Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Inexpressible Properties and Propositions', 'Concepts:where cogn.science went wrong' and 'What is Good?'

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22 ideas

1. Philosophy / C. History of Philosophy / 3. Earlier European Philosophy / c. Later medieval philosophy
7823 Lucretius was rediscovered in 1417 [Grayling]
2. Reason / D. Definition / 13. Against Definition
12619 We have no successful definitions, because they all use indefinable words [Fodor]
3. Truth / H. Deflationary Truth / 3. Minimalist Truth
17990 Instances of minimal truth miss out propositions inexpressible in current English [Hofweber]
5. Theory of Logic / G. Quantification / 4. Substitutional Quantification
17988 Quantification can't all be substitutional; some reference is obviously to objects [Hofweber]
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 2. Types of Existence
12620 If 'exist' is ambiguous in 'chairs and numbers exist', that mirrors the difference between chairs and numbers [Fodor]
8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 1. Nature of Properties
17989 Since properties have properties, there can be a typed or a type-free theory of them [Hofweber]
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 6. Dispositions / c. Dispositions as conditional
12613 Empiricists use dispositions reductively, as 'possibility of sensation' or 'possibility of experimental result' [Fodor]
12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 2. Associationism
12617 Associationism can't explain how truth is preserved [Fodor]
18. Thought / C. Content / 2. Ideas
12615 Mental representations are the old 'Ideas', but without images [Fodor]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 2. Origin of Concepts / c. Nativist concepts
6650 Fodor is now less keen on the innateness of concepts [Fodor, by Lowe]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 3. Ontology of Concepts / a. Concepts as representations
12618 It is essential to the concept CAT that it be satisfied by cats [Fodor]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 3. Ontology of Concepts / b. Concepts as abilities
12614 I prefer psychological atomism - that concepts are independent of epistemic capacities [Fodor]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / b. Analysis of concepts
12621 Definable concepts have constituents, which are necessary, individuate them, and demonstrate possession [Fodor]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / d. Concepts as prototypes
12622 Many concepts lack prototypes, and complex prototypes aren't built from simple ones [Fodor]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 4. Structure of Concepts / f. Theory theory of concepts
12623 The theory theory can't actually tell us what concepts are [Fodor]
19. Language / C. Assigning Meanings / 2. Semantics
12616 English has no semantic theory, just associations between sentences and thoughts [Fodor]
19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / a. Translation
17991 Holism says language can't be translated; the expressibility hypothesis says everything can [Hofweber]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / e. Honour
7809 In an honour code shame is the supreme punishment, and revenge is a duty [Grayling]
25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 4. Suicide
7824 If suicide is lawful, but assisting suicide is unlawful, powerless people are denied their rights [Grayling]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / a. Religious Belief
7819 Religion gives answers, comforts, creates social order, and panders to superstition [Grayling]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / a. Immortality
7817 To make an afterlife appealing, this life has to be denigrated [Grayling]
7818 In Greek mythology only heroes can go to heaven [Grayling]