more from Alfred Tarski

Single Idea 19199

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 5. Metaphysics beyond Science]

Full Idea

For some people metaphysics is a general theory of objects (ontology) - a discipline which is to be developed in a purely empirical way, and which differs from other empirical disciplines in its generality.

Gist of Idea

Some say metaphysics is a highly generalised empirical study of objects

Source

Alfred Tarski (The Semantic Conception of Truth [1944], 19)

Book Reference

'Semantics and the Philosophy of Language', ed/tr. Linsky,Leonard [University of Illinois 1972], p.35


A Reaction

Tarski says some people despise it, but for him such metaphysics is 'not objectionable'. I subscribe to this view, but the empirical aspect is very remote, because it's too general for detail observation or experiment. Generality is the key to philosophy.