Abstract
Analytic pragmatism is a framework of analysis elaborated by Robert Brandom, whose goal is to explain the relations between meaning and use according to a systematic and general method of inquiry. In April 2009, a workshop was organized to discuss the recent developments of this new theoretical approach. Brandom delivered three lectures, where he explored some aspects of analytic pragmatism and addressed the motivating themes of this enterprise, while the contribution from the other speakers ranged over specific aspects of the theory. This special issue is the outcome of that workshop. In this introduction we briefly outline the context of the debate and present the contribution to this issue selected from a much wider range of papers, using the reviewing process of Philosophia.
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Notes
Cf. Brandom (2008, p. xiii) referring to Brandom (1994). The interest in Brandom’s overall theoretical enterprise is attested by recent discussions on his work by Stekeler-Weithofer (2008), Wanderer (2008), Prien and Scheikward (2008), Weiss and Wanderer (2010), and the comments on Brandom's John Locke Lectures in Minar (2008).
Indeed, what Brandom says about metaphysics reflects the famous Sellarsian characterization of the aim of philosophy itself as “to understand how things in the broadest possible sense of the term hang together in the broadest possible sense of the term”. (Sellars 1963a)
One can find another Sellarsian inheritance here, as for instance in connection with his nominalism about abstract entities. See Sellars (1963b).
Indeed, we might add, Peirce’s general view of justificatory reasoning is a form of reflective equilibrium in a way in which Brandom’s rational update is not.
References
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Santoro, D., Penco, C. New Perspectives on Analytic Pragmatism. Philosophia 40, 1–11 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11406-012-9360-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11406-012-9360-y