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Full Idea
Contingency derives from the fact that a sentence containing a verb in the present tense - or sometimes in the past or the future - changes its meaning continually as the present changes, and stands for different propositions at different times.
Gist of Idea
Contingency arises from tensed verbs changing the propositions to which they refer
Source
Bertrand Russell (Meinong on Complexes and Assumptions [1904], p.26)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.26
A Reaction
This immediately strikes me as a bad example of the linguistic approach to philosophy. As if we (like any animal) didn't have an apprehension prior to any language that most parts of experience are capable of change.
| 21532 | Full empiricism is not tenable, but empirical investigation is always essential [Russell] |
| 21533 | Contingency arises from tensed verbs changing the propositions to which they refer [Russell] |
| 21534 | The only thing we can say about relations is that they relate [Russell] |
| 21535 | Objects only exist if they 'occupy' space and time [Russell] |
| 21536 | When I perceive a melody, I do not perceive the notes as existing [Russell] |
| 21538 | If two people perceive the same object, the object of perception can't be in the mind [Russell] |
| 21537 | I assume we perceive the actual objects, and not their 'presentations' [Russell] |
| 21539 | Excluded middle can be stated psychologically, as denial of p implies assertion of not-p [Russell] |
| 21540 | Relational propositions seem to be 'about' their terms, rather than about the relation [Russell] |
| 21541 | The complexity of the content correlates with the complexity of the object [Russell] |
| 21542 | Do incorrect judgements have non-existent, or mental, or external objects? [Russell] |
| 21543 | If p is false, then believing not-p is knowing a truth, so negative propositions must exist [Russell] |
| 21544 | It seems that when a proposition is false, something must fail to subsist [Russell] |