From the familiar to the mysterious: Putnam’s natural realism

Abstract

I Few contemporary philosophers are as responsive to the conflict and confusion surrounding the issue of realism as Hilary Putnam. As is evident in the above passages, Putnam believes the conflict has reached crisis proportions, and that more than ever is it imperative that the "responsible thinker" attempt to resolve it. Such a task, as Putnam suggests, partly involves diagnosing the inadequacies of both sides of the realism debate, and, of course, Putnam has repeatedly attacked various forms of both traditional (metaphysical) realism and contemporary non-realism over the past few decades. Putnam has tried to reveal the various ways in which these views succumb to absurdity and fantasy, and how both remain entrapped in a very small circle of ideas. Hence, as he claims above, Putnam believes that if we are to see our way out of.the impasse it is necessary to challenge the assumption that there are no other alternatives. Putnam is committed to