30 ideas
10676 | The Axiom of Choice is a non-logical principle of set-theory [Hossack] |
Full Idea: The Axiom of Choice seems better treated as a non-logical principle of set-theory. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 4 n8) | |
A reaction: This reinforces the idea that set theory is not part of logic (and so pure logicism had better not depend on set theory). |
10686 | The Axiom of Choice guarantees a one-one correspondence from sets to ordinals [Hossack] |
Full Idea: We cannot explicitly define one-one correspondence from the sets to the ordinals (because there is no explicit well-ordering of R). Nevertheless, the Axiom of Choice guarantees that a one-one correspondence does exist, even if we cannot define it. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 10) |
10687 | Maybe we reduce sets to ordinals, rather than the other way round [Hossack] |
Full Idea: We might reduce sets to ordinal numbers, thereby reversing the standard set-theoretical reduction of ordinals to sets. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 10) | |
A reaction: He has demonstrated that there are as many ordinals as there are sets. |
10677 | Extensional mereology needs two definitions and two axioms [Hossack] |
Full Idea: Extensional mereology defs: 'distinct' things have no parts in common; a 'fusion' has some things all of which are parts, with no further parts. Axioms: (transitivity) a part of a part is part of the whole; (sums) any things have a unique fusion. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 5) |
10671 | Plural definite descriptions pick out the largest class of things that fit the description [Hossack] |
Full Idea: If we extend the power of language with plural definite descriptions, these would pick out the largest class of things that fit the description. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 3) |
10666 | Plural reference will refer to complex facts without postulating complex things [Hossack] |
Full Idea: It may be that plural reference gives atomism the resources to state complex facts without needing to refer to complex things. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 1) | |
A reaction: This seems the most interesting metaphysical implication of the possibility of plural quantification. |
10675 | A plural comprehension principle says there are some things one of which meets some condition [Hossack] |
Full Idea: Singular comprehension principles have a bad reputation, but the plural comprehension principle says that given a condition on individuals, there are some things such that something is one of them iff it meets the condition. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 4) |
10669 | Plural reference is just an abbreviation when properties are distributive, but not otherwise [Hossack] |
Full Idea: If all properties are distributive, plural reference is just a handy abbreviation to avoid repetition (as in 'A and B are hungry', to avoid 'A is hungry and B is hungry'), but not all properties are distributive (as in 'some people surround a table'). | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 2) | |
A reaction: The characteristic examples to support plural quantification involve collective activity and relations, which might be weeded out of our basic ontology, thus leaving singular quantification as sufficient. |
4261 | The Lottery Paradox says each ticket is likely to lose, so there probably won't be a winner [Bonjour, by PG] |
Full Idea: The Lottery Paradox says that for 100 tickets and one winner, each ticket has a .99 likelihood of defeat, so they are all likely to lose, so there is unlikely to be a winner. | |
From: report of Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §5) by PG - Db (ideas) | |
A reaction: The problem seems to be viewing each ticket in isolation. If I buy two tickets, I increase my chances of winning. |
10673 | Plural language can discuss without inconsistency things that are not members of themselves [Hossack] |
Full Idea: In a plural language we can discuss without fear of inconsistency the things that are not members of themselves. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 4) | |
A reaction: [see Hossack for details] |
10680 | The theory of the transfinite needs the ordinal numbers [Hossack] |
Full Idea: The theory of the transfinite needs the ordinal numbers. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 8) |
10684 | I take the real numbers to be just lengths [Hossack] |
Full Idea: I take the real numbers to be just lengths. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 9) | |
A reaction: I love it. Real numbers are beginning to get on my nerves. They turn up to the party with no invitation and improperly dressed, and then refuse to give their names when challenged. |
10674 | A plural language gives a single comprehensive induction axiom for arithmetic [Hossack] |
Full Idea: A language with plurals is better for arithmetic. Instead of a first-order fragment expressible by an induction schema, we have the complete truth with a plural induction axiom, beginning 'If there are some numbers...'. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 4) |
10681 | In arithmetic singularists need sets as the instantiator of numeric properties [Hossack] |
Full Idea: In arithmetic singularists need sets as the instantiator of numeric properties. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 8) |
10685 | Set theory is the science of infinity [Hossack] |
Full Idea: Set theory is the science of infinity. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 10) |
10668 | We are committed to a 'group' of children, if they are sitting in a circle [Hossack] |
Full Idea: By Quine's test of ontological commitment, if some children are sitting in a circle, no individual child can sit in a circle, so a singular paraphrase will have us committed to a 'group' of children. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 2) | |
A reaction: Nice of why Quine is committed to the existence of sets. Hossack offers plural quantification as a way of avoiding commitment to sets. But is 'sitting in a circle' a real property (in the Shoemaker sense)? I can sit in a circle without realising it. |
10664 | Complex particulars are either masses, or composites, or sets [Hossack] |
Full Idea: Complex particulars are of at least three types: masses (which sum, of which we do not ask 'how many?' but 'how much?'); composite individuals (how many?, and summing usually fails); and sets (only divisible one way, unlike composites). | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 1) | |
A reaction: A composite pile of grains of sand gradually becomes a mass, and drops of water become 'water everywhere'. A set of people divides into individual humans, but redescribe the elements as the union of males and females? |
10678 | The relation of composition is indispensable to the part-whole relation for individuals [Hossack] |
Full Idea: The relation of composition seems to be indispensable in a correct account of the part-whole relation for individuals. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 7) | |
A reaction: This is the culmination of a critical discussion of mereology and ontological atomism. At first blush it doesn't look as if 'composition' has much chance of being a precise notion, and it will be plagued with vagueness. |
10665 | Leibniz's Law argues against atomism - water is wet, unlike water molecules [Hossack] |
Full Idea: We can employ Leibniz's Law against mereological atomism. Water is wet, but no water molecule is wet. The set of infinite numbers is infinite, but no finite number is infinite. ..But with plural reference the atomist can resist this argument. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 1) | |
A reaction: The idea of plural reference is to state plural facts without referring to complex things, which is interesting. The general idea is that we have atomism, and then all the relations, unities, identities etc. are in the facts, not in the things. I like it. |
10682 | The fusion of five rectangles can decompose into more than five parts that are rectangles [Hossack] |
Full Idea: The fusion of five rectangles may have a decomposition into more than five parts that are rectangles. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 8) |
4255 | Externalist theories of knowledge are one species of foundationalism [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: Externalist theories of knowledge are one species of foundationalism. | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], Intro) | |
A reaction: I don't see why there shouldn't be a phenomenalist, anti-realist version of externalism, which just has 'starting points' instead of a serious commitment to foundations. |
4257 | The big problem for foundationalism is to explain how basic beliefs are possible [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: The fundamental question that must be answered by any acceptable version of foundationalism is: how are basic beliefs possible? | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §I) | |
A reaction: This question seems to be asking for a justification for basic beliefs, which smacks of 'Who made God?' Look, basic beliefs are just basic, right? |
4256 | The main argument for foundationalism is that all other theories involve a regress leading to scepticism [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: The central argument for foundationalism is simply that all other possible outcomes of the regress of justifications lead inexorably to scepticism. | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §I) | |
A reaction: If you prefer coherence to foundations, you need the security of reason to assess the coherence (which seems to be an internal foundation!). |
4258 | Extreme externalism says no more justification is required than the truth of the belief [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: The most extreme version of externalism would be one that held that the external condition required for justification is simply the truth of the belief in question. | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §II) | |
A reaction: The question is, why should we demand any more than this? The problem case is, traditionally, the lucky guess, but naturalist may say that these just don't occur with any regularity. We only get beliefs right because they are true. |
4259 | External reliability is not enough, if the internal state of the believer is known to be irrational [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: External or objective reliability is not enough to offset subjective irrationality (such as unexplained clairvoyance). | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §IV) | |
A reaction: A good argument. Where do animals fit into this? If your clairvoyance kept working, in the end you might concede that you 'knew', even though you were baffled about how you managed it. |
4260 | Even if there is no obvious irrationality, it may be irrational to base knowledge entirely on external criteria [Bonjour] |
Full Idea: It may be that where there are no positive grounds for a charge of irrationality, the acceptance of a belief with only external justification is still subjectively irrational in a sense that rules out its being epistemologically justified. | |
From: Laurence Bonjour (Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge [1980], §IV) | |
A reaction: A key objection. Surely rational behaviour requires a judgement to be made before a belief is accepted? If you are consistently clairvoyant, you must ask why. |
10663 | A thought can refer to many things, but only predicate a universal and affirm a state of affairs [Hossack] |
Full Idea: A thought can refer to a particular or a universal or a state of affairs, but it can predicate only a universal and it can affirm only a state of affairs. | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 1) | |
A reaction: Hossack is summarising Armstrong's view, which he is accepting. To me, 'thought' must allow for animals, unlike language. I think Hossack's picture is much too clear-cut. Do animals grasp universals? Doubtful. Can they predicate? Yes. |
13304 | Learned men gain more in one day than others do in a lifetime [Posidonius] |
Full Idea: In a single day there lies open to men of learning more than there ever does to the unenlightened in the longest of lifetimes. | |
From: Posidonius (fragments/reports [c.95 BCE]), quoted by Seneca the Younger - Letters from a Stoic 078 | |
A reaction: These remarks endorsing the infinite superiority of the educated to the uneducated seem to have been popular in late antiquity. It tends to be the religions which discourage great learning, especially in their emphasis on a single book. |
10683 | We could ignore space, and just talk of the shape of matter [Hossack] |
Full Idea: We might dispense with substantival space, and say that if the distribution of matter in space could have been different, that just means the matter of the Universe could have been shaped differently (with geometry as the science of shapes). | |
From: Keith Hossack (Plurals and Complexes [2000], 9) |
20820 | Time is an interval of motion, or the measure of speed [Posidonius, by Stobaeus] |
Full Idea: Posidonius defined time thus: it is an interval of motion, or the measure of speed and slowness. | |
From: report of Posidonius (fragments/reports [c.95 BCE]) by John Stobaeus - Anthology 1.08.42 | |
A reaction: Hm. Can we define motion or speed without alluding to time? Looks like we have to define them as a conjoined pair, which means we cannot fully understand either of them. |