Quine in Dialogue

Edited by Dagfinn Føllesdal and Douglas B. Quine

ISBN 9780674030831

Publication date: 11/30/2008

Over the course of his life, W. V. Quine, one of the twentieth century’s great philosophers, engaged and inspired, interviewed and critiqued countless scholars, critics, and students. The qualities that distinguished him in any discussion are on clear display in this volume, which features him in dialogue with his predecessors and peers, his critics and students.

The volume begins with a number of interviews Quine gave about his perspectives on twentieth-century logic, science and philosophy, the ideas of others, and philosophy generally. Also included are his most important articles, reviews, and comments on other philosophers, from Rudolf Carnap to P. F. Strawson. The book, which contains many previously unpublished manuscripts, concludes with a selection of small pieces, written for a broader public, that give a glimpse of the philosopher’s wide interests, his sense of humor, and his warm relations to friends. The result is a wide-ranging, in-depth, and finely nuanced portrait of the humanity underlying this great twentieth-century thinker’s philosophy.

Praise

Føllesdal and D. Quine have edited a superb collection of W. V. Quine's interviews, important articles, reviews, and comments on other philosophers such as Rudolf Carnap, Bertrand Russell, Donald Davidson, and P. F. Strawson. The unique theme of this handy volume is Quine's manner of engaging peers, critics, and students. The editors have chosen the pieces that make new points or expand upon his other writings; some of these have been unearthed recently in the Quine archive and are previously unpublished. The chapters reveal Quine's characteristic genius, wit, clarity of thought, and succinct prose.

—L. B. McHenry, Choice

Authors

W. V. Quine was Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy, Harvard University. He wrote twenty-one books, thirteen of them published by Harvard University Press.
Dagfinn Føllesdal is C. I. Lewis Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University.
Douglas B. Quine has collected his father’s manuscripts and notes and organized the web site that gives access to this information: www.wvquine.org.