A.J. Ayer

著者について

A.J. Ayer was a prominent British philosopher known for his significant contributions to logical positivism and the philosophy of language. Born in 1910 in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was educated at Oxford, where he was deeply influenced by the analytical traditions that shaped his thinking. Ayer gained fame with his first book, "Language, Truth and Logic," published in 1936, which argued against metaphysics and emphasized the verification principle, asserting that statements must be either empirically verifiable or analytically true to be meaningful.

Throughout his career, Ayer was a vocal advocate for the empirical approach to philosophical inquiry, engaging with key figures in the field and influencing generations of thinkers. His work not only delved into philosophical logic but also explored ethics and the philosophy of science. He held various academic positions, including a notable tenure at University College London and later as the Wykeham Professor of Logic at the University of Oxford. Ayer's legacy endures as a cornerstone of modern philosophical thought, particularly within the analytic tradition.