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14700
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'Content' gives the standard modal profile, and 'character' gives rules for a context [Kaplan, by Schroeter]
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Full Idea:
Kaplan sees two aspects of meaning, the 'content', reflecting a thing's modal profile, which is modelled by standard possible worlds semantics, and 'character', giving rules for different contexts. Proper names have constant character; indexicals vary.
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From:
report of David Kaplan (Demonstratives [1989]) by Laura Schroeter - Two-Dimensional Semantics 1.1.1
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A reaction:
This gives rise to 2-D matrices for representing meaning, and the possible worlds are used twice, for evaluating meaning and then for evaluating context of use. I've always been struck by the two-dimensional semantics of passwords.
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21229
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If everyone is treated with equal injustice, at least that is fair [Morgenbesser]
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Full Idea:
When the police hit me over the head at the demonstration, it was unjust but at least it was fair, because they hit everybody else over the head.
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From:
Sidney Morgenbesser (talk [1970]), quoted by PG - Db (ideas)
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A reaction:
An example of Morganbesser's famous wit, but this is the perfect and simplest riposte to Rawls's claim that justice is fairness. Horrific injustices can be distributed fairly, and often are, in prisons, schools, families and armies.
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24043
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Soul must be immortal, since it continually moves, like the heavens [Alcmaeon, by Aristotle]
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Full Idea:
Alcmaeon says that the soul is immortal because it resembles immortal things and that this affection belongs to it because it is always in movement, like divine things, such the moon, the sun, the stars and the whole heaven.
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From:
report of Alcmaeon (fragments/reports [c.490 BCE], DK 24) by Aristotle - De Anima 405a30
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A reaction:
Hm. Fish and rivers seem to be continually moving too. Presumably we are like gods, but then Greek gods seem awfully like humans. I don't know the history of belief in immortality; an interesting topic.
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