The Question of Realism. Remarks on a Course of Lectures by Mario Dal Pra

Journal title RIVISTA DI STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA
Author/s Paolo Spinicci
Publishing Year 2016 Issue 2016/suppl. 4 Language Italian
Pages 16 P. 629-644 File size 110 KB
DOI 10.3280/SF2016-004-S1039
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In the academic year 1979-80, Dal Pra delivered a course of lessons on the question of realism in the history of thought, in which his main concern was the relation between realism and skeptical thought. In his opinion, radical Pyrrhonism has a dialectical function: in its paradoxical outcomes, it shows that metaphysical realism is untenable. When rigorously applied, radical Pyrrhonism thus leads to empirical realism. In contrast, moderate Phyrrhonism, which according to Dal Pra is a sound philosophical attitude, seems to imply the denial of a realistic approach. In the author’s opinion, both these conclusions are questionable. However, he agrees with Dal Pra in believing that a deep understanding of the philosophical debate on realism cannot avoid facing the challenge of skepticism and that all discussion which simply ignores skeptical arguments inevitably runs the risk of being superficial.

Keywords: Dal Pra, realism, skepticism, Wittgenstein

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Paolo Spinicci, Il problema del realismo. Osservazioni a margine di un corso di Mario Dal Pra in "RIVISTA DI STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA" suppl. 4/2016, pp 629-644, DOI: 10.3280/SF2016-004-S1039