Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'The Central Questions of Philosophy', 'On Freedom' and 'Philosophy of Chemistry'

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28 ideas

2. Reason / E. Argument / 3. Analogy
5331 You can't infer that because you have a hidden birth-mark, everybody else does [Ayer]
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / b. Commitment of quantifiers
2611 It is currently held that quantifying over something implies belief in its existence [Ayer]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 3. Individual Essences
16520 We see properties necessary for a kind (in the definition), but not for an individual [Ayer]
10. Modality / B. Possibility / 5. Contingency
5040 Necessary truths can be analysed into original truths; contingent truths are infinitely analysable [Leibniz]
10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 2. A Priori Contingent
13159 Only God sees contingent truths a priori [Leibniz]
10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 3. Transworld Objects / e. Possible Objects
5039 If non-existents are possible, their existence would replace what now exists, which cannot therefore be necessary [Leibniz]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / i. Explanations by mechanism
17472 Thick mechanisms map whole reactions, and thin mechanism chart the steps [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17471 Using mechanisms as explanatory schemes began in chemistry [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / c. Knowing other minds
2613 The theory of other minds has no rival [Ayer]
5328 Originally I combined a mentalistic view of introspection with a behaviouristic view of other minds [Ayer]
5330 Physicalism undercuts the other mind problem, by equating experience with 'public' brain events [Ayer]
16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 5. Self as Associations
5326 Qualia must be united by a subject, because they lead to concepts and judgements [Ayer]
5325 Is something an 'experience' because it relates to other experiences, or because it relates to a subject? [Ayer]
16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / a. Self needs body
5324 Bodily identity and memory work together to establish personal identity [Ayer]
16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self
5322 Self-consciousness is not basic, because experiences are not instrinsically marked with ownership [Ayer]
16. Persons / D. Continuity of the Self / 2. Mental Continuity / c. Inadequacy of mental continuity
5327 Temporal gaps in the consciousness of a spirit could not be bridged by memories [Ayer]
17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 1. Physical Mind
5329 Why shouldn't we say brain depends on mind? Better explanation! [Ayer]
19. Language / D. Propositions / 6. Propositions Critique
2610 Talk of propositions is just shorthand for talking about equivalent sentences [Ayer]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / f. Ancient elements
17465 Lavoisier's elements included four types of earth [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 1. Chemistry
17468 Over 100,000,000 compounds have been discovered or synthesised [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17470 Water molecules dissociate, and form large polymers, explaining its properties [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17473 It is unlikely that chemistry will ever be reduced to physics [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17474 Quantum theory won't tell us which structure a set of atoms will form [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17475 For temperature to be mean kinetic energy, a state of equilibrium is also required [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
17469 'H2O' just gives the element proportions, not the microstructure [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 2. Modern Elements
17467 Isotopes (such as those of hydrogen) can vary in their rates of chemical reaction [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 3. Periodic Table
17466 Mendeleev systematised the elements, and also gave an account of their nature [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]
28. God / A. Divine Nature / 3. Divine Perfections
5041 God does everything in a perfect way, and never acts contrary to reason [Leibniz]