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490Themes From Kaplan (edited book)Oxford University Press. 1989.This anthology of essays on the work of David Kaplan, a leading contemporary philosopher of language, sprang from a conference, "Themes from Kaplan," organized by the Center for the Study of Language and Information at Stanford University.
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184Demonstrative reference and definite descriptionsPhilosophical Studies 40 (2): 241--257. 1981.A distinction is developed between two uses of definite descriptions, the "attributive" and the "referential." the distinction exists even in the same sentence. several criteria are given for making the distinction. it is suggested that both russell's and strawson's theories fail to deal with this distinction, although some of the things russell says about genuine proper names can be said about the referential use of definite descriptions. it is argued that the presupposition or implication that…Read more
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138Living in the Throes of ParadoxConversations: Institute of Jewish Ideas 30 (4): 1-15. 2017.A reflection on paradox vis-a-vis truth in the context of religion. The discussion directly pertains to the Jewish context. But the issues are quite general.
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100Awe and the Religious Life: A Naturalistic PerspectiveMidwest Studies in Philosophy 21 (1): 257-280. 1997.
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90The magic prism: an essay in the philosophy of languageOxford University Press. 2004.The late 20th century saw great movement in the philosophy of language, often critical of the fathers of the subject-Gottlieb Frege and Bertrand Russell-but sometimes supportive of (or even defensive about) the work of the fathers. Howard Wettstein's sympathies lie with the critics. But he says that they have often misconceived their critical project, treating it in ways that are technically focused and that miss the deeper implications of their revolutionary challenge. Wettstein argues that Wit…Read more
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88The semantic significance of the referential-attributive distinctionPhilosophical Studies 44 (2): 187--96. 1983.
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84Against TheodicyThe Proceedings of the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy 4 (1-4): 115-125. 1999.The problem of theodicy is a philosophical classic. I argue that not only are the classical answers suspect, but that the question itself is problematic. In its classical form, the problem presupposes a conception of divinity—call it “perfect-being theology”—that does not go without saying. Even so, there is a significant gap between what the Western religions tell us about the reign of justice and what we seem to find in the world. I argue that approaches to evil need to maintain focus on this …Read more
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68Against theodicyPhilosophia 30 (1-4): 131-142. 2003.It has long been urged against traditional theism, very long indeed, that God’s perfections—specifically in the domains of goodness, knowledge and power—are logically incompatible with the existence of unwarranted human suffering. It has almost equally long been urged that the problem is illusory—or at least surmountable; the tradition of theodicy must be only moments younger than the problem. The debate is a philosophical classic, with many ingenious moves on both sides, and epicycles galore. B…Read more
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67Turning the tables on Frege or how is it that "Hesperus is Hesperus" is trivial?Philosophical Perspectives 3 317-339. 1989.
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62Has semantics rested on a mistake?: and other essaysStanford University Press. 1991.The nature of reference, or the relation of a word to the object to which it refers, has been perhaps the dominant concern of twentieth-century analytic philosophy. Extremely influential arguments by Gottlob Frege around the turn of the century convinced the large majority of philosophers that the meaning of a word must be distinguished from its referent, the former only providing some kind of direction for reaching the latter. In the last twenty years, this Fregean orthodoxy has been vigorously…Read more
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56Précis of The Magic Prism (review)Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 74 (3): 720-722. 2007.
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56The Magic Prism: An Essay in the Philosophy of LanguageMind 114 (455): 791-796. 2005.The late 20th century saw great movement in the philosophy of language, often critical of the fathers of the subject-Gottlieb Frege and Bertrand Russell-but sometimes supportive of (or even defensive about) the work of the fathers. Howard Wettstein's sympathies lie with the critics. But he says that they have often misconceived their critical project, treating it in ways that are technically focused and that miss the deeper implications of their revolutionary challenge. Wettstein argues that Wit…Read more
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52Forgiveness and Moral ReckoningPhilosophia 38 (3): 445-455. 2010.Charles Griswold’s seminal work, Forgiveness, is the focus of the present essay. Following Griswold, I distinguish the relevant virtue of character from something that is more like an act or process. The paper discusses a number of hesitations I have about Griswold’s analysis, at the level both of detail and of underlying conception
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48Frege‐Russell Semantics?Dialectica 44 (1‐2): 113-135. 1990.Contemporary semantical discussions make mention of the traditional approach to semantics represented by Frege and/or Russell--even sometimes by Frege-Russell. Is there a Frege-Russell view in the philosophy of language? How much of a common semantical perspective did Frege and Russell share? The matter bears exploration. I begin with Frege and Russell on propositions.
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47Terra FirmaThe Monist 78 (4): 425-446. 1995.I have long felt that graduate education in philosophy, when successful, produces in its beneficiaries a strong antipathy, almost an allergic reaction, to “ism” words. “Naturalism,” nevertheless, is not one that is easy to eschew. This is not because of anything like a widely shared or especially intuitive doctrine associated with the term. The numerous doctrines offered by way of characterization often seem either suspicious because of their strength, or else platitudinous, too easy and not suf…Read more
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42The Significance of Religious ExperienceOxford University Press USA. 2012.In this volume of essays, Howard Wettstein explores the foundations of religious commitment. His orientation is broadly naturalistic, but not in the mode of reductionism or eliminativism. This collection explores questions of broad religious interest, but does so through a focus on the author's religious tradition, Judaism. Among the issues explored are the nature and role of awe, ritual, doctrine, religious experience; the distinction between belief and faith; problems of evil and suffering wit…Read more
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39A father of the revolutionPhilosophical Perspectives 13 443-457. 1999.When I was a graduate student in the late 60’s, Wittgenstein was very fashionable. Remarks like “meaning is use” rolled off one’s tongue as easily as “Hell no, we won’t go,” or “It’s not the case that necessarily the number of planets is greater than seven.” I vowed to avoid the Philosophical Investigations , and I was true to my vow until some years later when a friend commented that my approach to indexicals..
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36DoctrineFaith and Philosophy 14 (4): 423-443. 1997.I argue that theological doctrine, the output of philosophical theology, is not a natural tool for thinking about biblical/rabbinic Judaism. Fundamental to my argument is the claim that there is a tension between constellations of theological doctrine of medieval vintage and the primary religious literature---the Hebrew Bible as understood through, and supplemented by, the Rabbis of the Talmud. This tension is a product of the genesis of philosophical theology, the application of Greek philosoph…Read more
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36Response to Fumerton, Marti, Reimer and Stroud (review)Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 74 (3): 754-775. 2007.
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24Contemporary Perspectives in the Philosophy of Language (edited book)University of Minnesota Press. 1979.This volume, an expanded edition of the philosophy of language issue of the journal Midwest Studies in Philosophy (1977), includes essays by some of the ...
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23Studies in epistemology (edited book)University of Minnesota Press. 1980.This is Volume V in the series Midwest Studies in Philosophy In 1979 the University of Minnesota Press assumed publication of the annual Midwest Studies in ...
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18Studies in metaphysics (edited book)University of Minnesota Press. 1979.Rich with historical and cultural value, these works are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.
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