Single Idea 17378

[catalogued under 18. Thought / C. Content / 5. Twin Earth]

Full Idea

It is surely the absence of experiences like the one Putnam describes that makes it reasonable to attach to molecular structure at least most of the importance that Putnam ascribes to it.

Gist of Idea

Presumably molecular structure seems important because we never have the Twin Earth experience

Source

John Dupré (The Disorder of Things [1993], 1)

Book Reference

Dupré,John: 'The Disorder of Things' [Harvard 1995], p.26


A Reaction

That is, whenever we experience water-like stuff, it always turns out to have the same molecular structure. Twin Earth is a nice thought experiment, except that XZY is virtually inconceivable.