Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Reply to Hellman', 'Introduction to Russell's Theory of Types' and 'Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles'

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8 ideas

4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 4. Axioms for Sets / p. Axiom of Reducibility

18170	The Axiom of Reducibility is self-effacing: if true, it isn't needed [Quine]
	Full Idea: The Axiom of Reducibility is self-effacing: if it is true, the ramification it is meant to cope with was pointless to begin with.
	From: Willard Quine (Introduction to Russell's Theory of Types [1967], p.152), quoted by Penelope Maddy - Naturalism in Mathematics I.1
	A reaction: Maddy says the rejection of Reducibility collapsed the ramified theory of types into the simple theory.

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / a. Hylomorphism

15959	If the substantial form of brass implies its stability, how can it melt and remain brass? [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: If we account for the stability of a piece of brass by reference to the substantial form of brass, then it is mysterious how it can be melted and yet remain brass.
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 02.3)
	A reaction: [Alexander is discussing Boyle]

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / b. Form as principle

15956	The peripatetics treated forms and real qualities as independent of matter, and non-material [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: The peripatetic philosophers, in spite of their disagreements, all treated forms and real qualities as independent of matter and not to be understood in material terms.
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 54)
	A reaction: This is the simple reason why hylomorphism became totally discredited, in the face of the 'mechanical philosophy'. But there must be a physical version of hylomorphism, and I don't think Aristotle himself would reject it.

12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 2. Self-Evidence

9379	A sentence is obvious if it is true, and any speaker of the language will instantly agree to it [Quine]
	Full Idea: A sentence is obvious if (a) it is true and (b) any speaker of the language is prepared, for any reason or none, to assent to it without hesitation, unless put off by being asked so obvious a question.
	From: Willard Quine (Reply to Hellman [1975], p.206), quoted by Paul Boghossian - Analyticity Reconsidered §III
	A reaction: This comes from someone who is keen to deny a priori knowledge, but what are we to make of the expostulations "It's obvious, you idiot!", and "Now I see it, it's obvious!", and "It seemed obvious, but I was wrong!"?

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / k. Explanations by essence

15975	Can the qualities of a body be split into two groups, where the smaller explains the larger? [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: Is there any way of separating the qualities that bodies appear to have into two groups, one as small as possible and the other as large as possible, such that the smaller group can plausibly be used to explain the larger?
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 5.02)
	A reaction: Alexander implies that this is a question Locke asked himself. This is pretty close to what I take to be the main question for essentialism, though I am cautious about couching it in terms of groups of qualities. I think this was Aristotle's question.

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / a. Final purpose

15963	Science has been partly motivated by the belief that the universe is run by God's laws [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: The idea of a designed universe has not been utterly irrelevant to the scientific project; it is one of the beliefs that can give a scientist the faith that there are laws, waiting to be discovered, that govern all phenomena.
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 03.3)
	A reaction: Of course if you start out looking for the 'laws of God' that is probably what you will discover. Natural selection strikes me as significant, because it shows no sign of being a procedure appropriate to a benevolent god.

26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / a. Scientific essentialism

15951	Alchemists tried to separate out essences, which influenced later chemistry [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: The alchemists sought the separation of the 'pure essences' of substances from unwanted impurities. This last goal was of great importance for the development of modern chemistry at the hands of Boyle and his successors.
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 01.1)
	A reaction: In a nutshell this gives us the reason why essences are so important, and also why they became discredited. Time for a clear modern rethink.

27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 4. Substantival Space

15981	Absolute space either provides locations, or exists but lacks 'marks' for locations [Alexander,P]
	Full Idea: There are two conceptions of absolute space. In the first, empty space is independent of objects but provides a frame of reference so an object has a location. ..In the second space exists independently, but has no 'marks' into which objects can be put.
	From: Peter Alexander (Ideas, Qualities and Corpuscles [1985], 6)
	A reaction: He says that Locke seems to reject the first one, but accept the second one.