David Lewis (philosopher)

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David Kellogg Lewis (September 28, 1941 – October 14, 2001) was an American philosopher renowned for his work in metaphysics, philosophical logic, and philosophy of language. He is widely regarded as one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century.

Early Life and Education

David Lewis was born in Oberlin, Ohio. He attended Swarthmore College, where he earned his B.A. in philosophy in 1962. He then went on to study at Harvard University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1967 under the supervision of Willard Van Orman Quine.

Academic Career

Lewis began his teaching career at UCLA before moving to Princeton University in 1970, where he remained for the rest of his career. He was a prolific writer and a highly influential figure in contemporary philosophy.

Philosophical Contributions

Modal Realism

One of Lewis's most famous and controversial theories is modal realism, which posits that all possible worlds are as real as the actual world. According to this view, every way that a world could possibly be is a way that some world is.

Counterfactuals

Lewis made significant contributions to the analysis of counterfactuals. His work on counterfactuals is encapsulated in his book "Counterfactuals" (1973), where he developed a formal semantics for counterfactual conditionals.

Causation

Lewis also developed a counterfactual theory of causation, which analyzes causal relationships in terms of counterfactual dependence. His influential paper "Causation" (1973) is a cornerstone in the philosophy of causation.

Philosophy of Mind

In the philosophy of mind, Lewis is known for his defense of functionalism, the view that mental states are defined by their functional roles rather than by their physical makeup.

Convention and Language

Lewis's book "Convention: A Philosophical Study" (1969) explores the nature of social conventions and their role in communication and language. He argued that conventions are solutions to coordination problems.

Personal Life

Lewis was married to Stephanie Lewis, a fellow philosopher. He was known for his modesty and generosity in both his personal and professional life.

Legacy

David Lewis's work continues to influence a wide range of philosophical disciplines. His theories and ideas are still widely discussed and debated in contemporary philosophy.

Selected Works

• "Convention: A Philosophical Study" (1969)
• "Counterfactuals" (1973)
• "On the Plurality of Worlds" (1986)
• "Parts of Classes" (1991)

See Also

• Metaphysics
• Philosophical logic
• Philosophy of language
• Philosophy of mind
• Functionalism (philosophy of mind)
• Possible worlds