Notes on Logical Positivism

(Originally written May 10, 2006 in 3 Subject Notebook)

Logical Positivism

Central Claims/aims

1. Verificationism
2. Reductionism/logical atomism
3. Unity of science (physicalism)

A.J. Ayer - Logic, Truth and Logic

For a proposition to be cognitively meaningful it must be either:
1) Analytic (true by definition)
2) Empirically meaningful

Meaningful statements:
-A triangle has three sides (analytic)
-Bachelors are unmarried (analytic)
-There is life in the Andromeda Galaxy (empirically meaningful)

Meaningless statements
-Phil has an immortal soul
-God exists
-Killing innocent people is wrong
-The Mona Lisa is beautiful

Problems with Logical Positivism

1) The definition of cognitively meaningful fails its own verification principle. Thus, the term cognitively meaningful is cognitively meaningless.

2) Not all truths can be grounded in experience.

Wittgenstein:

Philosophy of Language
-Rejected the picture theory of meaning
-Endorsed the concept of meaning by usage
-Language is socially relative
-Language is always a practical function
-Meaning is derived from usage
-Family resemblances (game)
-Language is blurry concepts