Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'The Guide of the Perplexed', 'Metaphysical Foundations of Mathematics' and 'Speaking of Objects'

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10 ideas

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 7. Abstract/Concrete / a. Abstract/concrete

1630	We can only see an alien language in terms of our own thought structures (e.g. physical/abstract) [Quine]

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / b. Commitment of quantifiers

5747	"No entity without identity" - our ontology must contain items with settled identity conditions [Quine, by Melia]

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties

7925	There is no proper identity concept for properties, and it is hard to distinguish one from two [Quine]

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / b. Need for abstracta

13387

Our conceptual scheme becomes more powerful when we posit abstract objects [Quine]

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / a. Individuation

8277	I prefer 'no object without identity' to Quine's 'no entity without identity' [Lowe on Quine]

19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / b. Indeterminate translation

1631	You could know the complete behavioural conditions for a foreign language, and still not know their beliefs [Quine]

1632	Translation of our remote past or language could be as problematic as alien languages [Quine]

27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / g. Time's arrow

22908

When one element contains the grounds of the other, the first one is prior in time [Leibniz]

28. God / A. Divine Nature / 2. Divine Nature

20696

We can approach knowledge of God by negative attributes [Maimonides]

28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 4. God Reflects Humanity

19085

Thinking of God as resembling humans results from a bad translation of Genesis 1:26 [Maimonides]