Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'In Defense of Essentialism', 'The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory' and 'Utopia'

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16 ideas

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / e. Individuation by kind
'Substance theorists' take modal properties as primitive, without structure, just falling under a sortal [Paul,LA]
If an object's sort determines its properties, we need to ask what determines its sort [Paul,LA]
Substance essentialism says an object is multiple, as falling under various different sortals [Paul,LA]
9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / b. Sums of parts
Absolutely unrestricted qualitative composition would allow things with incompatible properties [Paul,LA]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 2. Types of Essence
Deep essentialist objects have intrinsic properties that fix their nature; the shallow version makes it contextual [Paul,LA]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 6. Essence as Unifier
Deep essentialists say essences constrain how things could change; modal profiles fix natures [Paul,LA]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 15. Against Essentialism
Essentialism must deal with charges of arbitrariness, and failure to reduce de re modality [Paul,LA]
An object's modal properties don't determine its possibilities [Paul,LA]
10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 2. Nature of Possible Worlds / a. Nature of possible worlds
'Modal realists' believe in many concrete worlds, 'actualists' in just this world, 'ersatzists' in abstract other worlds [Paul,LA]
14. Science / A. Basis of Science / 6. Falsification
Observation can force rejection of some part of the initial set of claims [Duhem, by Boulter]
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 6. Theory Holism
Experiments only test groups of hypotheses, and can't show which one is wrong [Duhem]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 3. Conservatism
All modern social systems seem to be conspiracies of the rich [More,T]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
If you try to get elected, you should be permanently barred from seeking office [More,T]
25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / a. Just wars
Only Utopians fail to see glory in warfare [More,T]
25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 2. Euthanasia
In Utopia, legal euthanasia is considered honourable [More,T]
28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 2. Pantheism
In Utopia, the Supreme Being is identical with Nature [More,T]