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Single Idea 7314

[from 'Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant, in 19. Language / E. Analyticity / 1. Analytic Propositions ]

Full Idea

There are two problems with Kant's characterisation of analytic truths (as having 'the predicate contained within the subject'): what exactly does it mean to say that bachelor "contains" unmarried man?, and it is limited to subject-predicate sentences.

Gist of Idea

How can bachelor 'contain' unmarried man? Are all analytic truths in subject-predicate form?

Source

comment on Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781]) by Alexander Miller - Philosophy of Language 4.2

Book Reference

Miller,Alexander: 'Philosophy of Language' [UCL Press 1998], p.115


A Reaction

He picks these objections up from Quine. I always have reservations about Quine's supposed demolition of analytic truths, but there is no denying that these are two excellent problems which need addressing.