Single Idea 9338

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 11. Denying the A Priori]

Full Idea

Quine's arguments provide no reason to doubt the existence of a priori knowledge outside the domain of science.

Gist of Idea

Quine's objections to a priori knowledge only work in the domain of science

Source

comment on Willard Quine (Two Dogmas of Empiricism [1953]) by Paul Horwich - Stipulation, Meaning and Apriority §10

Book Reference

'New Essays on the A Priori', ed/tr. Boghossian,P /Peacocke,C [OUP 2000], p.166


A Reaction

This rather ignores Quine's background view of thoroughgoing physicalism, so that the domain of science is the domain of nature, which is the domain of everything. See his naturalising of epistemology, for example. Maths is part of his science.