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Single Idea 15050

[from 'The Question of Realism' by Kit Fine, in 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 2. Reduction ]

Full Idea

One line of reduction is logical analysis. To say one sentence reduces to another is to say that they express the same proposition (or fact), but the grammatical form of the second is closer to the logical form than the grammatical form of the first.

Gist of Idea

Reduction might be producing a sentence which gets closer to the logical form

Source

Kit Fine (The Question of Realism [2001], 3)

Book Reference

-: 'Philosophers' Imprint' [-], p.8


A Reaction

Fine objects that S-and-T reduces to S and T, which is two propositions. He also objects that this approach misses the de re ingredient in reduction (that it is about the things themselves, not the sentences). It also overemphasises logical form.

Related Idea

Idea 15051 Reduction might be semantic, where a reduced sentence is understood through its reduction [Fine,K]