Question

Today a friend told me that Stephen Hawking claimed in 2010 that philosophy was dead. I've searched about this and indeed: he wrote that philosophy is ‘dead’ since it hasn’t kept up with the latest developments in science, especially theoretical physics. In earlier times – Hawking conceded – philosophers not only tried to keep up but sometimes made significant scientific contributions of their own.

My question is: Are there any contemporary philosophers holding a similar, critical point of view as that of Stephen Hawking? I know it may sound contradictory, but I don't see why it couldn't happen. For example, Nietzsche was very critic about the status quo of philosophy in his own days, and that didn't make him less of a philosopher.

Answer 1

While Stephen Hawking proclaimed that philosophy had fallen behind modern science, some contemporary philosophers share critical views of philosophy without declaring it dead. They analyze the interplay of philosophy with science, culture, and religion, particularly in fields like epistemology and metaphysics.

Step-by-step explanation:

Stephen Hawking indeed claimed that philosophy had not kept up with modern science, particularly theoretical physics, leading to his declaration that it was 'dead.' Among contemporary philosophers, there are those who share similar criticisms concerning philosophy's engagement with current scientific developments.

The approach of analyzing philosophical works without considering their historical and cultural contexts, known as a presentist approach, sometimes leads to anachronistic judgments.

Furthermore, dismissing religious or spiritual considerations wholesale, as was characteristic of the Logical Positivists, overlooks the rich, nuanced history of philosophy's intersection with religion.

Several contemporary philosophers engage critically with their discipline, although they may not declare philosophy as a whole to be dead. These philosophers take into account how philosophy interacts with science, culture, and religion, addressing topics like epistemology and metaphysics.

Despite the critiques, philosophy's dialogue with science and its historical legacy continues to evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of the discipline.