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6473 | Physical things are series of appearances whose matter obeys physical laws [Russell] |
Full Idea: We may lay down the following definition: Physical things are those series of appearances whose matter obeys the laws of physics. | |
From: Bertrand Russell (The Relation of Sense-Data to Physics [1914], §XI) | |
A reaction: We will then have to define the laws of physic without making any reference to 'physical things'. There is an obvious suspicion of circularity somewhere here. I find it very odd to define objects just in terms of their appearances. |