On the context and presuppositions of Searle’s philosophy of society

Abstract

In this article, I deal with Searle’s philosophy of society, the last step to complete his philosophical system. This step, however, requires acknowledging the context and presuppositions, or default positions, that make possible key concept of this new branch of philosophy. In the first section, I address what the enlightenment vision implies. The second section focuses upon how consciousness and intentionality are biological tools that help us create and maintain the social world. In the third section, I explain the importance of the difference between subjectivity and objectivity. Finally, in the fourth section I elaborate upon the default positions: the existence of one world, truth as correspondence to facts, direct perception, meaning, and causation. Importantly, I show how the context and presuppositions of the philosophy of society are an opportunity of interdisciplinary work between philosophy and the social sciences.