"Statement and Inference" represents a foundational collection of the philosophical lectures and writings of John Cook Wilson, a pivotal figure in the development of the Oxford realist tradition. This first volume offers a rigorous exploration into the nature of knowledge, judgment, and the logical structures that underpin human thought. By challenging the idealistic trends of his era, Wilson advocates for a philosophy grounded in the reality of the known object and the clarity of mental acts.
The work examines the relationship between linguistic expression and logical reality, focusing on the "statement" as the primary vehicle of judgment and the mechanics of "inference" as a process of discovery and verification. Wilson provides a detailed critique of formal logic and symbolic methods, instead emphasizing a nuanced analysis of how we perceive and communicate truth. His distinction between knowing and mere thinking serves as a cornerstone for his epistemological investigations.
Valuable for its historical and philosophical depth, "Statement and Inference" provides an essential look at the early twentieth-century British realism that helped shape modern analytical philosophy. It remains a significant text for scholars and students interested in the history of logic, the philosophy of language, and the fundamental problems of epistemology.
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