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Philosophy vocabulary · Schools and Movements

Analytic philosophy

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

nounCommon term

In philosophy, analytic philosophy means: A style of philosophy, dominant in English-speaking universities, that stresses clear argument, logical analysis and close attention to language and science.

In Turkish: analitik felsefe

How it is used

Traced to Frege, Russell, Moore and the early Wittgenstein around 1900. Usually contrasted with continental philosophy, though many now think the division is outdated. Analytic papers tend to be short, argument-driven and full of examples and counterexamples.

Example sentences

  1. Analytic philosophy began partly as a revolt against British idealism.

  2. She works in analytic philosophy of language, mainly on reference.

Common collocations

  • analytic tradition
  • analytic philosopher
  • early analytic philosophy
  • analytic and continental
  • continental philosophyA loose label for mainly French and German traditions since Kant and Hegel, including phenomenology, existentialism, hermeneutics, critical theory and post-structuralism.
  • logicThe study of correct reasoning, especially of which conclusions follow from which premises and why.
  • counterexampleA particular case showing that a general claim or definition is false, or an example with true premises and a false conclusion showing that an argument form is invalid.
  • pragmatismAn American philosophical movement holding that the meaning and truth of ideas depend on their practical consequences and on how well they work in experience.

More terms: Schools and Movements

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