Reply to professor Roth: on how antidogmatism bred dogmatism

ISSN： 1470-1154

Source： Rethinking History, Vol.17, Iss.4, 2013-12, pp. : 570-585

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Abstract

Quine's post-positivism was, mainly, an attack on the dogmatism of foundationalist philosophy of language and science claiming to offer an apriorist account of knowledge and of the relation between language and the world. In opposition to this dogmatism Quine's post-positivism required the philosopher of language and science to respect and be open to how in the practice of science knowledge may emerge. Roth's review of my book exemplifies how Quine's anti-dogmatism could become a dogma itself. Basically, by the refusal to recognize the immense variety in the practices of science and, consequently, that each science has its own. In Roth's case this unwillingness resulted in the projection of the practice of the sciences on that of history and the humanities. This compelled him to (unwittingly) embrace the dogma of the Unity of Science. This is how Quine's most recommendable anti-dogmatism could turn into dogmatism.