more from Willard Quine

Single Idea 5747

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / b. Commitment of quantifiers]

Full Idea

Quine's well-known slogan "no entity without identity" means that no object should be admitted into our ontology unless its identity conditions, the conditions that say which object it is, have been settled.

Clarification

Our 'ontology' is what we believe exists

Gist of Idea

"No entity without identity" - our ontology must contain items with settled identity conditions

Source

report of Willard Quine (Speaking of Objects [1960]) by Joseph Melia - Modality Ch.4

Book Reference

Melia,Joseph: 'Modality' [Acumen 2003], p.95


A Reaction

This invites science fiction scenarios, where we admit the existence of something before we have a clue what it is (whether it is physical, hallucination, divine..). Quine's slogan seems attractive but optimistic. How 'settled'?