In Defense of Philosophy

Sober, Elliott, Skeptic (Altadena, CA)

University of Wisconsin, Madison

I was very dissatisfied with the article in SKEPTIC (Vol.6, #4:14) on the World Congress of Philosophy that took place last August. You describe a plenary session of the Congress at which five or six of the big names in philosophy were asked "What have we learned from philosophy in the 20th century?" As you report, these big names did a dismal job; they were either unable or unwilling to address this question seriously.

However, the article goes beyond reporting this event, and it is here that I think you have made a big mistake. The article suggests that philosophy has in fact contributed nothing in the 20th century. In support of …

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Publication information: Article title: In Defense of Philosophy. Contributors: Sober, Elliott - Author. Magazine title: Skeptic (Altadena, CA). Volume: 7. Issue: 2 Publication date: Spring 1999. Page number: 21. © 2009 Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine. COPYRIGHT 1999 Gale Group.

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