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14212
|
A consistent theory just needs one model; isomorphic versions will do too, and large domains provide those [Lewis]
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Full Idea:
A consistent theory is, by definition, one satisfied by some model; an isomorphic image of a model satisfies the same theories as the original model; to provide the making of an isomorphic image of any given model, a domain need only be large enough.
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|
From:
David Lewis (Putnam's Paradox [1984], 'Why Model')
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|
A reaction:
This is laying out the ground for Putnam's model theory argument in favour of anti-realism. If you are chasing the one true model of reality, then formal model theory doesn't seem to offer much encouragement.
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|
16588
|
I prefer a lack of form to mean non-existence, than to think of some quasi-existence [Augustine]
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Full Idea:
I sooner judged that what lacks all form does not exist, than thought of as something in between form and nothing, neither formed nor nothing, unformed and next to nothing.
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|
From:
Augustine (Confessions [c.398], XII.6), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 03.1
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A reaction:
Scholastics were struck by the contrast between this remark, and the remark of Averroes (Idea 16587) that prime matter was halfway existence. Their two great authorities disagreed! This sort of thing stimulated the revival of metaphysics.
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|
14213
|
Anti-realists see the world as imaginary, or lacking joints, or beyond reference, or beyond truth [Lewis]
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|
Full Idea:
Anti-realists say the only world is imaginary, or only has the parts or classes or relations we divide it into, or doubt that reference to the world is possible, or doubt that our interpretations can achieve truth.
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|
From:
David Lewis (Putnam's Paradox [1984], 'Why Anti-R')
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|
A reaction:
[compression of a paragraph on anti-realism] Lewis is a thoroughgoing realist. A nice example of the rhetorical device of ridiculing an opponent by suggesting that they don't even know what they themselves believe.
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|
14210
|
A gerrymandered mereological sum can be a mess, but still have natural joints [Lewis]
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|
Full Idea:
The mereological sum of the coffee in my cup, the ink in this sentence, a nearby sparrow, and my left shoe is a miscellaneous mess of an object, yet its boundaries are by no means unrelated to the joints of nature.
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|
From:
David Lewis (Putnam's Paradox [1984], 'What Might')
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|
A reaction:
In that case they do, but if there are no atoms at the root of physics then presumably their could also be thoroughly jointless assemblages, involving probability distributions etc. Even random scattered atoms seem rather short of joints.
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|
22981
|
Mind and memory are the same, as shown in 'bear it in mind' or 'it slipped from mind' [Augustine]
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Full Idea:
The mind and the memory are one and the same. We even call the memory the mind, for when we tell a person to remember something, we tell them to 'bear this in mind', and when we forget something 'it slipped out of my mind'.
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|
From:
Augustine (Confessions [c.398], X.14)
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|
A reaction:
This idea has become familiar in modern neuroscience, I think, presumably because we do not find distinct types of neurons for consciousness and for memory.
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|
14209
|
Descriptive theories remain part of the theory of reference (with seven mild modifications) [Lewis]
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|
Full Idea:
Description theories of reference are supposed to have been well and truly refuted. I think not: ..it is still tenable with my seven points, and part of the truth of reference [7: rigidity, egocentric, tokens, causal, imperfect, indeterminate, families].
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|
From:
David Lewis (Putnam's Paradox [1984], 'Glob Desc')
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|
A reaction:
(The bit at the end refers to his seven points, on p.59). He calls his basic proposal 'causal descriptivism', incorporating his seven slight modifications of traditional descriptivism about reference.
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|
10359
|
In causation there are three problems of relata, and three metaphysical problems [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
The questions about causation concern their relata (in space-time, how fine-grained, how many?) and the metaphysics (distinguish causal sequences from others, the direction of causation, selecting causes among pre-conditions?).
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], Intro)
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|
A reaction:
A very nice map (which has got me thinking about restructuring this database). I can't think of a better way to do philosophy than this (let's hear it for analysis - but the greatest role models for the approach are Aristotle and Aquinas).
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|
10372
|
Causation may not be transitive; the last event may follow from the first, but not be caused by it [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
It is not clear whether causation is transitive. For example, if a boulder roll's towards a hiker's head, causing the hiker to duck, which causes the hiker to survive, it does not seem that the rolling boulder causes the survival of the hiker.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1.2)
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|
A reaction:
Maybe survival is not an event or an effect. How many times have I survived in my life? We could, though, say that the hiker strained a muscle as he or she ducked. But then it is unclear whether the boulder caused the muscle-strain.
|
|
10374
|
There are at least ten theories about causal connections [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
Theories of causal connection are: nomological subsumption, statistical correlation, counterfactual dependence, agential manipulability, contiguous change, energy flow, physical processes, property transference, primitivism and eliminativism.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1.3.1)
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|
A reaction:
Schaffer reduces these to probability and process. I prefer the latter. The first two are wrong, the third right but superficial, the fourth wrong, the fifth, sixth and seventh on the right lines, the eighth wrong, the ninth tempting, and the last wrong.
|
|
10377
|
Causation may not be a process, if a crucial part of the process is 'disconnected' [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
One problem case for the process view of causation is 'disconnection'. If a brick breaks a window by being fired from a catapult, a latch is released which was preventing the catapult from firing, so the 'process' is just internal to the catapult.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.1)
|
|
A reaction:
Schaffer says the normal reply is to deny that the catch-releasing is genuinely causal. I would have thought we should go more fine-grained, and identify linked components of the causal process.
|
|
10375
|
At least four rivals have challenged the view that causal direction is time direction [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
The traditional view that the direction of causation is the direction of time has been challenged, by the direction of forking, by overdetermination, by independence, and by manipulation, which all seem to be one-directional features.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1.3.1)
|
|
A reaction:
Personally I incline to the view that time is prior, and fixes the direction of causation. I'm not sure that 'backward causation' can be stated coherently, even if it is metaphysically or naturally possible.
|
|
10389
|
Causal order must be temporal, or else causes could be blocked, and time couldn't be explained [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
Reasons for causal order being temporal order are that otherwise the effect might occur but the cause then get prevented, ..and that they must be the same, because the temporal order can only be analysed in terms of the causal order.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.2)
|
|
A reaction:
If one took both time and causation as primitive, then the second argument would be void. The first argument, though, sounds pretty overwhelming to me.
|
|
10390
|
Causal order is not temporal, because of time travel, and simultanous, joint or backward causes [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
Reasons for denying that causal order is temporal order are that time travel seems possible, that cause and effect can be simultaneous, because joint effects have temporal order without causal connection, and because backward causation may exist.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.2)
|
|
A reaction:
The possibility of time travel and backward causation can clearly be doubted, and certainly can't be grounds for one's whole metaphysics. The other two need careful analysis, but I think they can be answered. Causation is temporal.
|
|
10380
|
Causation is primitive; it is too intractable and central to be reduced; all explanations require it [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
Primitivism arises from our failure to reduce causation, but also from causation being too central to reduce. The probability and process accounts are said to be inevitably circular, as they cannot be understood without reference to causation.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
This is very tempting. The primitive view, though, must deal with the direction problem, which may suggest that time is even more primitive. Can we have a hierarchy of primitiveness? To be alive is to be causal.
|
|
10385
|
If causation is just observables, or part of common sense, or vacuous, it can't be primitive [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
The three main objections to causation being primitive are that causation can't be anything more than what we observe, or that such a primitive is too spooky to be acceptable, or that primitivism leads to elimination of causation.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
[summarised] I don't like the first (Humean) view. I suspect that anything which we finally decide has to be primitive (time, for example) is going to be left looking 'spooky', and I suspect that eliminativism is just Humeanism in disguise.
|
|
10387
|
The notion of causation allows understanding of science, without appearing in equations [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
The concepts of 'event', 'law', 'cause' and 'explanation' are nomic concepts which serve to allow a systematic understanding of science; they do not themselves appear in the equations.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
This is a criticism of Russell's attempt to eliminate causation from science. It shows that there has to be something we can call 'metascience', which is the province of philosophers, since scientists don't have much interest in it.
|
|
10388
|
Causation is utterly essential for numerous philosophical explanations [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
Causation can't be eliminated if it is needed to explain persistence, explanation, disposition, perception, warrant, action, responsibility, mental functional role, conceptual content, and reference. It's elimination would be catastrophic.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
[compressed list] I think I am going to vote for the view that causation is one of the primitives in the metaphysics of nature, so I have to agree with this. Most of the listed items, though, are controversial, so eliminativists are not defeated.
|
|
10384
|
If two different causes are possible in one set of circumstances, causation is primitive [Schaffer,J]
|
|
Full Idea:
Causation seems to be primitive if the same laws and patterns of events might embody three different possible causes, as when two magicians cast the same successful spell, each with a 50% chance of success, and who was successful is unclear.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
I'm cautious when the examples involve magic. It implies that the process that leads to the result will be impossible to observe, but if magic never really happens, then the patterns of events will always be different.
|
|
10386
|
If causation is primitive, it can be experienced in ourselves, or inferred as best explanation [Schaffer,J]
|
|
Full Idea:
The view that causation is primitive can be defended against Humean critics by saying that causation can be directly observed in the will or our bodies, or that it can be inferred as the best explanation.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
I like both views, and have just converted myself to the primitivist view of causation! I can't know the essence of a tree, because I am not a tree, but I can know the essence of causation. The Greek fascination with explaining movement is linked.
|
|
10361
|
Events are fairly course-grained (just saying 'hello'), unlike facts (like saying 'hello' loudly) [Schaffer,J]
|
|
Full Idea:
Events are relatively coarse-grained, unlike facts; so the event of John's saying 'hello' seems to be the same event as John's saying 'hello' loudly, while they seem to be different facts.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1)
|
|
A reaction:
The example seems good support for facts, since saying 'hello' loudly could have quite different effects from just saying 'hello'. I also incline temperamentally towards a fine-grained account, because it is more reductivist.
|
|
10360
|
Causal relata are events - or facts, features, tropes, states, situations or aspects [Schaffer,J]
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|
Full Idea:
The standard view make causal relata events (Davidson, Kim, Lewis), but there is considerable support for facts (Bennett, Mellor), and occasional support for features (Dretske), tropes (Campbell), states of affairs (Armstrong), and situations and aspects.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1)
|
|
A reaction:
An event is presumed to be concrete, while a fact is more abstract (a proposition, perhaps). I'm always drawn to 'processes' (because they are good for discussing the mind), so an event, as a sort of natural process, looks good.
|
|
10368
|
If causal relata must be in nature and fine-grained, neither facts nor events will do [Schaffer,J]
|
|
Full Idea:
Theorists who reject both events and facts as causal relata do so because the relata must be immanent in nature, and thus not facts, but also fine-grained and thus not events.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
Kim, however, offers a fine-grained account of events (as triples), and Bennett individuates them even more finely (as propositions), so events might be saved. Descriptions can be very fine-grained.
|
|
10383
|
The relata of causation (such as events) need properties as explanation, which need causation! [Schaffer,J]
|
|
Full Idea:
The primitivist about causation might say that the notion of an event (or other relata) cannot be understood without reference to causation, because properties themselves are individuated by their causal role.
|
|
From:
Jonathan Schaffer (The Metaphysics of Causation [2007], 2.1.2)
|
|
A reaction:
Having enthusiastically embraced the causal view of properties (see Shoemaker and Ellis), I suddenly realise that I seem required to embrace primitivism about causation, which I hadn't anticipated! I've no immediate problem with that.
|
|
22888
|
To be aware of time it can only exist in the mind, as memory or anticipation [Augustine, by Bardon]
|
|
Full Idea:
Augustine answers that for us to be aware of time it must exist only in the mind, …and the difference between past and future is just the difference between memory and anticipation.
|
|
From:
report of Augustine (Confessions [c.398]) by Adrian Bardon - Brief History of the Philosophy of Time 1 'Augustine's'
|
|
A reaction:
This is an extreme idealist view. Are we to say that the past consists only of what can be remembered, and the future only of what is anticipated? Absurd anti-realism, in my view. Where do his concepts come from, asks Le Poidevin.
|
|
5979
|
If the past is no longer, and the future is not yet, how can they exist? [Augustine]
|
|
Full Idea:
Of the three divisions of time, how can two, the past and the future, be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet?
|
|
From:
Augustine (Confessions [c.398], XI.14)
|
|
A reaction:
This is the oldest bewilderment about time, which naturally leads us to the thought that time cannot actually 'exist'. The remark implies that at least 'now' is safe, but that also succumbs to paradox pretty quickly.
|
|
5978
|
I know what time is, until someone asks me to explain it [Augustine]
|
|
Full Idea:
I know well enough what time is, provided that nobody asks me; but if I am asked what it is and try to explain, I am baffled.
|
|
From:
Augustine (Confessions [c.398], XI.14)
|
|
A reaction:
A justly famous remark, even though it adds nothing to our knowledge of time. This sort of thought pushes us towards accepting many things as axiomatic, such as time, space, identity, persons, mind.
|
|
5976
|
If God is outside time in eternity, can He hear prayers? [Augustine]
|
|
Full Idea:
O Lord, since you are outside time in eternity, are you unaware of the things that I tell you?
|
|
From:
Augustine (Confessions [c.398], XI.01)
|
|
A reaction:
This strikes me as the single most difficult and most elusive question about the nature of a supreme divine being. If the being is trapped in time, as we are, it is greatly diminished, and if it is outside, it is hard to see how it could be a participant.
|