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PATRICK SUPPES PROFILES AN INTERNATIONAL SERIES ON CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHERS AND LOGICIANS EDITORS RADU J. BOGDAN, Stanford University ILKKA NIINILUOTO, University of Helsinki EDITORIAL BOARD D. F0LLESDAL, University of Oslo S. KORNER, University of Bristol J.J.C. SMART, La Trobe University w. STEGMULLER, Universitiit Munchen P. SUPPES, Stanford Unil'ersity K. SZANIA WSKI, University of Warsall' J. VUILLEMIN, College de France VOLUME I P A TRICK SUPPES Edited by RADU J. BOGDAN Stanford University D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY DORDRECHT : HOLLAND / BOSTON: U.S.A. LONDON: ENGLAND Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: Patrick Suppes. (Profiles; v. I) Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Suppes, Patrick Colonel, 1922- -Addresses, essays, lectures. 2. Philosophers-United States-Biography-Addresses, essays, lectures. I. Bogdan, Radu J. II. Series: Profiles (Dordrecht); v. 1. B945.S95P37 191 78-21095 ISBN-13: 978-90-277-0951-6 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-9397-6 001: 10.1007/978-94-009-9397-6 Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company, P. O. Box 17, Dordrecht, Holland. Sold and Distributed in the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Inc. Lincoln Building, 160 Old Derby Street, Hingham, Mass. 02043, U.S.A. All Rights Reserved Copyright © 1979 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t Edition 1979 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any informational storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION VII PREFACE m Part One I PAT RIC K SUP PES - A Self Profile 3 Part Two 57 CARLOS-ULISES MOULINES & JOSEPH D. SNEED- Suppes' Philosophy of Physics 59 R. DUNCAN LUCE - Suppes' Contributions to the Theory of Measurement 93 ROGER D. ROSENKRANTZ - Suppes on Probability, Utility, and Decision Theory III RICHARD E. GRANDY - Suppes' Contribution to Logic and Linguistics 131 WILLIAM H. BATCHELDER & KENNETH WEXLER- Suppes' Work in the Foundations of Psychology 149 DEAN T. JAMISON - Suppes' Contribution to Education 187 PATRICK SUPPES - Replies 207 Part Three 233 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PATRICK SUPPES 235 INDEX OF NAMES 259 INDEX OF SUBJECTS 262 EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION The aim of this series is to inform both professional philosophers and a larger readership (of social and natural scientists, methodologists, mathematicians, students, teachers, publishers, etc.) about what is going on, who's who, and who does what in contemporary philosophy and logic. PROFILES is designed to present the research activity and the results of already outstanding personalities and schools and of newly emerging ones in the various fields of philosophy and logic. There are many Festschrift volumes dedicated to various philosophers. There is the celebrated Library of Living Philosophers edited by P.A. Schilpp whose format influenced the present enterprise. Still they can only cover very little of the contemporary philosophical scene. Faced with a tremen dous expansion of philosophical information and with an almost frighten ing division of labor and increasing specialization we need systematic and regular ways of keeping track of what happens in the profession. PRO FILES is intended to perform such a function. Each volume is devoted to one or several philosophers whose views and results are presented and discussed. The profiled philosopher(s) will summarize and review his (their) own work in the main fields of signifi cant contribution. This work will be discussed and evaluated by invited contributors. Relevant historical and/or biographical data, an up-to-date bibliography with short abstracts of the most important works and, whenever possible, references to significant reviews and discussions will also be included. Since rigorous argumentation and a rational approach to philosophical problems are among the most worthwhile trends in contemporary philoso phical thought, PROiI LES will give priority to surveys of the work of vii INTRODUCTION authors and schools of thought that meet these standards. However, this preference allows for a broad spectrum of philosophical and methodolog ical viewpoints. As a vehicle of information about, and systematization of, contemporary philosophical and logical knowledge, PROFILES will strive to report on any major contribution to that body of knowledge, be it personal or collective. PROFILES will also report on research and new projects that, although still esoteric and even tentative, may be expected to become seminal and influential in some field of philosophical or logical studies. The sooner the information about such new ventures is dissemin ated and systematized, the greater will be its impact on undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, teachers on all levels, editors, publishers, university and foundation managers, etc. The editors will welcome information on personal and collective re search in progress, Ph.D. theses, surveys and monographs dealing with individual philosophers and schools of thought working in contemporary philosophy and logic. We expect to publish one or two volumes yearly. RADU 1. BOGDAN ILKKA NIINILUOTO Stanford University University of Helsinki viii PREFACE By the very nature of this series the profilees need no introduction. The volumes themselves are designed to provide one. But there are some things to be said about the making of this volume. The volume has three major parts. Part One contains the Self Profile written by Patrick Suppes. It is an intellectual autobiography, a pre sentation of his professional activity, a summary of its results up to the present, i.e. close to mid-1978, and an occasion for reflection and review. We have decided to classify Suppes' research and publications into the following major fields: (i) foundations of physics, (ii) theory of meas urement, (iii) decision theory, probability, and causality, (iv) founda tions of psychology, (v) philosophy of language, and (vi) education and computers. Of course, many of Suppes' works go beyond this classifica tion while many others fall into two or more of these fields. Still the classification reflects Suppes' main areas of scientific and philosophic interest. In Part Two, distinguished contributors review and discuss Suppes' work and results in each of the above fields. Replies by Suppes conclude this part. Part Three is a complete bibliography of Suppes' published and forthcoming works. Some of the most important publications are con cisely presented by their author. In order to save space and achieve some homogeneity all references, in Suppes' Self Profile and Replies, to works of which he is the, or an, author can be found in this final bibliography. The contributed papers have self-contained bibliographies whereas the parts written by Suppes contain only references to works of other authors. This volume inaugurates a series whose prehistory should be briefly told. Some years ago, while in Romania, I started a series of handy, ix PREFACE informative volumes intended to acquaint a national audience of students and scholars in philosophy and related disciplines with the state of philoso phy abroad and with some of its most active practitioners. With the enthus iastic and consistent support of Dr. Mircea Ioanid, a man of great vision and deeds to whom I am deeply indebted, several volumes were published. When, due to various circumstances, the original enterprise had to be abandoned, a new international edition took off in a new format with a new publisher. But the original intent of PROFILES survives. Through their confidence, encouragement and advice, many people have helped PROFILES in its new life. It is a tribute to the widespread support that we had and have that my fellow editor Ilkka Niiniluoto and myself find it difficult to list the names of all those to whom we are grateful and indebted. Without some of them this first volume would hardly have been possible. Although extremely busy, Patrick Suppes was an ideal profilee to work with. He faced the editorial constraints with grace, added many suggestions, and supported the whole enterprise in many ways. Marguerite Shaw did much more than typing and correcting most of the manuscript, putting together the bibliography, and helping at each stage of the editorial process. I can hardly imagine this volume without her wonderful assistance. And I can hardly imagine my work during this period without the love and understanding of my wife, Catalina. Stanford, May 1978 RADU J. BOGDAN x PART ONE
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