Millikan and Her Critics
Philosophers and their Critics
1. Edition December 2012
320 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Millikan and Her Critics offers a unique critical discussion
of Ruth Millikan's highly regarded, influential, and systematic
contributions to philosophy of mind and language, philosophy of
biology, epistemology, and metaphysics. These newly written
contributions present discussion from some of the most important
philosophers in the field today and include replies from
Millikan herself.
* Comprises 13 new essays that critically examine the highly
regarded and influential work of Ruth Millikan
* Covers a wide range of Millikan's most important work, from
philosophy of mind and language to philosophy of biology
* Features contributions by some of the most important and
influential philosophers working today
* Includes original replies to critics by Millikan
Foreword ix
Daniel C. Dennett
A Millikan Bibliography xiii
Introduction 1
Dan Ryder, Justine Kingsbury, and Kenneth Williford
1 Toward an Informational Teleosemantics 21
Karen Neander
Reply to Neander, by Ruth Millikan
2 Signals, Icons, and Beliefs 41
Peter Godfrey-Smith
Reply to Godfrey-Smith, by Ruth Millikan
3 Millikan's Isomorphism Requirement 63
Nicholas Shea
Reply to Shea, by Ruth Millikan
4 Millikan on Honeybee Navigation and Communication 87
Michael Rescorla
Reply to Rescorla, by Ruth Millikan
5 Concepts: Useful for Thinking 107
Louise Antony
Reply to Antony, by Ruth Millikan
6 Properties Over Substance 123
Richard Fumerton
Reply to Fumerton, by Ruth Millikan
7 Millikan's Historical Kinds 135
Mohan Matthen
Reply to Matthen, by Ruth Millikan
8 Millikan, Realism, and Sameness 155
Crawford L. Elder
Reply to Elder, by Ruth Millikan
9 Craning the Ultimate Skyhook: Millikan on the Law of Noncontradiction 176
Charles Nussbaum
Reply to Nussbaum, by Ruth Millikan
10 Are Millikan's Concepts Inside-Out? 198
Jesse Prinz
Reply to Prinz, by Ruth Millikan
11 The Epistemology of Meaning 221
Cynthia Macdonald and Graham Macdonald
Reply to Macdonalds, by Ruth Millikan
12 Weasels and the A Priori 241
David Braddon-Mitchell
Reply to Braddon-Mitchell, by Ruth Millikan
13 All in the Family 259
Willem A. deVries
Reply to deVries, by Ruth Millikan
Afterword 281
Ruth Millikan
References 282
Index 292
"Millikan will be one of our most enduring contemporary philosophers. This book offers an invaluable perspective on critical alternatives to her theories, and in the process not only clarifies her place in many contemporary debates, but also clarifies some of the more challenging aspects of her work." (Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 24 October 2013)
"There is a nice balance between sympathetic and skeptical commentators; and the discussion is constructive and illuminating throughout. The editors have provided an excellent introduction, which offers a lucid and elegant summary of Millikan's views, as well as highlighting the main points of discussion in the book. Moreover, Millikan's replies are extremely helpful in clarifying some of the stickier points in her earlier writings.... Taken together, the essays collected here offer an intensive and illuminating exploration of Millikan's views. The result is an excellent addition to the literature on metaphysics and on the philosophy of mind and language." (Biology and Philosophy, 28 January 2014)
A fascinating conversation between thirteen shrewd critics and
one of our leading contemporary thinkers on the biological basis of
language and thought. Everyone--specialist and beginner
alike--will learn something from this exchange. I certainly
did.
-Fred Dretske, Duke University
Could humans be both thinking beings and evolved biochemical
robots? Ruth Millikan has made the most sustained, systematic
effort to show that we are both. Introspection can be integrated
with science. This collection is the most sustained, systematic
reflection on, and response to, her worldview.
-Kim Sterelny, Victoria University of Wellington
Justine Kingsbury is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. She works in philosophy of mind, philosophy of biology, aesthetics, and informal logic.
Kenneth Williford is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at The University of Texas at Arlington. He works in philosophy of mind, modern philosophy, and phenomenology.