Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Writing the Book of the World', 'Aristotle and Descartes on Matter' and 'Grounding Concepts'

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2 ideas

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 9. States of Affairs
We must distinguish 'concrete' from 'abstract' and necessary states of affairs. [Sider]
     Full Idea: The truthmaker theorist's 'concrete' states of affairs must be distinguished from necessarily existing 'abstract' states of affairs.
     From: Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 08.4)
     A reaction: [He cites Plantinga's 'Nature of Necessity' for the second one; I presume the first one is Armstrong]
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / d. Commitment of theories
Accept the ontology of your best theory - and also that it carves nature at the joints [Sider]
     Full Idea: We can add to the Quinean advice to believe the ontology of your best theory that you should also regard the ideology of your best theory as carving at the joints.
     From: Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 02.3)
     A reaction: I've never liked the original Quinean formulation, but this is much better. I just take my ontological commitments to reside in me, not in whatever theory I am currently employing. I may be dubious about my own theory.