Ideas from 'Causation and Laws of Nature' by Jonathan Schaffer [2008], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics' (ed/tr Sider/Hawthorne/Zimmerman) [Blackwell 2008,978-1-4051-1229-1]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     expand these ideas

---

1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 3. Analysis of Preconditions

14600

Analysis aims at secure necessary and sufficient conditions

2. Reason / F. Fallacies / 1. Fallacy

14603

'Reification' occurs if we mistake a concept for a thing

4. Formal Logic / D. Modal Logic ML / 3. Modal Logic Systems / d. System T

14607

T adds □p→p for reflexivity, and is ideal for modeling lawhood

6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 4. Mathematical Empiricism / b. Indispensability of mathematics

14604

If a notion is ontologically basic, it should be needed in our best attempt at science

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 2. Reduction

14599

Three types of reduction: Theoretical (of terms), Definitional (of concepts), Ontological (of reality)

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 13. Tropes / a. Nature of tropes

14605

Tropes are the same as events

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / a. Individuation

14601

Individuation aims to count entities, by saying when there is one

10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / a. Conceivable as possible

14606

Only ideal conceivability could indicate what is possible