more from Willard Quine

Single Idea 7924

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 1. Physical Objects]

Full Idea

In a contest of sheer systematic utility to science, the notion of physical object still leads the field.

Gist of Idea

The notion of a physical object is by far the most useful one for science

Source

Willard Quine (Word and Object [1960], §48)

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Word and Object' [MIT 1969], p.238


A Reaction

A delightful circumlocution from someone who seems terrified to assert that there just are objects. Not that I object to Quine's caution. It would be disturbing if his researches had revealed that we could manage without objects. But compare Idea 6124.

Related Idea

Idea 6124 I say that most of the objects of folk ontology do not exist [Merricks]