Combining Texts

Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'The Law of Peoples' and 'New work for a theory of universals'

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2 ideas

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 2. Reduction

8607	Supervenience is reduction without existence denials, ontological priorities, or translatability [Lewis]
	Full Idea: Supervenience is a stripped down form of reductionism, unencumbered by dubious denials of existence, claims of ontological priority, or claims of translatability.
	From: David Lewis (New work for a theory of universals [1983], 'Dup,Sup,Div')
	A reaction: Interesting. It implies that the honest reductionist (i.e. me) should begin by asserting supervience, and only at a second stage go on to deny a bit of existence, loudly affirm priorities, and offer translations. Honest toil.

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 5. Supervenience / c. Significance of supervenience

8606	A supervenience thesis is a denial of independent variation [Lewis]
	Full Idea: A supervenience thesis is a denial of independent variation.
	From: David Lewis (New work for a theory of universals [1983], 'Dup,Sup,Div')
	A reaction: Not everyone agrees on this. This says if either A or B change, the change is reflected in the other one. But the other view is of one-way dependence. A only changes if B changes, but B can also make changes that don't affect A.