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Full Idea
Nothing is primitive or derivationally prior to anything apart from a constructional system.
Gist of Idea
Being primitive or prior always depends on a constructional system
Source
Nelson Goodman (Ways of Worldmaking [1978], 1.4c)
Book Ref
Goodman,Nelson: 'Ways of Worldmaking' [Hackett 1984], p.12
A Reaction
Something may be primitive not just because we can't be bothered to analyse it any further, but because even God couldn't analyse it. Maybe.
| 17650 | We lack frames of reference to transform physics, biology and psychology into one another [Goodman] |
| 17649 | If the world is one it has many aspects, and if there are many worlds they will collect into one [Goodman] |
| 17651 | Without words or other symbols, we have no world [Goodman] |
| 17654 | A world can be full of variety or not, depending on how we sort it [Goodman] |
| 17653 | Things can only be judged the 'same' by citing some respect of sameness [Goodman] |
| 17655 | Grue and green won't be in the same world, as that would block induction entirely [Goodman] |
| 17656 | Being primitive or prior always depends on a constructional system [Goodman] |
| 17657 | We build our world, and ignore anything that won't fit [Goodman] |
| 17658 | Users of digital thermometers recognise no temperatures in the gaps [Goodman] |
| 17652 | Truth is irrelevant if no statements are involved [Goodman] |
| 17659 | Reality is largely a matter of habit [Goodman] |
| 17660 | Discovery is often just finding a fit, like a jigsaw puzzle [Goodman] |
| 17661 | We don't recognise patterns - we invent them [Goodman] |