Analytic philosophy

Analytic philosophy is a broad movement within <a href="/facts/Western_philosophy/4m6EnYCI">Western philosophy</a>, especially <a href="/facts/English-speaking_world/qaq1SXu4">anglophone</a> philosophy, focused on <a href="/facts/Analysis/heFlRrYd">analysis</a> as a philosophical method. It is characterized by a clarity of <a href="/facts/Prose/cwoJry3a">prose</a>; rigor in arguments; and making use of <a href="/facts/Formal_logic/SaI7Y3wN">formal logic</a> and mathematics, and, to a lesser degree, the <a href="/facts/Natural_sciences/8hg81Q2p">natural sciences</a>. It is further characterized by an interest in <a href="/facts/Language/IRcTok2q">language</a>, <a href="/facts/Semantics/1L4WwLAP">semantics</a> and <a href="/facts/Meaning_(philosophy)/WvFm4kKM">meaning</a>, known as the <a href="/facts/Linguistic_turn/UaYp65Rc">linguistic turn</a>. It has developed several new branches of philosophy and logic, notably <a href="/facts/Philosophy_of_language/qwNCwF4W">philosophy of language</a>, <a href="/facts/Philosophy_of_mathematics/z7xBcdWA">philosophy of mathematics</a>, <a href="/facts/Philosophy_of_science/aonsfhTY">philosophy of science</a>, modern <a href="/facts/Predicate_logic/lcISqWIg">predicate logic</a> and <a href="/facts/Mathematical_logic/SaI7Y3wN">mathematical logic</a>.
The proliferation of analysis in philosophy began around the turn of the 20th century and has been dominant since the latter half of the 20th century. Central figures in its historical development are <a href="/facts/Gottlob_Frege/FXyStVYj">Gottlob Frege</a>, <a href="/facts/Bertrand_Russell/SRpwNX2U">Bertrand Russell</a>, <a href="/facts/G._E._Moore/JBPw5mT0">G. E. Moore</a>, and <a href="/facts/Ludwig_Wittgenstein/wN9bAgMz">Ludwig Wittgenstein</a>. Other important figures in its history include <a href="/facts/Franz_Brentano/XQRFJvMd">Franz Brentano</a>, the <a href="/facts/Logical_positivism/Dc6XMTsc">logical positivists</a> (particularly <a href="/facts/Rudolf_Carnap/0nqgBwnw">Rudolf Carnap</a>), the <a href="/facts/Ordinary_language_philosophy/pA43hoje">ordinary language philosophers</a>, <a href="/facts/Willard_Van_Orman_Quine/2RrhATxa">W. V. O. Quine</a>, and <a href="/facts/Karl_Popper/RpLqMrz5">Karl Popper</a>. After the decline of logical positivism, <a href="/facts/Saul_Kripke/qEkI8qW8">Saul Kripke</a>, <a href="/facts/David_Lewis_(philosopher)/8aG4Ex6V">David Lewis</a>, and others led a revival in <a href="/facts/Metaphysics/fSFt6SHe">metaphysics</a>.
Analytic philosophy is often contrasted with <a href="/facts/Continental_philosophy/uVbXljJo">continental philosophy</a>, which was coined as a catch-all term for other methods that were prominent in <a href="/facts/Continental_Europe/EXR4F23f">continental Europe</a>, most notably <a href="/facts/Existentialism/ylQ1HF6b">existentialism</a>, <a href="/facts/Phenomenology_(philosophy)/AILzLkKx">phenomenology</a>, and <a href="/facts/Hegelianism/vh0s6AAK">Hegelianism</a>. There is widespread influence and debate between the analytic and continental traditions; some philosophers see the differences between the two traditions as being based on institutions, relationships, and ideology, rather than anything of significant philosophical substance. The distinction has also been drawn between "analytic" being <a href="/facts/Academy/Q1cenQyr">academic</a> or technical philosophy and "continental" being <a href="/facts/Literary_criticism/sj0LQGdF">literary</a> philosophy.

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Analytic philosophy