Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Wilfrid Sellars — Carmelics
    Thinkers/Wilfrid Sellars
    WS

    Wilfrid Sellars

    contemporaryAnalytic Philosophy

    1912 – 1989

    Wilfrid Sellars was a 20th-century American philosopher whose work bridged analytic philosophy and the history of philosophy, particularly Kant. He is best known for his critique of the 'Myth of the Given' and his distinction between the 'manifest image' and 'scientific image' of the world.

    WWikipediaSEPStanford EncyclopediaIEPInternet Encyclopedia

    Notable Achievements

    1

    Critiqued the 'Myth of the Given' in Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind

    2

    Distinguished the 'manifest image' and 'scientific image' of humanity

    3

    Developed psychological nominalism regarding abstract entities

    4

    Advanced functional role semantics and inferentialism

    5

    Influenced later philosophers including Rorty, McDowell, and Brandom

    Positions & Arguments

    (3)

    Philosophy of Language

    claim

    We must distinguish between the radical empiricist's meaning of 'meaning' (epistemic reduction) and a more common-sensical meaning of 'meaning' (factual reference).

    Truth & Knowledge

    claim

    We must distinguish between the radical empiricist's meaning of 'meaning' (epistemic reduction) and a more common-sensical meaning of 'meaning' (factual reference).

    claim

    We can rationally believe both ourselves and God to be mental in nature from a practical point of view.

    Natural Theology

    claim

    We can rationally believe both ourselves and God to be mental in nature from a practical point of view.

    Perception

    claim

    Experiences with any kind of content (including nonconceptual) can stand in evidential relations to beliefs.

    At a Glance

    Ideas

    3

    Topics

    4

    Era

    contemporary

    Tradition

    Analytic Philosophy

    Topic Influence

    Truth & Knowledge2
    Perception1
    Natural Theology1
    Philosophy of Language1

    Related Thinkers

    Immanuel Kant4 sharedBertrand Russell4 sharedDavid Hume4 sharedAristotle4 sharedPlato4 sharedRené Descartes4 sharedThomas Reid4 shared

    Dive Deeper

    Explore Truth & Knowledge→See Perception→
    John Locke4 shared