Ideas from 'The Central Questions of Philosophy' by A.J. Ayer [1973], by Theme Structure

[found in 'The Central Questions of Philosophy' by Ayer,A.J. [Penguin 1976,0-14-021982-x]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     expand these ideas

---

2. Reason / E. Argument / 3. Analogy

5331	You can't infer that because you have a hidden birth-mark, everybody else does

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / b. Commitment of quantifiers

2611	It is currently held that quantifying over something implies belief in its existence

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 3. Individual Essences

16520

We see properties necessary for a kind (in the definition), but not for an individual

15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / c. Knowing other minds

2613	The theory of other minds has no rival

5328	Originally I combined a mentalistic view of introspection with a behaviouristic view of other minds

5330	Physicalism undercuts the other mind problem, by equating experience with 'public' brain events

16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 5. Self as Associations

5325	Is something an 'experience' because it relates to other experiences, or because it relates to a subject?

5326	Qualia must be united by a subject, because they lead to concepts and judgements

16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / a. Self needs body

5324	Bodily identity and memory work together to establish personal identity

16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self

5322	Self-consciousness is not basic, because experiences are not instrinsically marked with ownership

16. Persons / D. Continuity of the Self / 2. Mental Continuity / c. Inadequacy of mental continuity

5327	Temporal gaps in the consciousness of a spirit could not be bridged by memories

17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 1. Physical Mind

5329	Why shouldn't we say brain depends on mind? Better explanation!

19. Language / D. Propositions / 6. Propositions Critique

2610	Talk of propositions is just shorthand for talking about equivalent sentences