20th-century philosophy
Encyclopedia
20th-century philosophy saw the development of a number of new philosophical schools including logical positivism
, analytic philosophy
, phenomenology, existentialism
and poststructuralism. In terms of the eras of philosophy, it is usually labelled as contemporary philosophy
(succeeding modern philosophy
which runs roughly from the time of Descartes until the twentieth-century).
As with other academic disciplines, philosophy increasingly became professionalized
in the twentieth century, and a split emerged between philosophers who thought of themselves as part of "analytic"
and "continental"
traditions
The 20th century brought with it the end of the modern era
in philosophy and the initiation of contemporary philosophy
. This new era in philosophy saw the professionalization
of the discipline and the development of a deep divide between philosophers who labeled themselves “analytic”
and philosophers who labeled themselves "continental"
, although there has been disputes regarding both the terminology and the reasons behind the divide, as well as philosophers who see themselves as bridging the divide. In addition, philosophy in the twentieth century became increasingly technical and harder to read by the layman.
1963 paper "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?" which provided counter-examples to the traditional formulation of knowledge going back to Plato. A huge number of responses to the Gettier problem
were formulated, generally falling into internalist and externalist
camps, the latter including work by philosophers like Alvin Goldman
, Fred Dretske
, David Malet Armstrong
and Alvin Plantinga
.
Logical positivism
Logical positivism is a philosophy that combines empiricism—the idea that observational evidence is indispensable for knowledge—with a version of rationalism incorporating mathematical and logico-linguistic constructs and deductions of epistemology.It may be considered as a type of analytic...
, analytic philosophy
Analytic philosophy
Analytic philosophy is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to dominate English-speaking countries in the 20th century...
, phenomenology, existentialism
Existentialism
Existentialism is a term applied to a school of 19th- and 20th-century philosophers who, despite profound doctrinal differences, shared the belief that philosophical thinking begins with the human subject—not merely the thinking subject, but the acting, feeling, living human individual...
and poststructuralism. In terms of the eras of philosophy, it is usually labelled as contemporary philosophy
Contemporary philosophy
Contemporary philosophy is the present period in the history of Western philosophy beginning at the end of the 19th century with the professionalization of the discipline and the rise of analytic and continental philosophy....
(succeeding modern philosophy
Modern philosophy
Modern philosophy is a type of philosophy that originated in Western Europe in the 17th century, and is now common worldwide. It is not a specific doctrine or school , although there are certain assumptions common to much of it, which helps to distinguish it from earlier philosophy.The 17th and...
which runs roughly from the time of Descartes until the twentieth-century).
As with other academic disciplines, philosophy increasingly became professionalized
Professionalization
Professionalization is the social process by which any trade or occupation transforms itself into a true "profession of the highest integrity and competence." This process tends to involve establishing acceptable qualifications, a professional body or association to oversee the conduct of members...
in the twentieth century, and a split emerged between philosophers who thought of themselves as part of "analytic"
Analytic philosophy
Analytic philosophy is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to dominate English-speaking countries in the 20th century...
and "continental"
Continental philosophy
Continental philosophy, in contemporary usage, refers to a set of traditions of 19th and 20th century philosophy from mainland Europe. This sense of the term originated among English-speaking philosophers in the second half of the 20th century, who used it to refer to a range of thinkers and...
traditions
The 20th century brought with it the end of the modern era
Modern philosophy
Modern philosophy is a type of philosophy that originated in Western Europe in the 17th century, and is now common worldwide. It is not a specific doctrine or school , although there are certain assumptions common to much of it, which helps to distinguish it from earlier philosophy.The 17th and...
in philosophy and the initiation of contemporary philosophy
Contemporary philosophy
Contemporary philosophy is the present period in the history of Western philosophy beginning at the end of the 19th century with the professionalization of the discipline and the rise of analytic and continental philosophy....
. This new era in philosophy saw the professionalization
Professionalization
Professionalization is the social process by which any trade or occupation transforms itself into a true "profession of the highest integrity and competence." This process tends to involve establishing acceptable qualifications, a professional body or association to oversee the conduct of members...
of the discipline and the development of a deep divide between philosophers who labeled themselves “analytic”
Analytic philosophy
Analytic philosophy is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to dominate English-speaking countries in the 20th century...
and philosophers who labeled themselves "continental"
Continental philosophy
Continental philosophy, in contemporary usage, refers to a set of traditions of 19th and 20th century philosophy from mainland Europe. This sense of the term originated among English-speaking philosophers in the second half of the 20th century, who used it to refer to a range of thinkers and...
, although there has been disputes regarding both the terminology and the reasons behind the divide, as well as philosophers who see themselves as bridging the divide. In addition, philosophy in the twentieth century became increasingly technical and harder to read by the layman.
Ordinary language philosophy
Epistemology
Epistemology in the Anglo-American tradition was radically shaken up by the publication of Edmund Gettier'sEdmund Gettier
Edmund L. Gettier III is an American philosopher and Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst; he owes his reputation to a single three-page paper published in 1963 called "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?"Gettier was educated at Cornell University, where his mentors...
1963 paper "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?" which provided counter-examples to the traditional formulation of knowledge going back to Plato. A huge number of responses to the Gettier problem
Gettier problem
A Gettier problem is a problem in modern epistemology issuing from counter-examples to the definition of knowledge as justified true belief . The problem owes its name to a three-page paper published in 1963, by Edmund Gettier, called "Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?", in which Gettier argues...
were formulated, generally falling into internalist and externalist
Externalism
Externalism is a group of positions in the philosophy of mind which hold that the mind is not only the result of what is going on inside the nervous system but also of what either occur or exist outside the subject. It is often contrasted with internalism which holds that the mind emerges out of...
camps, the latter including work by philosophers like Alvin Goldman
Alvin Goldman
Alvin Ira Goldman is an American professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He previously taught at the University of Michigan and at the University of Arizona. He earned his PhD from Princeton University and is married to Holly Smith, a well known ethicist, former...
, Fred Dretske
Fred Dretske
Frederick Irwin Dretske is a philosopher noted for his contributions to epistemology and the philosophy of mind. His more recent work centers on conscious experience and self-knowledge. Additionally, he was awarded the Jean Nicod Prize in 1994...
, David Malet Armstrong
David Malet Armstrong
David Malet Armstrong , often D. M. Armstrong, is an Australian philosopher. He is well-known for his work on metaphysics and the philosophy of mind, and for his defence of a factualist ontology, a functionalist theory of the mind, an externalist epistemology, and a necessitarian conception of the...
and Alvin Plantinga
Alvin Plantinga
Alvin Carl Plantinga is an American analytic philosopher and the emeritus John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He is known for his work in philosophy of religion, epistemology, metaphysics, and Christian apologetics...
.
See also
- Twentieth-century French philosophyTwentieth-century French philosophy20th-century French philosophy is a strand of contemporary philosophy generally associated with post-World War II French thinkers, although it is directly influenced by previous philosophical movements.-Bergson:...
- List of philosophers born in the nineteenth century
- List of philosophers born in the twentieth century