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SUMMARY:Pragmatism and the possibility of (no) naturalistic metaphysics - 
 Jonathan Knowles (NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
DTSTART:20150211T130000Z
DTEND:20150211T143000Z
UID:TALK57303@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Christopher Clarke
DESCRIPTION:Pragmatism is often seen as an anti-metaphysical philosophy an
 d/or as aiming consistently at so being. In this talk I will discuss in wh
 at ways and to what extent pragmatism can\, should and/or does avoid\nmeta
 physics\, in some significant sense. I gradually narrow my focus to the ki
 nd of naturalistic pragmatism defended by Huw Price with his theory of glo
 bal expressivism\, and to the possibility of (no)\nnaturalistic metaphysic
 s. Though suggestive\, Price's arguments against 'placement' or 'serious' 
 metaphysics don't\, I claim\, show that such\nquestions cannot coherently 
 and maybe should be asked by pragmatists. I go on to outline a 'disunified
 ' picture of science\, as defended by John Dupré and Nancy Cartwright\, w
 hich might seem a natural one for a\npragmatist to adopt\, and on which su
 ch questions would again seem to lapse\; but then immediately take up an a
 lternative non-reductionist view of science\, defended by James Ladyman an
 d Donald Ross (et al.) on\nwhich the idea of science investigating a unifi
 ed reality is upheld but which would also appear pragmatically kosher. I t
 hen explore the possibility of the latter in fact providing something like
  a\nmetaphysical picture for global expressivism\, but conclude that the m
 arriage would end up being too 'seriously' metaphysical in its implication
 s for Price’s liking. I end by suggesting that an\nalternative form of n
 aturalistic pragmatism to global expressivism\, albeit closely related\, c
 an embrace the Ladyman & Ross picture of physical reality without falling 
 into serious metaphysics\, and indeed that this holds out the promise of b
 eing a position which can truly be deemed non-metaphysical.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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