Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Herbert B. Enderton, Jan Westerhoff and Brian Ellis

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2 ideas

10. Modality / B. Possibility / 1. Possibility
Scientific essentialists say science should define the limits of the possible [Ellis]
     Full Idea: Scientific essentialists hold that one of the primary aims of science is to define the limits of the possible.
     From: Brian Ellis (The Philosophy of Nature: new essentialism [2002], Ch.6)
     A reaction: I'm not sure working scientists will go along with that, but I like the claim that philosophy is very much part of the same enterprise as practical science (and NOT subservient to it!). I think of metaphysics as very high level physics.
10. Modality / B. Possibility / 8. Conditionals / f. Pragmatics of conditionals
Sentences with 'if' are only conditionals if they can read as A-implies-B [Enderton]
     Full Idea: Not all sentences using 'if' are conditionals. Consider 'if you want a banana, there is one in the kitchen'. The rough test is that a conditional can be rewritten as 'that A implies that B'.
     From: Herbert B. Enderton (A Mathematical Introduction to Logic (2nd) [2001], 1.6.4)