more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 4427
[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 2. Need for Universals
]
Full Idea
No sentence can be made up without at least one word which denotes a universal. ..Thus all truths involve universals, and all knowledge of truths involves acquaintance with universals.
Gist of Idea
Every sentence contains at least one word denoting a universal, so we need universals to know truth
Source
Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 9)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.53
A Reaction
Sounds right, and is a beautifully neat way of showing the connection between metaphysics and life.
The
25 ideas
with the same theme
[things which only universals seem to explain]:
223
|
If you deny that each thing always stays the same, you destroy the possibility of discussion
[Plato]
|
227
|
You must always mean the same thing when you utter the same name
[Plato]
|
153
|
It takes a person to understand, by using universals, and by using reason to create a unity out of sense-impressions
[Plato]
|
2142
|
The plurality of beautiful things must belong to a single class, because they have a single particular character
[Plato]
|
649
|
The acquisition of scientific knowledge is impossible without universals
[Aristotle]
|
1675
|
Separate Forms aren't needed for logic, but universals (one holding of many) are essential
[Aristotle]
|
21710
|
We know a universal in 'yellow differs from blue' or 'yellow resembles blue less than green does'
[Russell]
|
4030
|
Russell claims that universals are needed to explain a priori knowledge (as their relations)
[Russell, by Mellor/Oliver]
|
4427
|
Every sentence contains at least one word denoting a universal, so we need universals to know truth
[Russell]
|
3751
|
Universals are acceptable if they are needed to make an accepted theory true
[Quine, by Jacquette]
|
4032
|
The problem of universals is how many particulars can all be of the same 'type'
[Armstrong]
|
8539
|
Universals are required to give a satisfactory account of the laws of nature
[Armstrong]
|
10729
|
Universals explain resemblance and causal power
[Armstrong, by Oliver]
|
17669
|
Realist regularity theories of laws need universals, to pick out the same phenomena
[Armstrong]
|
9485
|
Universals concern how things are, and how they could be
[Shoemaker, by Bird]
|
8566
|
We need universals for causation and laws of nature; the latter give them their identity
[Mellor]
|
15436
|
Universals are meant to give an account of resemblance
[Lewis]
|
21961
|
Physics aims to discover which universals actually exist
[Lewis, by Moore,AW]
|
7034
|
Universals explain one-over-many relations, and similar qualities, and similar behaviour
[Heil]
|
8293
|
Real universals are needed to explain laws of nature
[Lowe]
|
4450
|
The traditional problem of universals centres on the "One over Many", which is the unity of natural classes
[Moreland]
|
4449
|
Evidence for universals can be found in language, communication, natural laws, classification and ideals
[Moreland]
|
16260
|
Existence of universals may just be decided by acceptance, or not, of second-order logic
[Maudlin]
|
7951
|
Numerical sameness is explained by theories of identity, but what explains qualitative identity?
[Macdonald,C]
|
22134
|
Thoughts are general, but the world isn't, so how can we think accurately?
[Boulter]
|