Reply to professor Roth: On how antidogmatism bred dogmatism

Frank Ankersmit*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalEditorialAcademicpeer-review

    7 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Quine's post-positivism was, mainly, an attack on the dogmatism of foundationalist philosophy of language and science claiming to offer an apriorist account of knowledge and of the relation between language and the world. In opposition to this dogmatism Quine's post-positivism required the philosopher of language and science to respect and be open to how in the practice of science knowledge may emerge. Roth's review of my book exemplifies how Quine's anti-dogmatism could become a dogma itself. Basically, by the refusal to recognize the immense variety in the practices of science and, consequently, that each science has its own. In Roth's case this unwillingness resulted in the projection of the practice of the sciences on that of history and the humanities. This compelled him to (unwittingly) embrace the dogma of the Unity of Science. This is how Quine's most recommendable anti-dogmatism could turn into dogmatism.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)570-585
    Number of pages16
    JournalRethinking History
    Volume17
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1-Dec-2013

    Keywords

    • Quine
    • antifoundationalism
    • dogmatism
    • Roth
    • philosophy of history
    • holism
    • EXPLANATION

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