A DEVITT-PROOF CONSTRUCTIVISM

Abstract

I distinguish 20th century Constructivists (e.g. Goodman, Putnam) whose anti-Realism is global and is motivated by epistemic and semantic concerns about Realism from 21st century Constructivists (e.g. Einheuser, Goswick, Sidelle) whose anti-Realism is local and is motivated by specific metaphysical concerns about modality. I argue that the 21st century Constructivist program is plausible in a way the 20th century Constructivist program is not. In particular, I argue that 21st century Constructivism is immune to the anti- Constructivist arguments Devitt presents in Truth and Realism.