Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Phenomenalism', 'A Note on the entscheidungsproblem' and 'reports'

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4 ideas

5. Theory of Logic / K. Features of Logics / 7. Decidability
Validity is provable, but invalidity isn't, because the model is infinite [Church, by McGee]
     Full Idea: Church showed that logic has a proof procedure, but no decision procedure. If an argument is invalid, there is a model with true premises and false conclusion, but the model will typically be infinite, so there is no way to display it concretely.
     From: report of Alonzo Church (A Note on the entscheidungsproblem [1936]) by Vann McGee - Logical Consequence 5
11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 2. Phenomenalism
Modern phenomenalism holds that objects are logical constructions out of sense-data [Ayer]
     Full Idea: Nowadays phenomenalism is held to be a theory of perception which says that physical objects are logical constructions out of sense-data.
     From: A.J. Ayer (Phenomenalism [1947], §1)
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 4. Sense Data / a. Sense-data theory
The concept of sense-data allows us to discuss appearances without worrying about reality [Ayer]
     Full Idea: The introduction of the term 'sense-datum' is a means of referring to appearances without prejudging the question of what it is, if anything, that they are appearances of.
     From: A.J. Ayer (Phenomenalism [1947], §1)
23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 2. Golden Rule
The Torah just says: do not do to your neighbour what is hateful to you [Hillel the Elder]
     Full Idea: What is hateful to you, do not unto your neighbour: this is the entire Torah. All the rest is commentary - go and study it.
     From: Hillel the Elder (reports [c.10]), quoted by Paul Johnson - The History of the Jews Pt II
     A reaction: Johnson suggests that this idea, of stripping everything from the Torah except its basic morality, was passed on to Jesus by Hillel. Suppose you hate Arsenal, but your neighbour supports them, and they just won the European Cup? What should you do?