1900 – 1976
Gilbert Ryle (1900–1976) was a British analytic philosopher and longtime editor of Mind who made foundational contributions to philosophy of mind and ordinary language philosophy. He is best known for his critique of Cartesian dualism, which he famously characterized as the 'ghost in the machine' fallacy. His work shaped the linguistic turn in analytic philosophy and influenced subsequent philosophy of psychology and action.
Coined the term 'ghost in the machine' to critique Cartesian mind-body dualism in The Concept of Mind (1949)
Developed the concept of 'category mistakes' as a tool for dissolving philosophical confusions
Introduced the distinction between 'knowing how' and 'knowing that' (procedural vs. propositional knowledge)
Served as editor of the journal Mind from 1947 to 1971, shaping mid-century analytic philosophy
Advanced ordinary language philosophy as a method for resolving metaphysical pseudo-problems