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Hilary Putnam was born in Chicago, IL, on July 31, 1926. He was an American philosopher who significantly influenced many different branches of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of logic. -
In 1965 he joined the faculty at Harvard University until his retirement. As a professor, he taught a class on the Philosophy of religion, teaching about the wisdom that comes from aesthetics and religion. Weber, Bruce. “Hilary Putnam, Giant of Modern Philosophy, Dies at 89.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/arts/hilary-putnam-giant-of-modern-philosophy-dies-at-89.html.
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In 1975 Putman wrote a paper, “The Meaning of ‘Meaning,’” showcasing his experiment called Twin Earth. This place would be a replica of Earth, where the chemical makeup of water would be XYZ instead of H2O.
Weber, Bruce. “Hilary Putnam, Giant of Modern Philosophy, Dies at 89.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/arts/hilary-putnam-giant-of-modern-philosophy-dies-at-89.html. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsTfTcyiRDc -
In 1976, he proposed that "metaphysical realism" should be replaced with "internal realism". In 1981, he conducted an experiment referred to as "Brains in a Vat", which made people question realism, and when thinking of an image with a brain in a vat, the brain would produce the most computer-generated image of that object.
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After his son asked for a Bar-Mitzvah, Putman switched his focus to the philosophy of Judaism. He wrote a book on Jewish Philosophy as a Way of Life; however, his belief in science made him reject the belief in supernatural gods.
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In 2000, Putman retired as Cogan University Professor Emeritus at Harvard. Even after retirement, he continued to be an active philosopher and served as a guide and inspired future scientists. -
Putman died on March 13, 2016, at his home in Arlington, Mass at the age of 89. His death was caused by a metastasized mesothelioma.
Weber, Bruce. “Hilary Putnam, Giant of Modern Philosophy, Dies at 89.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/arts/hilary-putnam-giant-of-modern-philosophy-dies-at-89.html.