Single Idea 14490

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / e. Ontological commitment problems]

Full Idea

Quine's test for ontological commitment ignores the fact that there are often implicit commitments to certain kinds of entities even where we are not yet quantifying over them.

Gist of Idea

You can be implicitly committed to something without quantifying over it

Source

comment on Willard Quine (Existence and Quantification [1966]) by Amie L. Thomasson - Ordinary Objects 09.4

Book Reference

Thomasson,Amie L.: 'Ordinary Objects' [OUP 2010], p.167


A Reaction

Put this with the obvious problem (of which Quine is aware) that we don't quantify over 'sakes' in 'for the sake of the children', and quantification and commitment have been rather clearly pulled apart.

Related Idea

Idea 14489 Theories do not avoid commitment to entities by avoiding certain terms or concepts [Thomasson]