Abstract
There are many ways to shed light on how and why our conception of geometry changed during the last two centuries. One fruitful strategy is to relate those changes to contemporary developments in other fields, from physics to epistemology. Within this general framework, there is one project that I find both enlightening and not sufficiently pursued: that of examining the link between philosophies of geometry and the semantics they presuppose. This standpoint is particularly appropriate for an evaluation of Putnam’s views since few philosophers of science have been more keenly aware of the central character of semantic issues in philosophy, or more productive in bold, insightful ideas in that field.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bolzano, B . 1837. Theory of Science. Ed. and transl. by Rolf George. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1972.
Bradbury, T. C. 1968. Theoretical Mechanics. New York: Wiley.
Cartan, E. 1923. ‘Sur les variétés à connexion affine et la théorie de la relativité généralisée,’Ann. Del’Ecole Norm. Sup. 40, 325–412 and41,1–25.
Cartan, E. 1923. ‘Sur les variétés à connexion affine et la théorie de la relativité généralisée,’Ann. Del’Ecole Norm. Sup. 40, 325–412 and41,1–25.
Einstein, A. 1918. ‘Prinzipielles zur allgemeinen Relativitäts theorie,’Annalen der Physik, Ser. 4, 55, 241–244.
Frege, G . 1899. Correspondence with Hilbert. In G. Gabrielet al., Wissenschaftlicher Briefwechsel. Hamburg: Felix Meiner Verlag, 1976. (This is vol. 2 of hisNachgelassene Schriften und Wissenschaftlicher Briefwechsel, 1969-.)
Geach, P. T. 1962. Reference and Generality. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Glymour, C. 1980. Theory and Evidence. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Grünbaum, A. 1972. Philosophical Problems of Space and Time. 2nd revised ed. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol. 12. Dordrecht and Boston: D. Reidel.
Havas, P. 1964. ‘Four-dimensional Formulations of Newtonian Mechanics and Their Relations to the Special and the General Theory of Relativity,’Reviews of Modern Physics 36, 938–965.
Helmholtz, H. 1868. ‘On the Facts Underlying Geometry.’ In R. S. Cohen and Y. Elkana (eds.), Epistemological Writings. The Paul Hertz/Moritz Schlick Centenary Edition of 1921, newly transl. by M. Lowe. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol. 37. Dordrecht and Boston: D. Reidel, 1977.
Koenigsberger, Leo. 1902–3. Hermann von Helmholtz. 3 vols. Braunschweig: Vieweg.
Laudan, L. 1981. ‘A Confutation of Convergent Realism,’Philosophy of Science 48, 19–49.
Mill, John Stuart. 1843. A System of Logic. London: Parker.
Putnam, H. 1959. ‘Memo on Conventionalism.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 206–214 ).
Putnam, H. 1962a. ‘The Analytic and the Synthetic.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 33–69 ).
Putnam, H. 1962b. ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 237–249 ).
Putnam, H. 1963. ‘An Examination of Grünbaum’s Philosophy of Geometry.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 93–129 ).
Putnam, H. 1965a. ‘A Philosopher Looks at Quantum Mechanics.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 130–158 ).
Putnam, H. 1965b. ‘Philosophy of Physics.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 79–92 ).
Putnam, H. 1968. ‘The Logic of Quantum Mechanics.’ In (1975b, I, pp. 174–197 ).
Putnam, H. 1973. ‘Explanation and Reference.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 196–214 ).
Putnam, H. 1974a. ‘Language and Reality.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 272–290 ).
Putnam, H. 1974b. ‘Reply to Gerald Massey.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 192–195 ).
Putnam, H. 1975a. ‘The Meaning of “Meaning”.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 215–271 ).
Putnam, H. 1975b. Philosophical Papers. 2 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, vol. I:Mathematics, Matter and Method; vol. II:Mind, Language and Reality.
Putnam, H. 1975c. ‘Philosophy of Language and the Rest of Philosophy.’ In (1975b, II, pp. vii–xvii).
Putnam, H. 1975d. ‘The Refutation of Conventionalism.’ In (1975b, II, pp. 153–191 ).
Putnam, H. 1975e. ‘Science as Approximation to Truth.’ In (1975b, I, pp. vii–xiv).
Putnam, H. 1981. Reason, Truth and History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Reichenbach, H. 1928. The Philosophy of Space and Time. New York: Dover, 1958.
Riehl, A. 1904. ‘Helmholtz in seinem Verhältnis zu Kant,’Kant Studien 9, 261–285.
Russell, B. 1899. ‘Sur les axiomes de la géométrie,’Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale 7, 684–707.
Schilpp, P. A. (ed.). 1963. The Philosophy of Rudolf Carnap. LaSalle, III.: Open Court.
Wheeler, J. A., Misner, C. W., Thorne, K. S. 1973. Gravitation. San Francisco: Freeman.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1983 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Coffa, A. (1983). Geometry and Semantics: An Examination of Putnam’s Philosophy of Geometry. In: Cohen, R.S., Laudan, L. (eds) Physics, Philosophy and Psychoanalysis. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol 76. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7055-7_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7055-7_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-009-7057-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-7055-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive