Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for H.Putnam/P.Oppenheim, Pittacus and Donald C. Williams

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5 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 13. Tropes / a. Nature of tropes

8510	'Socrates is wise' means a concurrence sum contains a member of a similarity set [Williams,DC]
	Full Idea: 'Socrates is wise' means that the concurrence sum (Socrates) includes a trope which is a member of the similarity set (Wisdom).
	From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.119)
	A reaction: Resemblance has to be taken as a basic (and presumably unanalysable) concept, which invites Russell's objection (Idea 4441).

8508	A 'trope' is an abstract particular, the occurrence of an essence [Williams,DC]
	Full Idea: I shall divert the word 'trope' to stand for the abstract particular which is, so to speak, the occurrence of an essence.
	From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.115)
	A reaction: Thus tropes entered philosophical discussion. Presumably the precedent for an 'abstract particular' would be a particular occurrence of the number 7.

8509	A world is completely constituted by its tropes and their connections [Williams,DC]
	Full Idea: Any possible world, and hence, of course, this one, is completely constituted by its tropes and connections of location and similarity.
	From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.116)
	A reaction: Note that Williams regularly referred to possible worlds in 1953. This is a full-blooded trope theory, which asserts that objects are bundles of tropes, so that both particulars and universals are ontologically taken care of.

10. Modality / A. Necessity / 8. Transcendental Necessity

3016	Even the gods cannot strive against necessity [Pittacus, by Diog. Laertius]
	Full Idea: Even the gods cannot strive against necessity.
	From: report of Pittacus (reports [c.610 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 01.5.4

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / j. Explanations by reduction

20653	Six reduction levels: groups, lives, cells, molecules, atoms, particles [Putnam/Oppenheim, by Watson]
	Full Idea: There are six 'reductive levels' in science: social groups, (multicellular) living things, cells, molecules, atoms, and elementary particles.
	From: report of H.Putnam/P.Oppenheim (Unity of Science as a Working Hypothesis [1958]) by Peter Watson - Convergence 10 'Intro'
	A reaction: I have the impression that fields are seen as more fundamental that elementary particles. What is the status of the 'laws' that are supposed to govern these things? What is the status of space and time within this picture?