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Ideas for 'Precis of 'Limits of Abstraction'', 'fragments/reports' and 'Negation'

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2 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 9. Limits of Reason
Inconsistency doesn't prevent us reasoning about some system [Mares]
     Full Idea: We are able to reason about inconsistent beliefs, stories, and theories in useful and important ways
     From: Edwin D. Mares (Negation [2014], 1)
2. Reason / D. Definition / 2. Aims of Definition
Definitions concern how we should speak, not how things are [Fine,K]
     Full Idea: Our concern in giving a definition is not to say how things are by to say how we wish to speak
     From: Kit Fine (Precis of 'Limits of Abstraction' [2005], p.310)
     A reaction: This sounds like an acceptable piece of wisdom which arises out of analytical and linguistic philosophy. It puts a damper on the Socratic dream of using definition of reveal the nature of reality.