THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF OXFORD PHILOSOPHY AS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE ORDINARY LANGUAGE PHILOSOPHY

Pavlo  Sobolievskyi

doi:10.17721/2523-4064.2024/10-8/11

Authors

Pavlo Sobolievskyi Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6894-7244

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17721/2523-4064.2024/10-8/11

Keywords:

Ordinary language philosophy, Oxford philosophy, Anglo-American philosophy of the 20th century, analytical philosophy, natural language

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . According to a common prejudice, especially prevalent among philosophers in the continental tradition, the philosophy of everyday language (sometimes referred to as Oxford philosophy), with its focus on what we usually say and mean, fundamentally expresses a positivist attitude. Herbert Marcuse (1898-1979), who significantly contributed to the spread of this view, interprets the appeal to the concept analysis in these philosophers' writings as purely ideological: it fails to recognize the constructed nature of the social and views the social as a domain of brute facts where critical thinking should cease. Therefore, to grasp the essence of the ordinary language philosophy, it is crucial to identify the prerequisites for the emergence of this philosophical style and delve into its historical context.

M e t h o d s . In this article, the author employs the method of historical-philosophical reconstruction to clarify the conditions of the formation and genesis of Oxford philosophy. General scientific methods of cognition – such as analysis, synthesis, and generalization – are used to elucidate key ideas and concepts that influenced the development of Oxford philosophy's method. Additionally, methods of systematization and comparison are applied.

R e s u l t s . The article identifies the historical prerequisites for the formation of Oxford philosophy, specifying the key ideas and concepts that impacted the development of the ordinary language philosophy. It clarifies the distinctions and interconnections between the concepts of the philosophy of everyday language and Oxford philosophy.

C o n c l u s i o n s . For ten years following the end of the Second World War, the University of Oxford became a hub of exceptionally productive philosophical activity. This period laid the groundwork for the emergence of a new and original philosophical movement known as the "Ordinary language philosophy" or "Oxford philosophy". However, equating the ordinary language philosophy entirely with Oxford philosophy is not accurate. The former term pertains specifically to the methodology of analyzing natural language expressions in the post-World War II era. In contrast, Oxford philosophy encompasses a broader historical context, including the pre-war period of philosophical activity at the University of Oxford. Thus, Oxford philosophy should be understood as a historical-philosophical stage that ultimately led to the formation of the philosophy of everyday language.

References

Berlin, I. (2014). Personal impressions: Updated Edition. (H. Hardy, Ed.) Princeton University Press.

Cheney, D. (Ed.) (1971) Broad's Critical Essays in Moral Philosophy. George Allen and Unwin.

Flew, A. (1986). Apologia pro Philosophia Mea. In S. G. Shanker (Ed.), Philosophy in Britain Today (pp. 72–97). Croom Helm.

Gustafsson, M., & Sørli, R. (2011). The Philosophy of J. L. Austin. Oxford University Press.

MacAdam, J. (2002). Editor's Introduction. In H. A. Prichard, Moral Writings. Oxford University Press.

Passmore, J. (1957). A Hundred Years of Philosophy. Duckworth.

Urmson, J. O. (1969). Austin's Philosophy. In K. T. Fann (Ed.), Symposium on J. L. Austin. Humanities Press.

Warnock, G. J. (1969). John Langshaw Austin, a Biographical Sketch'. In K. T. Fann (Ed.), Symposium on J. L. Austin. Humanities Press. Warnock, G. J. (1989). J. L. Austin. Routledge.