Analytical Philosophy is the dominant form of philosophy in the English-speaking world. It is often associated with the Vienna circle. Logical Positivists believed that logic could give us certainty about the world. By the mid-twentieth century, analytic philosophy had come to dominate the English-speaking world. Logical positivists like Ayer, Carnap, and Schlick fled Nazi Germany for Britain and America. Their strict criteria of meaningfulness were applied to all forms of languages, not just science. However, not everyone agreed with this trend. Some, like George E. Moore, argued for “Common Sense” approaches to logic. Others, like Wittgenstein, realized that his Tractatus was self-contradictory. He dropped the metaphor of language “Picturing” Reality and replaced it with language as a Tool. Each word or concept did not mean a specific thing. Instead, each word or concept derived its meaning from the intentions of its users and the context in which they were used.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
