Combining Texts

Ideas for 'works', 'A Survey of Metaphysics' and 'From Stimulus to Science'

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2 ideas

2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 3. Non-Contradiction
To affirm 'p and not-p' is to have mislearned 'and' or 'not' [Quine]
     Full Idea: To affirm a compound of the form 'p and not-p' is just to have mislearned one or both of these particles.
     From: Willard Quine (From Stimulus to Science [1995], p.23), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.1
     A reaction: Quoted by Fogelin. This summarises the view of logic developed by the young Wittgenstein, that logical terms are 'operators', rather than referring terms. Of course the speaker may have a compartmentalised mind, or not understand 'p' properly.
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 6. Ockham's Razor
It is more extravagant, in general, to revise one's logic than to augment one's ontology [Lowe]
     Full Idea: It is more extravagant, in general, to revise one's logic than to augment one's ontology.
     From: E.J. Lowe (A Survey of Metaphysics [2002], p.219)
     A reaction: Meaning there are stronger principles of thought which can trump Ockham's Razor. A few more entities won't hurt. Sound right.