Single Idea 8323

[catalogued under 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 8. Facts / a. Facts]

Full Idea

Although 'fact' is grammatically a count noun, it strikes us as being at best whimsical to talk about enumerating facts - to talk, for instance, about how many facts I learned today before breakfast.

Gist of Idea

It is whimsical to try to count facts - how many facts did I learn before breakfast?

Source

E.J. Lowe (The Possibility of Metaphysics [1998], 12.4)

Book Reference

Lowe,E.J.: 'The Possibility of Metaphysics' [OUP 2001], p.258


A Reaction

I always liked the question 'how many facts are there in this room?' One might make a serious attempt to decide how many facts I learned before breakfast, and reach a reasonable approximation, especially if one didn't open the newspaper.