Analyticity and Holism in Quine’s Thought

Abstract

This essay is based on a talk that Ifirstgave at a conference in honour of the memory of my teacher, the late Burton Dreben, who taught at Harvard from 1956-1990. I dedicate it to his memory. Throughout our conversations, and in his teaching moregenerally, Burt always stressed the complexity of what is often called 'the analytic-synthetic debate'. In the last philosophical conversation that I had with him, he particularly emphasized the role that holism plays for Quine. This essay is based upon those two points. I attempt togive a sketch of Quine's complex views on analyticity, a sketch that will emphasize the central role that holism plays in those views. I should emphasize that my primary aim is to show how the matter appears from Quine's perspective. From other points of view, most notably Carnap's, it would no doubt seem rather different at crucial points; I note some of these points in passing, but do not discuss them.