display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers
4 ideas
4195 | It is impossible to reach a valid false conclusion from true premises, so reason itself depends on possibility [Lowe] |
Full Idea: Reasoning itself depends upon a grasp of possibilities, because a valid argument is one in which it is not possible for the conclusion to be false if the premises are true. | |
From: E.J. Lowe (A Survey of Metaphysics [2002], p.11) | |
A reaction: A very valuable corrective to my pessimistic view of philosophers' attempts to understand metaphysical necessity. But if we can only grasp natural necessity, then all reason is naturalistic. |
16131 | The metaphysically possible is what acceptable principles and categories will permit [Lowe] |
Full Idea: What is 'metaphysically' possible hinges …on the question of whether acceptable metaphysical principles and categories permit the existence of some state of affairs. | |
From: E.J. Lowe (The Possibility of Metaphysics [1998], 1.3) | |
A reaction: Lowe breezes along with confident assertions like this. I once heard Kit Fine tease him for over-confidence. All you do is work out 'acceptable' principles and categories, and you've cracked it! |
16532 | 'Epistemic' necessity is better called 'certainty' [Lowe] |
Full Idea: 'Epistemic' necessity is more properly to be called 'certainty'. | |
From: E.J. Lowe (What is the Source of Knowledge of Modal Truths? [2013], 1) | |
A reaction: Sounds wrong. Surely I can be totally certain of a contingent truth? |
14305 | In the truth-functional account a burnt-up match was soluble because it never entered water [Carnap] |
Full Idea: If a wooden match was completely burned up yesterday, and never placed in water at any time, is it not the case, therefore, that the match is soluble (in the truth-functional view). This follows just from the antecedent being false. | |
From: Rudolph Carnap (Testability and Meaning [1937], I.440), quoted by Stephen Mumford - Dispositions | |
A reaction: This, along with Edgington's nice example of the conditional command (Idea ) seems conclusive against the truth-functional account. The only defence possible is some sort of pragmatic account about implicature. |