more from Willard Quine

Single Idea 8900

[catalogued under 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 4. Analytic/Synthetic Critique]

Full Idea

Perhaps the controversial notion of analyticity can be dispensed with, in our definition of observation sentences, in favour of the straightforward attitude of community-wide acceptance.

Gist of Idea

In observation sentences, we could substitute community acceptance for analyticity

Source

Willard Quine (Epistemology Naturalized [1968], p.86)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Ontological Relativity and Other Essays' [Columbia 1969], p.86


A Reaction

That might be a reasonable account of 'bachelors'. If the whole community accepts 'God exists', does that make it analytic? If a whole (small!) community claims to actually observe a ghost or a flying saucer, is that then analytic?