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14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 8. Ramsey Sentences

[procedure to reduce metaphysical commitment in theories]

8 ideas
Mental terms can be replaced in a sentence by a variable and an existential quantifier [Ramsey]
There is a method for defining new scientific terms just using the terms we already understand [Lewis]
A Ramsey sentence just asserts that a theory can be realised, without saying by what [Lewis]
It is better to have one realisation of a theory than many - but it may not always be possible [Lewis]
The Ramsey sentence of a theory says that it has at least one realisation [Lewis]
If I used Ramsey sentences to eliminate fundamentality from my theory, that would be a real loss [Sider]
The Ramsey-sentence approach preserves observations, but eliminates unobservables [Ladyman/Ross]
The Ramsey sentence describes theoretical entities; it skips reference, but doesn't eliminate it [Ladyman/Ross]