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Putnam's birth date and death date
Hilary Putnam was born on July 31, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, US. and died on March 13, 2016 at 89 years old. -
Putnam's education
Putnam study at the University of {Pennsylvania and graduated in 1946 with a B.A. in mathematics and philosophy. He then moved to the University of California where he finished his doctorate in 1951 under the German philosopher, Hans Reichenbach. -
Putnam first influential paper
Putnam publishes his paper, "The Analytic and the Synthetic" which challenges the idea that statements can be neatly divided into analytic, true by definition, and synthetic, true based on empirical evidence. He argued that the meaning of terms can change depending on the context. This challenged established views and opened up new discussions on language, meaning, and truth. -
Putnam Machine Functionalism
Putnam made significant contributions to the fields of mind and language by emphasizing the functions of mental states rather than their physical properties. His theory of "Machine Functionalism" (1967) provided a compelling resolution to the mind-body problem. The theory states that mental states are defined by the roles they play in a system, rather then by their physical properties. -
Twin Earth thought experiment
The Twin Earth thought experiment was introduced in Putnam's papers "Meaning and Reference" (1973) and "The Meaning of 'Meaning'" (1975). The best way to understand the Twin Earth thought experiment is by using an example, the one used in this video demonstrates clearly what this experiment is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE8NL9G_Fq8 -
"The Meaning of 'Meaning'"
Putnam's publishes a landmarking book, "The Meaning of 'Meaning'". The book argues that the meaning of a word is not solely determined by the individual's thoughts and beliefs about it but is also influenced by the external world and social context. -
Putnam's early publications
Hilary Putnam presented two influential arguments for realism in philosophy and mathematics. The "no-miracle" and "indispensability" arguments both aim to demonstrate that the success of scientific theories cannot be explained without considering perceptions of the world and the use of mathematical formulas. These arguments suggest that mathematics and science are indispensable for understanding and explaining the natural world. -
Reason, Truth, and History
Another book that Putnam published was "Reason, Truth, and History". In this book he explores the relationship between reason, truth, and historical context. He argues against the idea of a fixed, objective truth and emphasizes the role of language, culture, and historical context in shaping our understanding of truth. -
Notable books and publications
"Mathematics, Matter and Method: Philosophical Papers, Volume 1" (1975)
"Representation and Reality" (1988)
"Realism with a Human Face" (1990)
"Renewing Philosophy" (1992)
"Pragmatism: An Open Question" (1995)
"Ethics without Ontology" (2004) -
The Rolf Schock Prize
Putnam received the Rolf Schock Prize, which in the philosophy world is equivalent to the noble peace prize, for his contribution to the understanding of semantics for theoretical and 'natural kind' terms, and of the implications of this semantics for philosophy, theory of knowledge, philosophy of science and metaphysics. -
End of life
Putnam was a professor at Harvard for 35 years before retiring in 2000. He continued lecturing and writing papers until 2014, while also writing for his own blog for another year.