David Papineau
Encyclopedia
David Papineau is an academic philosopher. He works as Professor of Philosophy of Science
at King's College London
, having previously taught for several years at Cambridge University and been a fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge
. He was born in Italy and grew up in South Africa
and currently lives in London
with his wife, Rose Wild, and their two children Katy and Louis.
Papineau received a BSc
in mathematics
from the University of Natal
and a BA
and PhD
(1974) in philosophy
from the University of Cambridge. Papineau's works focus on epistemology, philosophy of science
, and philosophy of mind
. Papineau is well known as a proponent of naturalism
and realism
in epistemology and the philosophy of science.
Papineau was for several years the editor of the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
, one of the leading publications in the philosophy of science.
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, having previously taught for several years at Cambridge University and been a fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...
. He was born in Italy and grew up in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and currently lives in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with his wife, Rose Wild, and their two children Katy and Louis.
Papineau received a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
from the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
and a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
(1974) in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Cambridge. Papineau's works focus on epistemology, philosophy of science
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
, and philosophy of mind
Philosophy of mind
Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain. The mind-body problem, i.e...
. Papineau is well known as a proponent of naturalism
Naturalism (philosophy)
Naturalism commonly refers to the philosophical viewpoint that the natural universe and its natural laws and forces operate in the universe, and that nothing exists beyond the natural universe or, if it does, it does not affect the natural universe that we know...
and realism
Philosophical realism
Contemporary philosophical realism is the belief that our reality, or some aspect of it, is ontologically independent of our conceptual schemes, linguistic practices, beliefs, etc....
in epistemology and the philosophy of science.
Papineau was for several years the editor of the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science is a philosophy journal that encourages the use of philosophical methods in addressing issues raised in the natural and human sciences....
, one of the leading publications in the philosophy of science.
Publications
- For Science in the Social Sciences (1978)
- Theory and Meaning (1979)
- Reality and Representation (1987)
- Philosophical Naturalism (1993)
- Introducing Consciousness' (2000)
- Thinking about ConsciousnessThinking about ConsciousnessThinking about Consciousness by David Papineau, is a book about consciousness that describes what Papineau calls the 'Intuition of Distinctness'. He does not so much attempt to prove that materialism is right as analyse why dualism seems intuitively plausible...
(2002) - The Roots of Reason: Philosophical Essays on Rationality, Evolution and Probability (2003)
- The Cultural Origins of Cognitive Adaptations (2006)