more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
The law of excluded middle formulates our decision that whatever is not designated by a certain term shall be designated by its negative. It declares our purpose to make a complete dichotomy of experience, ..which is only our penchant for simplicity.
Gist of Idea
Excluded middle is just our preference for a simplified dichotomy in experience
Source
C.I. Lewis (A Pragmatic Conception of the A Priori [1923], p.365)
Book Ref
Peirce,James,Dewey etc: 'Pragmatism - The Classic Writings', ed/tr. Thayer,H.S. [Hackett 1982], p.365
A Reaction
I find this view quite appealing. 'Look, it's either F or it isn't!' is a dogmatic attitude which irritates a lot of people, and appears to be dispensible. Intuitionists in mathematics dispense with the principle, and vagueness threatens it.
| 9357 | Excluded middle is just our preference for a simplified dichotomy in experience [Lewis,CI] |
| 9358 | There are several logics, none of which will ever derive falsehoods from truth [Lewis,CI] |
| 9361 | We have to separate the mathematical from physical phenomena by abstraction [Lewis,CI] |
| 9362 | Necessary truths are those we will maintain no matter what [Lewis,CI] |
| 9364 | Names represent a uniformity in experience, or they name nothing [Lewis,CI] |
| 9363 | Science seeks classification which will discover laws, essences, and predictions [Lewis,CI] |
| 9365 | We can maintain a priori principles come what may, but we can also change them [Lewis,CI] |