Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Essence and Modality' and 'The Philosophy of Logical Atomism'

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2 ideas

1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 4. Metaphysics as Science

6095	The business of metaphysics is to describe the world [Russell]
	Full Idea: It seems to me that the business of metaphysics is to describe the world.
	From: Bertrand Russell (The Philosophy of Logical Atomism [1918], §III)
	A reaction: At least he believed in metaphysics. Presumably he intends to describe the world in terms of its categories, rather than cataloguing every blade of grass.

1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 4. Conceptual Analysis

11159	My account shows how the concept works, rather than giving an analysis [Fine,K]
	Full Idea: My assimilation of essence to definition ...may not provide us with an analysis of the concept, but it does provide us with a good model of how the concept works.
	From: Kit Fine (Essence and Modality [1994], p. 3)
	A reaction: An example of the modern shift in analytic philosophy, away from the dream of given a complete analysis of a concept, towards giving an account of the concepts relationships. Compare Shoemaker in Idea 8559.