Whitehead and the Pittsburgh School: Preempting the Problem of Intentionality

Whitehead and the Pittsburgh School propose a revisionary history of the relationship between Alfred North Whitehead and analytic philosophy, and how thinking with Whitehead can help disabuse analytic philosophy of the problem of intentionality. Lisa Landoe Hedrick defines "analytic" philosophy as the intellectual tradition from Gottlob Frege to Bertrand Russell to Wilfrid Sellars, and Robert Brandom and John McDowell pick up the Sellarsian project of reconciling nature and normativity. Hedrick investigates Whiteheads critiques of early analytic thought and employs Whitehead to reimagine nature and normativity after the problem of intentionality.

Format: Hardback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 20 May 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

Rewritten text:
Whitehead and the Pittsburgh School: Preempting the Problem of Intentionality offers a transformative account of the interplay between Alfred North Whitehead and analytic philosophy, while also presenting a constructive framework for how engaging with Whitehead's ideas can aid in alleviating the issue of intentionality within analytic philosophy. Lisa Landoe Hedrick defines analytic philosophy as the primary intellectual tradition that spans from Gottlob Frege to Bertrand Russell to Wilfrid Sellars, or, geographically, from Vienna to Cambridge to Pittsburgh during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. As prominent figures within the Pittsburgh School of philosophy, Robert Brandom and John McDowell take up the Sellarsian project of reconciling nature and normativity in distinct ways, yet each of them presupposes a problematic relationship between language and the world that is inherited from an implicit metaphysics of subjecthood that characterized early twentieth-century analytic thinkers. Hedrick conducts a comprehensive investigation into Whitehead's published and archived critiques of early analytic thought, extending a broader critique of modern philosophy. Moreover, she utilizes Whitehead's philosophical framework to reimagine nature and normativity after the problem of intentionality through his aesthetics of symbolism. This book contributes to a growing movement among philosophers to bridge the gap between process and analytic thought, making it the first to specifically focus on contemporary analytic thinkers.

Introduction:
In the history of philosophy, the relationship between Alfred North Whitehead and analytic philosophy has been a subject of significant exploration. While Whitehead's ideas have had a profound impact on the field, his influence has often been overshadowed by the dominant trends of analytic philosophy. This book aims to rectify this imbalance by presenting a revisionary history of the relationship between Whitehead and analytic philosophy, while also offering a constructive proposal for how thinking with Whitehead can help disabuse analytic philosophy of the problem of intentionality.

Defining Analytic Philosophy:
To begin, it is necessary to define analytic philosophy. Lisa Landoe Hedrick defines analytic philosophy as primarily the intellectual tradition that runs from Gottlob Frege to Bertrand Russell to Wilfrid Sellars, or, geographically, from Vienna to Cambridge to Pittsburgh between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This tradition is characterized by a focus on logical analysis, mathematical reasoning, and the application of scientific methods to the study of nature. Analytic philosophers have been influential in developing various philosophical theories, including logical positivism, empiricism, and logical realism.

The Pittsburgh School of Philosophy:
As key members of the Pittsburgh School of philosophy, Robert Brandom and John McDowell pick up the Sellarsian project of reconciling nature and normativity in different ways. Brandom focuses on the role of language in mediating our understanding of the world, while McDowell emphasizes the importance of the mind-body problem in understanding the nature of consciousness. Both Brandom and McDowell presuppose a problematic relationship between language and the world that is inherited from an implicit metaphysics of subjecthood that characterized analytic thinkers of the early twentieth century.

Whitehead and the Problem of Intentionality:
Whitehead and the Pittsburgh School offer a unique perspective on the problem of intentionality. While analytic philosophy has traditionally been concerned with the analysis of language and the mind, Whitehead's philosophy emphasizes the role of process in understanding the world. He argues that the world is not merely a collection of objects, but a dynamic and interconnected system of processes that are interdependent and interrelated. This perspective challenges the traditional notion of intentionality, which posits that the mind is the source of intentionality and that objects have intentions independent of the mind.

Reimagining Nature and Normativity:
Hedrick employs Whitehead to reimagine nature and normativity after the problem of intentionality by way of his aesthetics of symbolism. She argues that Whitehead's philosophy provides a framework for understanding the relationship between language, the world, and the mind. By focusing on the dynamic and interconnected nature of process, Whitehead offers a way to reconcile the traditional dichotomy between nature and normativity. He suggests that the world is not merely a physical reality, but a complex and symbolic reality that is shaped by the interactions between language, the mind, and the body.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Whitehead and the Pittsburgh School: Preempting the Problem of Intentionality offers a transformative account of the relationship between Alfred North Whitehead and analytic philosophy. By presenting a revisionary history of the relationship and offering a constructive proposal for how thinking with Whitehead can help disabuse analytic philosophy of the problem of intentionality, this book contributes to a growing effort among philosophers to bridge the gap between process and analytic thought. By reimagining nature and normativity after the problem of intentionality through Whitehead's aesthetics of symbolism, this book provides a unique perspective on the nature of the world and the role of language and the mind in understanding it.

Weight: 480g
Dimension: 158 x 237 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793646576