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Single Idea 3904
[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 4. Substantival Space
]
Full Idea
I can measure the length of something only if I know that it has not moved between the moment when I locate one end of it and the moment when I locate the other.
Clarification
When you reach the end, the beginning may have moved
Gist of Idea
Measuring space requires no movement while I do it
Source
Roger Scruton (Modern Philosophy:introduction and survey [1994], 25.3)
Book Ref
Scruton,Roger: 'Modern Philosophy: introduction and survey' [Sinclair-Stevenson 1994], p.360
A Reaction
A nice example of how even simple propositions have many presuppositions.
The
29 ideas
from 'Modern Philosophy:introduction and survey'
3878
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Why should you believe someone who says there are no truths?
[Scruton]
|
3879
|
Philosophy aims to provide a theory of everything
[Scruton]
|
3880
|
Logical positivism avoids scepticism, by closing the gap between evidence and conclusion
[Scruton]
|
3881
|
In the Cogito argument consciousness develops into self-consciousness
[Scruton]
|
3882
|
Wittgenstein makes it impossible to build foundations from something that is totally private
[Scruton]
|
3883
|
A true proposition is consistent with every other true proposition
[Scruton]
|
3884
|
The pragmatist does not really have a theory of truth
[Scruton]
|
3885
|
We only conceive of primary qualities as attached to secondary qualities
[Scruton]
|
3886
|
Membership is the greatest source of obligation
[Scruton]
|
3887
|
Maybe our knowledge of truth and causation is synthetic a priori
[Scruton]
|
3888
|
Hume assumes that necessity can only be de dicto, not de re
[Scruton]
|
3890
|
'Cause' used to just mean any valid explanation
[Scruton]
|
3891
|
If p entails q, then p is sufficient for q, and q is necessary for p
[Scruton]
|
3892
|
Every event having a cause, and every event being determined by its cause, are not the same
[Scruton]
|
3894
|
We may define 'good' correctly, but then ask whether the application of the definition is good
[Scruton]
|
3895
|
The categorical imperative is not just individual, but can be used for negotiations between strangers
[Scruton]
|
3896
|
Any social theory of morality has the problem of the 'free rider', who only pretends to join in
[Scruton]
|
3897
|
Epistemology is about the justification of belief, not the definition of knowledge
[Scruton]
|
3898
|
My belief that it will rain tomorrow can't be caused by its raining tomorrow
[Scruton]
|
3899
|
The representational theory says perceptual states are intentional states
[Scruton]
|
3901
|
Touch only seems to reveal primary qualities
[Scruton]
|
3903
|
The conceivable can't be a test of the possible, if there are things which are possible but inconceivable
[Scruton]
|
3904
|
Measuring space requires no movement while I do it
[Scruton]
|
3905
|
'Existence' is not a predicate of 'man', but of the concept of man, saying it has at least one instance
[Scruton]
|
3906
|
If possible worlds are needed to define properties, maybe we should abandon properties
[Scruton]
|
3907
|
Could you be intellectually acquainted with numbers, but unable to count objects?
[Scruton]
|
3908
|
If maths contains unprovable truths, then maths cannot be reduced to a set of proofs
[Scruton]
|
3910
|
If primary and secondary qualities are distinct, what has the secondary qualities?
[Scruton]
|
3911
|
The very concept of a substance denies the possibility of mutual interaction and dependence
[Scruton]
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