Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for H.Putnam/P.Oppenheim, T.M. Robinson and Jonathan Barnes

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5 ideas

14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / j. Explanations by reduction
Six reduction levels: groups, lives, cells, molecules, atoms, particles [Putnam/Oppenheim, by Watson]
18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 8. Abstractionism Critique
Abstraction from an ambiguous concept like 'mole' will define them as the same [Barnes,J]
Abstraction cannot produce the concept of a 'game', as there is no one common feature [Barnes,J]
Defining concepts by abstractions will collect together far too many attributes from entities [Barnes,J]
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 1. Cosmology
Is the cosmos open or closed, mechanical or teleological, alive or inanimate, and created or eternal? [Robinson,TM, by PG]