Willard Van Orman Quine

Willard Van Orman Quine was an influential philosopher known for challenging traditional views in logic and philosophy. He argued that our understanding of reality (ontology) doesn’t depend solely on abstract entities like universals (general concepts) but also on specific instances (particulars). Quine questioned how we determine truth and belief, emphasizing that knowledge is a web of interrelated statements rather than isolated claims. He famously rejected the idea of a clear distinction between analytic truths (true by definition) and synthetic truths (true by observation), leading to a more holistic view of science and knowledge. Quine's work has significantly shaped modern epistemology and logic.