Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Metaphysics: the logical approach', 'The View from Nowhere' and 'Ethical consistency'

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7 ideas

12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 1. Nature of the A Priori
3306 The clearest a priori knowledge is proving non-existence through contradiction [Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: One proves non-existence (e.g. of round squares) by using logic to derive a contradiction from the concept; it is precisely here, in such proofs, that we find the clearest example of a priori knowledge.
     From: José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch. 4)
12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 5. A Priori Synthetic
3349 If we know truths about prime numbers, we seem to have synthetic a priori knowledge of Platonic objects [Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: Assume that we know to be true propositions of the form 'There are exactly x prime numbers between y and z', and synthetic a priori truths about Platonic objects are delivered to us on a silver platter.
     From: José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch.18)
3341 Logical positivism amounts to no more than 'there is no synthetic a priori' [Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: Logical positivism has been concisely summarised as 'there is no synthetic a priori'.
     From: José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch.18)
3344 Assertions about existence beyond experience can only be a priori synthetic [Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: No one thinks that the proposition that something exists that transcends all possible experience harbours a logical inconsistency. Its denial cannot therefore be an analytic proposition, so it must be synthetic, though only knowable on a priori grounds.
     From: José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch.18)
3345 Appeals to intuition seem to imply synthetic a priori knowledge [Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: Appeals to intuition - no matter how informal - can hardly fail to smack of the synthetic a priori.
     From: José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch.18)
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 2. Qualities in Perception / b. Primary/secondary
3249 Modern science depends on the distinction between primary and secondary qualities [Nagel]
     Full Idea: The distinction between primary and secondary qualities is the precondition for the development of modern physics and chemistry.
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], V.3)
22429 We achieve objectivity by dropping secondary qualities, to focus on structural primary qualities [Nagel]
     Full Idea: At the end [of the three stages of objectivity] the secondary qualities drop out of our picture of the external world, and the underlyiing primary qualities such as shape, size, weight, and motion are thought of structurally.
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], II)
     A reaction: This is the orthodox view for realists about the external world, and I largely agree. The only problem I see is that secondary qualities contain information, such as the colour of rotting fruit - but then colour is not an essential feature of rot.