Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Explanation: the state of play', 'Finkish dispositions' and 'Ambitious, yet modest, Metaphysics'

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10 ideas

1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 5. Metaphysics beyond Science
16415 Esoteric metaphysics aims to be top science, investigating ultimate reality [Hofweber]
1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 7. Against Metaphysics
16413 Science has discovered properties of things, so there are properties - so who needs metaphysics? [Hofweber]
5. Theory of Logic / G. Quantification / 1. Quantification
16416 The quantifier in logic is not like the ordinary English one (which has empty names, non-denoting terms etc) [Hofweber]
8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 6. Categorical Properties
15464 The distinction between dispositional and 'categorical' properties leads to confusion [Lewis]
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 3. Powers as Derived
15463 All dispositions must have causal bases [Lewis]
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / c. Dispositions as conditional
15461 A 'finkish' disposition is real, but disappears when the stimulus occurs [Lewis]
10. Modality / B. Possibility / 9. Counterfactuals
15462 Backtracking counterfactuals go from supposed events to their required causal antecedents [Lewis]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 1. Explanation / b. Aims of explanation
12313 Explanation is for curiosity, control, understanding, to make meaningful, or to give authority [Stanford]
12314 Audience-relative explanation, or metaphysical explanation based on information? [Stanford]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / j. Explanations by reduction
12315 We can explain by showing constitution, as well as showing causes [Stanford]