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Articles

Experimental Philosophy versus Natural Kind Essentialism

Mark Pinder puts Hilary Putnam’s essential philosophical theory to the test.

The stereotypical philosopher sits in an armchair carefully thinking through difficult conceptual problems. As with any stereotype, however, there are exceptions, and in recent years a number of self-styled experimental philosophers have expressed unhappiness with this armchair methodology. These philosophers have got up out of their armchairs, and are performing experiments and doing other empirical research to put a variety of philosophical views to the test.

This turn of events may be surprising. After all, philosophy is not science.

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