3 ideas
9217 | Modern empirical metaphysics focuses on ontological commitments of discourse, or on presuppositions [Loux/Zimmerman] |
Full Idea: The empiricist revival of metaphysics came with Quine, who focused on ontological commitments associated with accepting a body of discourse, and Strawson, asking about the presuppositions of our conceptual practices. | |
From: M Loux / D Zimmerman (Intro to Oxford Hndbk of Metaphysics [2003]) | |
A reaction: I find myself preferring the British approach. I can discourse about things without ontological commitment, and utter truths about non-existent things. I really yearn, though, for the third way - actually reasoning towards knowing what's out there. |
13536 | Skolem did not believe in the existence of uncountable sets [Skolem] |
Full Idea: Skolem did not believe in the existence of uncountable sets. | |
From: Thoralf Skolem (works [1920], 5.3) | |
A reaction: Kit Fine refers somewhere to 'unrepentent Skolemites' who still hold this view. |
490 | Everything happens by reason and necessity [Leucippus] |
Full Idea: Nothing happens at random; everything happens out of reason and by necessity. | |
From: Leucippus (fragments/reports [c.435 BCE], B002), quoted by (who?) - where? |