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Single Idea 21541

[filed under theme 18. Thought / C. Content / 1. Content ]

Full Idea

Every property of the object seems to demand a strictly correlative property of the content, and the content, therefore, must have every complexity belonging to the object.

Gist of Idea

The complexity of the content correlates with the complexity of the object

Source

Bertrand Russell (Meinong on Complexes and Assumptions [1904], p.55)

Book Ref

Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.55


A Reaction

This claim gives a basis for his 'congruence' account of the correspondence theory of truth. It strikes me as false. If I talk of the 'red red robin', I don't mention the robin's feet. He ignores the psychological selection we make in abstraction.

Related Idea

Idea 5427 Truth is when a mental state corresponds to a complex unity of external constituents [Russell]


The 13 ideas from 'Meinong on Complexes and Assumptions'

Full empiricism is not tenable, but empirical investigation is always essential [Russell]
Contingency arises from tensed verbs changing the propositions to which they refer [Russell]
The only thing we can say about relations is that they relate [Russell]
Objects only exist if they 'occupy' space and time [Russell]
When I perceive a melody, I do not perceive the notes as existing [Russell]
If two people perceive the same object, the object of perception can't be in the mind [Russell]
I assume we perceive the actual objects, and not their 'presentations' [Russell]
Excluded middle can be stated psychologically, as denial of p implies assertion of not-p [Russell]
Relational propositions seem to be 'about' their terms, rather than about the relation [Russell]
The complexity of the content correlates with the complexity of the object [Russell]
Do incorrect judgements have non-existent, or mental, or external objects? [Russell]
If p is false, then believing not-p is knowing a truth, so negative propositions must exist [Russell]
It seems that when a proposition is false, something must fail to subsist [Russell]