R.I.P. Bob Meyer May 6, 2009
Posted by Colin in Announcements.trackback
Was literally just thinking to myself earlier today: “I should really see some of the great philosophers, like Bob Meyer, while they are still around.” Tonight I heard that Meyer passed away. Never knew the man so nothing personal to say, but I find his thought increasingly influential and his style enviable. I’ll just quote my favorite Meyer passage in tribute:
There is an intuitive parity between underdetermination and overdetermination with respect to a given [sentence]. This parity is wrecked by the paradoxes of implication. Overdetermination — [inconsistency] — triggers classically a psychotic break. Underdetermination — incompleteness – is by contrast relatively painless.”
Robert K. Meyer, Entailment (1971)
Greg has a few comments that catches the sentiments that I’m feeling. If you look at the Acknowledgments in my recent /Spandrels of Truth/ (OUP, 2009) book, you’ll see Bob at the forefront: the Maximum Leader. (Plus, he and Routley did the heart of the semantics that I invoke in the book.)
Here’s Greg’s comments (with a pointer to Dave’s remarks too):
http://consequently.org/news/2009/05/07/Bob_Meyer/
Jc
It’s clear to me that you can kill people with your thoughts. Please don’t think of me. Thanks.