Post a Comment On: Dinner Table Donts "Philosophers and Bachelorhood" Hide Original PostCollapse comments As I was sitting at Second Cup tonight reviewing Quine's Two Dogmas of Empiricism I was struck by the number of times I have come across the use of the word 'Bachelor' in philosophical literature. It is generally used as an example of an analytic word, a word who's meaning informs the very definition of the word, without any reference to external empirical data. Plantinga makes much use of it towards the end of God, Freedom and Evil in his reformulation of the ontological argument. The examples of its use in philosophical literature are innumerable. I started to wonder.... does this say anything about the philosophical profession? As I look throughout history, a large number of the most famous and brilliant philosophers were indeed bachelors. More than a few contemporary philosophers are bachelors, or if female, are spinsters. *thinking*Maybe I should become a preacher afterall... ;) posted by Peter Thurley at 11:15 PM on Jan 9, 2005 Annie said... hehe...very cute insight!annie 1/12/2005 10:50 AM Peter Thurley said... I can only hope its 'cuteness' does not directly affect whether or not it plays out in real life! 1/12/2005 2:54 PM Anonymous said... Whiskey and woman yes. Wisdom and woman no. 11/04/2006 8:55 PM Controinfo said... analytic word? Hm you are confused Pal, together with umarried man it is an example of synonimity." Every bachelor is an unmarried man" is an analytic statement, so the story goes ...there are no analytic words... 6/16/2009 7:37 AM