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Single Idea 14268

[filed under theme 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 1. Grounding / c. Grounding and explanation ]

Full Idea

It may be that the two forms of grounding have a different source; the one from the bottom up is required for the constitution of the thing to be intelligible; the one from the top down is required for the essence of the thing to be intelligible.

Gist of Idea

Maybe bottom-up grounding shows constitution, and top-down grounding shows essence

Source

Kit Fine (Aristotle on Matter [1992], 2)

Book Ref

-: 'Mind' [-], p.43


A Reaction

[He cites Aristotle Met. 1019a8-10 in support] Close reading of Fine would be needed to elucidate this properly, but it is a suggestive line of thought about how we should approach grounding.


The 8 ideas with the same theme [how grounding relates to explanations]:

Aristotle's formal and material 'becauses' [aitiai] arguably involve grounding [Aristotle, by Correia/Schnieder]
Philosophical proofs in mathematics establish truths, and also show their grounds [Bolzano, by Correia/Schnieder]
Maybe bottom-up grounding shows constitution, and top-down grounding shows essence [Fine,K]
Philosophical explanation is largely by ground (just as cause is used in science) [Fine,K]
Only metaphysical grounding must be explained by essence [Fine,K]
We can learn about the world by studying the grounding of our concepts [Jenkins]
We must accept grounding, for our important explanations [Audi,P]
Grounding is metaphysical and explanation epistemic, so keep them apart [Correia/Schnieder]