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Language, Truth and Logic (Dover Books on Western Philosophy) Paperback – June 1, 1952

by Alfred J. Ayer (Author), Sir Alfred Jules Ayer (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 241 ratings
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"A delightful book … I should like to have written it myself." — Bertrand Russell
First published in 1936, this first full-length presentation in English of the Logical Positivism of Carnap, Neurath, and others has gone through many printings to become a classic of thought and communication. It not only surveys one of the most important areas of modern thought; it also shows the confusion that arises from imperfect understanding of the uses of language. A first-rate antidote for fuzzy thought and muddled writing, this remarkable book has helped philosophers, writers, speakers, teachers, students, and general readers alike.
Mr. Ayers sets up specific tests by which you can easily evaluate statements of ideas. You will also learn how to distinguish ideas that cannot be verified by experience — those expressing religious, moral, or aesthetic experience, those expounding theological or metaphysical doctrine, and those dealing with a priori truth. The basic thesis of this work is that philosophy should not squander its energies upon the unknowable, but should perform its proper function in criticism and analysis.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    June 1, 1952
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0486200108
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486200101
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

A delightful book ... I should like to have written it myself.--Bertrand Russell
First published in 1936, this first full-length presentation in English of the Logical Positivism of Carnap, Neurath, and others has gone through many printings to become a classic of thought and communication. It not only surveys one of the most important areas of modern thought; it also shows the confusion that arises from imperfect understanding of the uses of language. A first-rate antidote for fuzzy thought and muddled writing, this remarkable book has helped philosophers, writers, speakers, teachers, students, and general readers alike.
Mr. Ayers sets up specific tests by which you can easily evaluate statements of ideas. You will also learn how to distinguish ideas that cannot be verified by experience--those expressing religious, moral, or aesthetic experience, those expounding theological or metaphysical doctrine, and those dealing with a priori truth. The basic thesis of this work is that philosophy should not squander its energies upon the unknowable, but should perform its proper function in criticism and analysis.

From the Back Cover

"A delightful book … I should like to have written it myself."—Bertrand Russell
First published in 1936, this first full-length presentation in English of the Logical Positivism of Carnap, Neurath, and others has gone through many printings to become a classic of thought and communication. It not only surveys one of the most important areas of modern thought; it also shows the confusion that arises from imperfect understanding of the uses of language. A first-rate antidote for fuzzy thought and muddled writing, this remarkable book has helped philosophers, writers, speakers, teachers, students, and general readers alike.
Mr. Ayers sets up specific tests by which you can easily evaluate statements of ideas. You will also learn how to distinguish ideas that cannot be verified by experience—those expressing religious, moral, or aesthetic experience, those expounding theological or metaphysical doctrine, and those dealing with a priori truth. The basic thesis of this work is that philosophy should not squander its energies upon the unknowable, but should perform its proper function in criticism and analysis.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications; 2nd edition (June 1, 1952)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486200108
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486200101
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 241 ratings

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  1. Alfred Jules Ayer

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
241 global ratings
Do not buy the kindle edition
1 Star
Do not buy the kindle edition
The Kindle edition is just scans of the book. This might be fine, since the scans are good resolution, but Amazon does not provide a way to zoom or cut the margins. I literally had to get a magnifying glass to read a computer screen. Infuriating!
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Top reviews from the United States

Shirley B
5.0 out of 5 stars Gift for my son
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2024
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Bought as a gift for my son. He enjoyed it very much.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Not an easy read but totally worth it!
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2020
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This a wonderful book, personally I had to read it Around 3 times to kind of comprehend it. It is a lot to take in, but eye opening and a most efficient way to put into words the thoughts that were always bugging me about the function of language it’s limitations and our idea of true.
One person found this helpful
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D. S. Heersink
4.0 out of 5 stars Logic Positivism -- Period!
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2001
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There is no better single source of doing philosophy via the logical positivism method than by reading this book. It's really two books in one. The Introduction is a rather thorough reply to his critics of the book's original lengthier substance, and if nothing else is read, the Introduction provides an excellent example of what logical positivism is, why it is regarded highly or poorly depending on the reader, and why some people think this kind of analysis defeats the whole purpose of philosophy. The book does try to end metaphysics as we know it, but in the course of establishing new principles (i.e., verifiability), it itself becomes indefensible against the accusation of itself relying on its own premises to prove its own conclusions (a charge Ayer coyly ignores), otherwise known as circularity.
The fact that many Anglo-American philosophers still do philosophy in this manner -- after Ayer's style -- is reason alone to study this book thoroughly. It is concisely written, clear and unambiguious (if not a tad bit too analytical), and exemplary of Anglo-American style of doing philosophy. I don't think too many philosophers subscribe to its own circular metaphysics, but many, if not most, current philosophers adopt its principles as a "method" -- something which Ayer later (in "The Meaning of Life") claims was his aim all along.
What is disappointing to me, at least in the body of Ayer's works read thus far, is his failure to address "verifiability" in light of Popper's "falsification" doctrine. What exactly constitutes "verifiability" or empirical truth? And, how does the verification of empirical truth differ from the "empirical falsification" of Popper? Perhaps Ayer addresses this problem somewhere, but I've not found it. It would be an interesting problem to see solved.
17 people found this helpful
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danzkuh
5.0 out of 5 stars changed the way I think
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2010
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I'll give 5 stars to any book that profoundly changes the way I think, and this one did.

For one, I interpret the "meaningfulness" of statements differently now. I believe that a lot of what people say, myself included, is "literally senseless."

I'm just a casual philosopher, and I know Ayer's ideas were disputed and refuted, but I think they have some value. How much, I cannot say. It's a fun book to read casually and feel all philosophically cocky, because that's the way it seems to be written: arrogantly yet audaciously.
4 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars delivered as promised and in excellent condition
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2022
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see above
One person found this helpful
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John Amador
3.0 out of 5 stars Logic and the Sensical
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2019
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This book looks at logic from a positivist/sensical perspective as regards the usefulness of a given proposition. It’s explanation of the role of intuition in establishing knowledge is clumsy. It’s take on as regards spiritual cognition is rather sparse and dismissive as declaring it to be non-sensical (i.e. non-testable/verifiable) and thus not useful is establishing knowledge.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Analytic and Positivist Thought
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2020
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While logical positivism has died out, but the questions it raised are still puzzling. The attack on aesthetics, ethics and theology, claiming them as senseless is radical but thought provoking.
One person found this helpful
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James Briggs
5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Primer for Intellectuals.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014
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So you want to know how smart AJ Ayer is. He once made world boxing champion Mike Tyson back down by telling him that he, AJ Ayer, was the world champion philosopher. You have to be smart and love language to want this book. It seems hard at first but it's liberating. Once you understand it you you will have ways of seeing and understanding things that are beyond most people.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Duardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
Reviewed in Mexico on December 23, 2021
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Para profesionales y aficionados de la filosofía, ya sea que se esté a favor de la postura del positivismo lógico o no. Ampliamente recomendado. Es necesario tener un cierto background de los temas, para poder aprovechar el contenido.
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Nigel Collacott
5.0 out of 5 stars Quality
Reviewed in Germany on May 2, 2024
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Product met my expectations. Delivered on time
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MV
5.0 out of 5 stars Top
Reviewed in Italy on March 14, 2024
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David500
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, insightful and Concise
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2023
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My positive review is based upon my complete agreement with the arguments presented so succinctly by A.J. Ayer. Whilst unaware of its relevance to the work of contemporary philisophers, I found his criticisms of various schools and theories of philosophy to be most useful.
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Conrado
4.0 out of 5 stars Filosofia/Lógica
Reviewed in Brazil on July 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
Em muitos momentos do texto, a impressão é de estar num curso intensivo de positivismo lógico.

Destaque para os capítulos e parágrafos específicos sobre percepção, hipóteses científicas e sentenças éticas. Bem escritos, sem a falta de exemplos e objeções; no entanto, de vez em quando Ayer acaba assererindo teses bastante ousadas (especialmente falando de fenomenalismo e solipsismo).

Aumentou meu desejo de ler obras do cânone do círculo de Viena como o Aufbau de Carnap, e também ajudou a clarear um pouco minha noção acerca das diferenças entre o empirismo tradicional, o positivismo de Mach e o neopositivismo que Ayer e os vienenses defendem.

Porém, tirando a teoria emotivista e a revisão de Ayer da história da filosofia como a história da análise, o interesse é em grande parte histórico. Muitas coisas são extremamente resumidas e referem a artigos do círculo de Viena que seriam mais frutíferos aos estudos daqueles que desejam se aprofundar nas teses originais e suas controvérsias. Ainda sim, o esforço sintético de Ayer é louvável, e diria que é um começo interessante tanto para quem deseja uma introdução leve da tradição filosófica do empirismo lógico, quanto para quem não tem tempo ou interesse pra estudá-la nos autores originais e apenas deseja um breve resumo conciso.

Recomendo.
12 people found this helpful
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