Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Classical Cosmology (frags)', 'Symbolic Logic (with Langford)' and 'works'

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4 ideas

6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / b. Type theory
6409 The 'simple theory of types' distinguishes levels among properties [Ramsey, by Grayling]
     Full Idea: The idea that there should be something like a distinction of levels among properties is captured in Ramsey's 'simple theory of types'.
     From: report of Frank P. Ramsey (works [1928]) by A.C. Grayling - Russell
     A reaction: I merely report this, though it is not immediately obvious how anyone would decide which 'level' a type belonged on.
10. Modality / B. Possibility / 8. Conditionals / a. Conditionals
7803 Modal logic began with translation difficulties for 'If...then' [Lewis,CI, by Girle]
     Full Idea: C.I.Lewis began his groundbreaking work in modal logic because he was concerned about the unreliability of the material conditional as a translation of 'If ... then' conditionals.
     From: report of C.I. Lewis (Symbolic Logic (with Langford) [1932]) by Rod Girle - Modal Logics and Philosophy 12.3
     A reaction: Compare 'if this is square then it has four corners' with 'if it rains then our afternoon is ruined'. Different modalities seem to be involved. We even find that 'a square has four corners' will be materially implied if it rains!
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / c. Aim of beliefs
3212 Beliefs are maps by which we steer [Ramsey]
     Full Idea: Beliefs are maps by which we steer.
     From: Frank P. Ramsey (works [1928]), quoted by Georges Rey - Contemporary Philosophy of Mind p.259 n5
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 1. Cosmology
5994 Is the cosmos open or closed, mechanical or teleological, alive or inanimate, and created or eternal? [Robinson,TM, by PG]
     Full Idea: The four major disputes in classical cosmology were whether the cosmos is 'open' or 'closed', whether it is explained mechanistically or teleologically, whether it is alive or mere matter, and whether or not it has a beginning.
     From: report of T.M. Robinson (Classical Cosmology (frags) [1997]) by PG - Db (ideas)
     A reaction: A nice summary. The standard modern view is closed, mechanistic, inanimate and non-eternal. But philosophers can ask deeper questions than physicists, and I say we are entitled to speculate when the evidence runs out.