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Single Idea 10407

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 1. Logical Form ]

Full Idea

'Logical Form' is a technical notion motivated by the observation that sentences with a similar surface structure may exhibit quite different logical behaviour.

Gist of Idea

Logical Form explains differing logical behaviour of similar sentences

Source

Chris Swoyer (Properties [2000], 4.2)

Book Ref

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.19


A Reaction

[Swoyer goes on to give some nice examples] The tricky question is whether each sentence has ONE logical form. Pragmatics warns us of the dangers. One needs to check numerous inferences from a given sentences, not just one.


The 23 ideas from Chris Swoyer

Some abstract things have a beginning and end, so may exist in time (though not space) [Swoyer]
Quantum field theory suggests that there are, fundamentally, no individual things [Swoyer]
Can properties exemplify other properties? [Swoyer]
Ontologists seek existence and identity conditions, and modal and epistemic status for a thing [Swoyer]
If a property such as self-identity can only be in one thing, it can't be a universal [Swoyer]
Conceptualism says words like 'honesty' refer to concepts, not to properties [Swoyer]
The F and G of logic cover a huge range of natural language combinations [Swoyer]
If properties are abstract objects, then their being abstract exemplifies being abstract [Swoyer]
Various attempts are made to evade universals being wholly present in different places [Swoyer]
Extreme empiricists can hardly explain anything [Swoyer]
One might hope to reduce possible worlds to properties [Swoyer]
In the iterative conception of sets, they form a natural hierarchy [Swoyer]
Logical Form explains differing logical behaviour of similar sentences [Swoyer]
Anti-realists can't explain different methods to measure distance [Swoyer]
Intensions are functions which map possible worlds to sets of things denoted by an expression [Swoyer]
Research suggests that concepts rely on typical examples [Swoyer]
If laws are mere regularities, they give no grounds for future prediction [Swoyer]
Two properties can have one power, and one property can have two powers [Swoyer]
The best-known candidate for an identity condition for properties is necessary coextensiveness [Swoyer]
Can properties have parts? [Swoyer]
There are only first-order properties ('red'), and none of higher-order ('coloured') [Swoyer]
Supervenience is nowadays seen as between properties, rather than linguistic [Swoyer]
Maybe a proposition is just a property with all its places filled [Swoyer]