Willard Van Orman Quine

Philosopher Logician American 1908 – 2000

Advanced analytical philosophy through logic; challenged traditional analytic-synthetic distinction.

381 quotes

"Necessity and contingency divide our knowledge"
Truth
"Scientific progress demands philosophical clarity"
Science
"Physics provides fundamental truths"
Science
"Mathematics is applied science"
Knowledge
"Numbers are useful fictions we take seriously"
Philosophy
"Atoms constitute the ultimate furniture of the world"
Science
"Void and atoms are metaphysical primitives"
Philosophy
"Materialism offers the most coherent worldview"
Philosophy
"Mind must be understood physically"
Science
"Consciousness poses deep problems for materialism"
Philosophy
"Behavior is not identical to mental states"
Philosophy
"Intentionality requires careful analysis"
Philosophy
"Beliefs cannot be reduced to brain states"
Philosophy
"Meaning is not in the head alone"
Philosophy
"Context determines reference"
Philosophy
"Words gain meaning through our practices"
Knowledge
"Truth is not subjective or relative"
Truth
"Objectivity requires shared standards"
Wisdom
"Disagreement often stems from conceptual confusion"
Philosophy
"Precision in language promotes clarity in thought"
Wisdom
"Philosophy must engage with science"
Philosophy
"Scientific method provides the best path to truth"
Science
"Empirical evidence is ultimately decisive"
Truth
"Theory guides observation as much as observation guides theory"
Knowledge
"Facts are theory-laden"
Science
"Observation is never purely neutral"
Philosophy
"Induction requires philosophical justification"
Knowledge
"Deduction is the hallmark of rigorous reasoning"
Wisdom
"Argument and counter-argument advance understanding"
Education
"Dialogue clarifies thinking"
Wisdom