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| 8972 | What in the real world could ground the distinction between the sets {A,{A,B}} and {B,{A,B}}? |
| Full Idea: Nothing in the world of nominalistically acceptable things could ground or explain the non-identity of the set {A,{A,B}} with the set {B,{A,B}}. | |||
| From: Peter van Inwagen (Existence,Ontological Commitment and Fictions [2003], p.154) | |||
| A reaction: [He cites Goodman for this thought] Van Inwagen is offering this to show that the existence of sets is abstract, whereas Goodman was denying the existence of sets altogether. I'm with Goodman. Nice example. |