Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'A Puzzle about Belief', 'The Foundations of Mathematics (2nd ed)' and 'Teplitz Fragments'

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3 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 4. Formal Relations / b. Equivalence relation
An 'equivalence' relation is one which is reflexive, symmetric and transitive [Kunen]
     Full Idea: R is an equivalence relation on A iff R is reflexive, symmetric and transitive on A.
     From: Kenneth Kunen (The Foundations of Mathematics (2nd ed) [2012], I.7.1)
12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 5. Empiricism Critique
Empiricists are passive thinkers, given their philosophy by the external world and fate [Novalis]
     Full Idea: An empiricist is one whose way of thinking is an effect of the external world and of fate - the passive thinker - to whom his philosophy is given.
     From: Novalis (Teplitz Fragments [1798], 33)
     A reaction: Novalis goes on to enthuse about 'magical idealism', so he rejects empiricism. This is an early attack on the Myth of the Given, found in Sellars and McDowell.
18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 5. Mental Files
Puzzled Pierre has two mental files about the same object [Recanati on Kripke]
     Full Idea: In Kripke's puzzle about belief, the subject has two distinct mental files about one and the same object.
     From: comment on Saul A. Kripke (A Puzzle about Belief [1979]) by François Recanati - Mental Files 17.1
     A reaction: [Pierre distinguishes 'London' from 'Londres'] The Kripkean puzzle is presented as very deep, but I have always felt there was a simple explanation, and I suspect that this is it (though I will leave the reader to think it through, as I'm very busy…).