David Lewis (philosopher): Difference between revisions

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David Kellogg Lewis (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American philosopher renowned for his work in metaphysics, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and philosophical logic. He is best known for his theory of modal realism, which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.

Early Life and Education[edit]

David Lewis was born in Oberlin, Ohio, and was the son of a professor of government and a medieval historian. He attended Swarthmore College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then went on to study at Harvard University, where he completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Willard Van Orman Quine.

Academic Career[edit]

Lewis began his teaching career at UCLA before moving to Princeton University, where he spent the majority of his career. His work has had a significant impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in the development of counterfactuals and the analysis of causation.

Modal Realism[edit]

One of Lewis's most influential contributions to philosophy is his theory of modal realism. According to this theory, possible worlds are not mere abstractions but are as concrete and real as the actual world we live in. This view has been both highly influential and controversial, sparking extensive debate and discussion in philosophical circles.

Other Contributions[edit]

In addition to modal realism, Lewis made significant contributions to the philosophy of language, particularly in the areas of convention and language games. He also worked on the philosophy of mind, exploring topics such as mental states and consciousness.

Personal Life[edit]

Lewis was married to Stephanie Lewis, a fellow philosopher, and they often collaborated on philosophical projects. He was known for his modesty and generosity in academic circles.

Legacy[edit]

David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His writings are widely studied and cited, and his ideas remain central to ongoing debates in metaphysics and other areas of philosophy.

Selected Works[edit]

Counterfactuals (1973)
On the Plurality of Worlds (1986)
Philosophical Papers (Volumes I and II)

External Links[edit]

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: David Lewis

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-[[File:DavidLewis.jpg|thumb]] {{Infobox philosopher
+'''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American [[philosopher]] renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[philosophical logic]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.
-| region = Western philosophy
-| era = 20th-century philosophy
-| name = David Kellogg Lewis
-| birth_date = [[September 28]], [[1941]]
-| birth_place = [[Oberlin, Ohio]], [[United States]]
-| death_date = [[October 14]], [[2001]]
-| death_place = [[Princeton, New Jersey]], [[United States]]
-| school_tradition = [[Analytic philosophy]]
-| main_interests = [[Metaphysics]], [[Philosophy of language]], [[Philosophy of mind]], [[Epistemology]]
-| notable_ideas = [[Modal realism]], [[Counterfactuals]], [[Humean supervenience]]
-| influences = [[W.V.O. Quine]], [[C.I. Lewis]], [[Frank Ramsey]]
-| influenced = [[Theodore Sider]], [[Peter Railton]], [[Robert Stalnaker]]
-}}
-'''David Kellogg Lewis''' (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American philosopher renowned for his work in [[metaphysics]], [[philosophy of language]], [[philosophy of mind]], and [[epistemology]]. He is best known for his theory of [[modal realism]], which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world.
 == Early Life and Education ==
-David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]], to a family with a strong academic background. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then pursued graduate studies at [[Harvard University]], where he studied under the supervision of [[W.V.O. Quine]] and received his Ph.D. in 1967.
+David Lewis was born in [[Oberlin, Ohio]], and was the son of a professor of government and a medieval historian. He attended [[Swarthmore College]], where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then went on to study at [[Harvard University]], where he completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of [[Willard Van Orman Quine]].
 == Academic Career ==
-Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]], where he spent the majority of his academic life. His work has had a profound impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in metaphysics and the philosophy of language.
+Lewis began his teaching career at [[UCLA]] before moving to [[Princeton University]], where he spent the majority of his career. His work has had a significant impact on various areas of philosophy, particularly in the development of [[counterfactuals]] and the analysis of [[causation]].
-== Philosophical Contributions ==
+== Modal Realism ==
+One of Lewis's most influential contributions to philosophy is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, possible worlds are not mere abstractions but are as concrete and real as the actual world we live in. This view has been both highly influential and controversial, sparking extensive debate and discussion in philosophical circles.
-=== Modal Realism ===
+== Other Contributions ==
-Lewis's most famous philosophical contribution is his theory of [[modal realism]]. According to this theory, possible worlds are not mere abstractions or linguistic constructs but are as real as the actual world we inhabit. Each possible world is a complete and isolated universe, and the actual world is simply the world we happen to live in. This view allows for a robust analysis of modal statements, such as those involving possibility and necessity.
+In addition to modal realism, Lewis made significant contributions to the [[philosophy of language]], particularly in the areas of [[convention (philosophy)|convention]] and [[language games]]. He also worked on the [[philosophy of mind]], exploring topics such as [[mental states]] and [[consciousness]].
-=== Counterfactuals ===
+== Personal Life ==
-In his work on [[counterfactuals]], Lewis developed a formal semantics for understanding statements about what could have been. He introduced the concept of "possible world semantics," which evaluates the truth of counterfactual statements by considering the closest possible worlds where the antecedent is true. This approach has become a standard in the analysis of counterfactuals.
+Lewis was married to [[Stephanie Lewis]], a fellow philosopher, and they often collaborated on philosophical projects. He was known for his modesty and generosity in academic circles.
-=== Humean Supervenience ===
+== Legacy ==
-Lewis also advocated for a doctrine known as [[Humean supervenience]], which asserts that all facts about the world, including those about laws of nature, supervene on the spatiotemporal distribution of local qualities. This view is named after [[David Hume]], who famously argued that there are no necessary connections between distinct existences.
+David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His writings are widely studied and cited, and his ideas remain central to ongoing debates in metaphysics and other areas of philosophy.
-=== Other Contributions ===
+== Selected Works ==
-Lewis made significant contributions to the philosophy of language, particularly in his work on conventions and language games. He also explored issues in the philosophy of mind, such as the nature of mental states and their relation to physical states.
+* ''Counterfactuals'' (1973)
+* ''On the Plurality of Worlds'' (1986)
+* ''Philosophical Papers'' (Volumes I and II)
-== Legacy ==
+== See Also ==
-David Lewis's work continues to influence contemporary philosophy. His rigorous approach to philosophical problems and his innovative theories have inspired a generation of philosophers. His collected papers and books, such as "On the Plurality of Worlds," remain essential reading for students and scholars in the field.
-== Also see ==
 * [[Possible world]]
 * [[Counterfactual conditional]]
-* [[Humeanism]]
+* [[Philosophical logic]]
-* [[Analytic philosophy]]
-* [[Philosophy of language]]
-{{Analytic philosophers}}
-{{Metaphysicians}}
+== External Links ==
+* [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/david-lewis/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: David Lewis]
+[[Category:1941 births]]
+[[Category:2001 deaths]]
 [[Category:American philosophers]]
-[[Category:20th-century philosophers]]
 [[Category:Metaphysicians]]
-[[Category:Philosophy of language]]
+[[Category:Philosophers of language]]
+[[Category:Philosophers of mind]]
 [[Category:Princeton University faculty]]
+[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
+[[Category:Swarthmore College alumni]]