

Language

257

1. PURE AND IMPURE PHILOSOPHY OF

LANGUAGE

257

2. WHAT WERE OUR ANCESTORS

TALKING ABOUT?

266

3. IDEALISM

273

4. REFERENCE

284

5. TRUTH WITHOUT M1RRORS

295

6. TRUTH, GOODNESS, AND RELATIVISM

306

X

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