Hilary Putnam

By MalikG

  • Birth

    Hilary Putnam was born July 31,1926 in Chicago Illinois. He was the only child of Samuel and Riva Putnam.

  • Schooling

    Hilary Putnam studied mathematics and philosophy at the university of Pennsylvania and attended graduate school at Harvard University and the University of California. He earned his Ph.D. in 1951 and went on to teach philosophy at Northwestern University, Princton University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

  • Putnam gains traction

    Putnam's work on the philosophy of mind and language gains attention, contributing significantly to debates on functionalism, the nature of meaning and reference.

  • Putnam's realism

    Putnam sought to make his understanding of realism from what he called "metaphysical realism." According to Britannica," Putnam, this picture of word-world correspondence is absurd, pointing to a realism gone wild. Putnam considered metaphysical realism to be blind to the autonomy and complexity of human language. In particular, it is blind to the fact that the same reality can be described in multiple ways."

  • Putnam Publishes the Meaning of Meaning

    Putnam published " Meaning of Meaning", which introduces the casual theory of reference and has a profound effect on philosophy of language. His text introduced the casual theory of reference, which argued the meaning of a term is partly determined by the casual relations between speakers and the objects or concepts they refer to. His "Twin Earth" scenario became a cornerstone in discussions of semantic externalisms.

  • Putnam's Twin Earth Scenario

    His "Twin Earth" scenario became a cornerstone in discussions of semantic externalisms. The scenario imagines a world identical to earth except for the chemical composition of its water. This challenged traditional internalist views of meaning and reference by suggesting that meanings and reference are influenced by external factors beyond the individual's mind.

  • "Reason, Truth, History"

    Putnam published his book "Reason, Truth, and History". It discussed themes in metaphysics and epistemology. Putnam developed his version of pragmatic realisms, which emphasizes the importance of practical consequences and social practices in determing truth of statements. This book also had significant impact on contemporary philosophy, influencing debates on realism, relativism, and the philosophy of science.

  • Death

    Putnam passes away in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 89.

  • CItes

    1. Ben-Menahem, Yemima. "Hilary Putnam". Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hilary-Putnam Editor, OUPblog. “Hilary Putnam on Mind and Meanings - Philosopher of the Month (January 2020).” OUPblog, 10 July 2020, blog.oup.com/2020/01/hilary-putnam-on-mind-and-meanings/.