display all the ideas for this combination of texts
4 ideas
7800 | Analytic truths are divided into logically and conceptually necessary [Girle] |
Full Idea: It has been customary to see analytic truths as dividing into the logically necessary and the conceptually necessary. | |
From: Rod Girle (Modal Logics and Philosophy [2000], 7.3) | |
A reaction: I suspect that this neglected distinction is important in discussions of Quine's elimination of the analytic/synthetic distinction. Was Quine too influenced by what is logically necessary, which might shift with a change of axioms? |
7801 | Possibilities can be logical, theoretical, physical, economic or human [Girle] |
Full Idea: Qualified modalities seem to form a hierarchy, if we say that 'the possibility that there might be no hunger' is possible logically, theoretically, physically, economically, and humanly. | |
From: Rod Girle (Modal Logics and Philosophy [2000], 7.3) | |
A reaction: Girle also mentions conceptual possibility. I take 'physically' to be the same as 'naturally'. I would take 'metaphysically' possible to equate to 'theoretically' rather than 'logically'. Almost anything might be logically possible, with bizarre logic. |
14039 | Above and below us will never appear to be the same, because it is inconceivable [Epicurus] |
Full Idea: What is over our heads ...or what is below any point which we think of ...will never appear to us as being at the same time and in the same respect both up and down. For it is impossible to conceive of this. | |
From: Epicurus (Letter to Herodotus [c.293 BCE], 60) | |
A reaction: Note that he says it will 'never appear to us' as both - not that it absolutely cannot be both. Both Aristotle and Epicurus are much more focused on how our humanity shapes our metaphysics than the modern pure metaphysicians are. |
7792 | A world has 'access' to a world it generates, which is important in possible worlds semantics [Girle] |
Full Idea: When one world generates another then it has 'access' to the world it generated. The accessibility relation between worlds is very important in possible worlds semantics. | |
From: Rod Girle (Modal Logics and Philosophy [2000], 3.2) | |
A reaction: This invites the obvious question what is meant by 'generates'. |