Margaret Macdonald on the definition of art

Margaret Macdonald was at the institutional heart of analytic philosophy in Britain in the mid-twentieth century. However, her views on the nature of philosophical theories diverge quite considerably from those of many of her contemporaries. In this article, I focus on Macdonald's provocative 1953 paper, "Linguistic Philosophy and Perception," in which she argues that the value of philosophical theories is more akin to that of poetry or art than science or mathematics. I do so for two reasons. First, it reveals just how far Macdonald's metaphilosophical views diverged from those of many of her contemporaries. Second, the discussion in her article preempts recent literature on the nature of philosophical inquiry and the efficacy of philosophical arguments. Indeed, Macdonald's paper is just as likely to provoke discussion today as it was in the 1950s.1. Macdonald identifies A. J. Ayer and the logical positivists as adherents of the view that only empirically verifiable statements (and, in turn, empirical theories) are meaningful-a view she rejects in

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Margaret Macdonald, Philosopher of Language

Spinney

2024

Mind

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I chart the philosophical development of neglected figure Margaret Macdonald and situate that development in the context of mid-century analytic philosophy more broadly. I examine Macdonald’s changing attitude towards verificationism, and show that these changing views led her, in 1950 and beyond, to a very thorough appreciation of language use as capable of being employed in the execution of distinctive kinds of performative act. I compare Macdonald’s views with the far better known work of J. L. Austin, and I emphasise the extent to which she has, despite her insightful contributions, been omitted from the history of philosophy.

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Margaret Macdonald on the definition of art

Cited by 4 publications

References 58 publications

Helen Knight and Margaret Macdonald on the meaning of ‘good’

Helen Knight and Margaret Macdonald on the meaning of ‘good’

Philosophy Is Not a Science: Margaret Macdonald on the Nature of Philosophical Theories

Margaret Macdonald, Philosopher of Language

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