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Willard Van Orman Quine Quotes

Philosopher

Willard Van Orman Quine was an American philosopher known for his work in logic, philosophy of science, and philosophy of language. He is considered one of the leading analytic philosophers of the 20th century.

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Famous Willard Van Orman Quine Quotes

“Scientific method is the way to truth, but it affords, even in principle, no unique definition of truth. Any so-called pragmatic definition of truth is doomed to failure equally.”

Way Truth Science Principles Truth Is Unique Method Definitions Doomed Pragmatic Scientific Method Pragmatism

Book:Word and Object

Source: Word and Object

“Unlike Descartes, we own and use our beliefs of the moment, even in the midst of philosophizing, until by what is vaguely called scientific method we change them here and there for the better. Within our own total evolving doctrine, we can judge truth as earnestly and absolutely as can be, subject to correction, but that goes without saying.”

Moments Use Truth Science Belief Subjects Judging Method Doctrine Evolve Midst Here And There Corrections Scientific Method

Book:Word and Object

Source: Word and Object

“Physics investigates the essential nature of the world, and biology describes a local bump. Psychology, human psychology, describes a bump on the bump.”

World Humans Science Nature Psychology Essentials Physics Locals Biology Investigation Bumps

Book:Theories and Things

Source: Theories and Things

“Science is not a substitute for common sense, but an extension of it.”

Science Common Accounts Common Sense Substitutes Extensions

Book:The Ways of Paradox, and Other Essays

Source: The Ways of Paradox, and Other Essays

“Students of the heavens are separable into astronomers and astrologers as readily as the minor domestic ruminants into sheep and goats, but the separation of philosophers into sages and cranks seems to be more sensitive to frames of reference.”

Seems Science Heaven Students Philosopher Separation Sensitive Sheep Minors Sage Goats Astronomers Crank Frame Of Reference

Author:Willard Van Orman Quine

“The scientist is indistinguishable from the common man in his sense of evidence, except that the scientist is more careful.”

Men Science Common Evidence Scientist Careful Common Man

Book:The Ways of Paradox, and Other Essays

Source: The Ways of Paradox, and Other Essays

About the Author

Born: June 25, 1908
Died: December 25, 2000
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 69

Books & Sources

Word and ObjectRelated source material

Quintessence: Basic Readings from the Philosophy of W.V. QuineRelated source material

The Ways of Paradox, and Other EssaysRelated source material

Confessions of a Confirmed Extensionalist: And Other EssaysRelated source material

Philosophy of LogicRelated source material

QuidditiesRelated source material

Quine in DialogueRelated source material

Theories and ThingsRelated source material

From a Logical Point of View: 9 Logico-philosophical EssaysRelated source material

From a Logical Point of View: Nine Logico-Philosophical EssaysRelated source material

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