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Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Proper Names' and 'Philosophical Insignificance of A Priori Knowledge'

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2 ideas

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality

221	Absolute ideas, such as the Good and the Beautiful, cannot be known by us [Plato]
	Full Idea: The absolute good and the beautiful and all which we conceive to be absolute ideas are unknown to us.
	From: Plato (Parmenides [c.364 BCE], 134c)

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / e. Ontological commitment problems

13409	Our best theories may commit us to mathematical abstracta, but that doesn't justify the commitment [Papineau]
	Full Idea: Our empirically best-supported theories may commit us to certain abstract mathematical entities, but this does not necessarily mean that this is what justifies our commitment. That we are committed doesn't explain why we should be.
	From: David Papineau (Philosophical Insignificance of A Priori Knowledge [2010], §4)
	A reaction: A nice point. It is only a slightly gormless scientism which would say that we have to accept whatever scientists demand. Who's in charge here - scientists, mathematicians or philosophers? Don't answer that...