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Single Idea 5195

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 7. Limitations of Analysis ]

Full Idea

Critics say an analyst is obliged by his atomistic metaphysics to regard an object consisting of parts a, b, c and d in a distinctive configuration as being simply a+b+c+d, and thus giving an entirely false account of its nature.

Gist of Idea

Critics say analysis can only show the parts, and not their distinctive configuration

Source

A.J. Ayer (Language,Truth and Logic [1936], Ch.2)

Book Ref

Ayer,A.J.: 'Language, Truth and Logic' [Penguin 1974], p.75

A Reaction

Ayer refers the critics to gestatl psychology. Personally I prefer to talk about the ontology rather than the psychology. If we include (as Russell suggests) relations as part of the analysis, there seems to be no problem.

The 19 ideas with the same theme [why analysis is trivial, limited or hopeless]:

1645 The desire to split everything into its parts is unpleasant and unphilosophical [Plato]
22 Trained minds never expect more precision than is possible [Aristotle]
14165 Analysis falsifies, if when the parts are broken down they are not equivalent to their sum [Russell]
18714 We already know what we want to know, and analysis gives us no new facts [Wittgenstein]
23499 This book says we should either say it clearly, or shut up [Wittgenstein]
5195 Critics say analysis can only show the parts, and not their distinctive configuration [Ayer]
21839 When I meet objections I just move on; they never contribute anything [Deleuze]
17663 If you know what it is, investigation is pointless. If you don't, investigation is impossible [Armstrong]
2557 Analytical philosophy seems to have little interest in how to tell a good analysis from a bad one [Rorty]
2481 Despite all the efforts of philosophers, nothing can ever be reduced to anything [Fodor]
17082 Paradox: why do you analyse if you know it, and how do you analyse if you don't? [Ruben]
2958 No one has ever succeeded in producing an acceptable non-trivial analysis of anything [Lockwood]
3352 Analytical philosophy analyses separate concepts successfully, but lacks a synoptic vision of the results [Benardete,JA]
9978 Analytic philosophy focuses too much on forms of expression, instead of what is actually said [Tait]
6881 Analytic philosophy studies the unimportant, and sharpens tools instead of using them [Mautner]
10571 Concern for rigour can get in the way of understanding phenomena [Fine,K]
9297 You can't understand love in terms of 'if and only if...' [Svendsen]
9136 The paradox of analysis says that any conceptual analysis must be either trivial or false [Sorensen]
11147 Naturalistic philosophers oppose analysis, preferring explanation to a priori intuition [Margolis/Laurence]