Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Xenophanes, Paul Horwich and James Cargile

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2 ideas

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / e. The One

1640	The basic Eleatic belief was that all things are one [Xenophanes, by Plato]
	Full Idea: The Eleatic tribe, which had its beginnings from Xenophanes and still earlier, proceed on the grounds that all things so-called are one.
	From: report of Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE]) by Plato - The Sophist 242d

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / c. Counterfactual causation

8432	Analyse counterfactuals using causation, not the other way around [Horwich]
	Full Idea: In my view, counterfactual conditionals are analysed in terms of causation.
	From: Paul Horwich (Lewis's Programme [1987], p.208)
	A reaction: This immediately sounds more plausible to me. Counterfactual claims are rather human, whereas causation (if we accept it) seems a feature of nature. The key question is whether some sort of 'dependency' is a feature of counterfactuals.