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Functionalism is Outlined
In the late 1950s Putnam began to release his papers on functionalism. His version of functionalism was "Machine Functionalism". Functionalism is a part of mental philosophy that discusses what makes something truly itself. A computer can be programmed to disregard the programs themselves, and upon looking at input and output if what initiates that output is that of a human mind then it can be said it has consciousness. It thinks like Being A, therefore it has the mind of Being A. -
Values of War
Late 1960s Putnam began his anti-war activism. Putnam argued that there the values is not independent of facts- that the two in fact intertwined. He criticized the dichotomy of morals and science, seeing it as a flawed method of analyzing the two.
Baghramian, M. (n.d.). Hilary Putnam (1926-2016). Philosophy Now: a magazine of ideas. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://philosophynow.org/issues/114/Hilary_Putnam_1926-2016 -
Diophantine Equation Solved
One of the 23 unsolvable problems, as outlined by David Hilbert, was attempted. In 1961 with the help of Martin Davis and Julia Robinson, Putnam was able to provide proofs, the equation was later completed by Yuri Matiyasevich in 1970.
Ben-Menahem, Y. (n.d.). Hilary Putnam. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hilary-Putnam#ref323608 -
A Shift from Realism
Putnam created a shockwave in the analytical philosophy world by shifting from his work earlier in his career. Initially supporting an internal realism throughout the 1980s and 1990s Putnam has shifted to common sense realism, direct realism, pragmatic realism, and natural realism.
Baghramian, M. (n.d.). Hilary Putnam (1926-2016). Philosophy Now: a magazine of ideas. Retrieved April 10, 2022, from https://philosophynow.org/issues/114/Hilary_Putnam_1926-2016