Single Idea 6078

[catalogued under 8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties]

Full Idea

Quine brought classes into semantics in order to oust properties.

Clarification

'Semantics' is the study of meaning

Gist of Idea

Quine brought classes into semantics to get rid of properties

Source

report of Willard Quine (works [1961]) by Colin McGinn - Logical Properties Ch.3

Book Reference

McGinn,Colin: 'Logical Properties' [OUP 2003], p.68


A Reaction

Quine's view has always struck me as odd, as I don't see how you can decide what set something belongs to if you haven't already decided its properties. But then I take it that nature informs you of most properties, and set membership is not arbitrary.