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Full Idea
The assumption, ontological and metaphysical, that there are events, is one without which we cannot make sense of much of our most common talk.
Gist of Idea
If we don't assume that events exist, we cannot make sense of our common talk
Source
Donald Davidson (Causal Relations [1967], §4)
Book Ref
Davidson,Donald: 'Essays on Actions and Events' [OUP 1982], p.162
A Reaction
He considers events to be unanalysable basics. Explanation of normal talk also needs ghosts, premonitions, telepathy and Father Christmas. It is extremely hard to individuate events, unless they are subatomic, and rather numerous.
Related Idea
Idea 18914 Davidson controversially proposed to quantify over events [Davidson, by Engelbretsen]
| 10371 | Distinguish causation, which is in the world, from explanations, which depend on descriptions [Davidson, by Schaffer,J] |
| 8403 | Either facts, or highly unspecific events, serve better as causes than concrete events [Field,H on Davidson] |
| 4778 | A singular causal statement is true if it is held to fall under a law [Davidson, by Psillos] |
| 8346 | Full descriptions can demonstrate sufficiency of cause, but not necessity [Davidson] |
| 8349 | The best way to do ontology is to make sense of our normal talk [Davidson] |
| 8348 | If we don't assume that events exist, we cannot make sense of our common talk [Davidson] |
| 8347 | Explanations typically relate statements, not events [Davidson] |