Quine, W. V.

W. V. Quine (1908-2000) was a prominent American philosopher whose naturalistic approach profoundly influenced twentieth-century philosophy, including discussions of God and religious belief. While primarily known for his contributions to logic, philosophy of language, and epistemology, Quine's radical empiricism and rejection of the analytic-synthetic distinction had significant implications for philosophy of religion. His naturalized epistemology, which viewed knowledge as continuous with empirical science, challenged traditional approaches to theological reasoning and religious epistemology. In "The Web of Belief" (1970, co-authored with J. S. Ullian), Quine articulated a holistic view of knowledge that influenced how philosophers understand religious beliefs within broader systems of thought. His physicalism and scientific naturalism provided influential arguments against supernatural entities, contributing to contemporary naturalistic critiques of theism and shaping debates about the cognitive status of religious belief.