Ideas from 'Two Dogmas of Empiricism' by Willard Quine [1953], by Theme Structure
[found in 'From a Logical Point of View' by Quine,Willard [Harper and Row 1963,0-06-130566-9]].
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1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 3. Metaphysical Systems
1627
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Any statement can be held true if we make enough adjustment to the rest of the system
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2. Reason / D. Definition / 1. Definitions
1623
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Definition rests on synonymy, rather than explaining it
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5. Theory of Logic / F. Referring in Logic / 1. Naming / f. Names eliminated
9204
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Quine's arguments fail because he naively conflates names with descriptions [Fine,K]
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6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 4. Mathematical Empiricism / a. Mathematical empiricism
17738
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Quine blurs the difference between knowledge of arithmetic and of physics [Jenkins]
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7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / e. Ontological commitment problems
19492
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Quine is hopeless circular, deriving ontology from what is literal, and 'literal' from good ontology [Yablo]
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9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 1. Physical Objects
1628
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If physical objects are a myth, they are useful for making sense of experience
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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 15. Against Essentialism
10929
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Aristotelian essence of the object has become the modern essence of meaning
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10. Modality / A. Necessity / 6. Logical Necessity
12188
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Contrary to some claims, Quine does not deny logical necessity [McFetridge]
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10. Modality / A. Necessity / 11. Denial of Necessity
15090
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Quine's attack on the analytic-synthetic distinction undermined necessary truths [Shoemaker]
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12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 8. A Priori as Analytic
9383
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Metaphysical analyticity (and linguistic necessity) are hopeless, but epistemic analyticity is a priori [Boghossian]
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12424
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Quine challenges the claim that analytic truths are knowable a priori [Kitcher]
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12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 11. Denying the A Priori
9338
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Quine's objections to a priori knowledge only work in the domain of science [Horwich]
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9337
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Science is empirical, simple and conservative; any belief can hence be abandoned; so no a priori [Horwich]
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9340
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Logic, arithmetic and geometry are revisable and a posteriori; quantum logic could be right [Horwich]
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12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 1. Empiricism
1629
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Our outer beliefs must match experience, and our inner ones must be simple
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1620
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Empiricism makes a basic distinction between truths based or not based on facts
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12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 5. Empiricism Critique
19488
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The second dogma is linking every statement to some determinate observations [Yablo]
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14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 6. Theory Holism
1625
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Statements about the external world face the tribunal of sense experience as a corporate body
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19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 1. Meaning
1626
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It is troublesome nonsense to split statements into a linguistic and a factual component
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19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 8. Synonymy
7317
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'Renate' and 'cordate' have identical extensions, but are not synonymous [Miller,A]
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19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 10. Denial of Meanings
1621
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Once meaning and reference are separated, meaning ceases to seem important
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19. Language / E. Analyticity / 1. Analytic Propositions
9371
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Analytic statements are either logical truths (all reinterpretations) or they depend on synonymy
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19. Language / E. Analyticity / 4. Analytic/Synthetic Critique
1622
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Did someone ever actually define 'bachelor' as 'unmarried man'?
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9366
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Quine's attack on analyticity undermined linguistic views of necessity, and analytic views of the a priori [Boghossian]
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14473
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Quine attacks the Fregean idea that we can define analyticity through synonyous substitution [Thomasson]
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7321
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The last two parts of 'Two Dogmas' are much the best [Miller,A]
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8803
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Erasing the analytic/synthetic distinction got rid of meanings, and saved philosophy of language [Davidson]
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17737
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The analytic needs excessively small units of meaning and empirical confirmation [Jenkins]
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1624
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If we try to define analyticity by synonymy, that leads back to analyticity
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