9212
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Possible states of affairs are not propositions; a proposition can't be a state of affairs! [Fine,K]
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Full Idea:
Possible states of affairs have often been taken to be propositions, but this cannot be correct, since any possible state of affairs is possibly a state of affairs, but no proposition is possibly a state of affairs.
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From:
Kit Fine (The Problem of Possibilia [2003], 2)
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A reaction:
The point is, presumably, that the state of affairs cannot be the proposition itself, but (at least) what the proposition refers to. I can't see any objection to that.
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9213
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The actual world is a possible world, so we can't define possible worlds as 'what might have been' [Fine,K]
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Full Idea:
A possible world can't be defined (by Stalnaker and Plantinga) as a way the world might have been, because a possible world is possibly the world, yet no way the world might have been is possibly the world.
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From:
Kit Fine (The Problem of Possibilia [2003], 2)
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A reaction:
His point is that any definition of a possible world must cover the actual world, because that is one of them. 'Might have been' is not applicable to the actual world. It seems a fairly important starting point for discussion of possible worlds.
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22109
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The fullest knowledge places a conclusion within an accurate theory [Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
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Full Idea:
Having 'scientia' is the fullest possible human cognition, by which one situates the fact expressed by a conclusion in an explanatory theory that accurately maps metaphysical or physical reality.
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From:
report of Thomas Aquinas (Sententia on 'Posterior Analytics' [1269], 1.2.9, 1.5.7) by Kretzmann/Stump - Aquinas, Thomas 11
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A reaction:
That is a perfect statement of my concept of knowledge. Explanatory theories must specify the essential natures of the entities involved. We don't aim for 'knowledge', we aim for the 'fullest possible cognition'. This account extend's Aristotle's.
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