Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'works', 'Science without Numbers' and 'Popular Scientific Lectures'

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30 ideas

1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 2. Positivism
15873 Laws of nature are just records of regularities and correlations, with concepts to make recording them easier [Mach, by Harré]
4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 8. Critique of Set Theory
9570 In Field's Platonist view, set theory is false because it asserts existence for non-existent things [Field,H, by Chihara]
5. Theory of Logic / B. Logical Consequence / 1. Logical Consequence
10260 Logical consequence is defined by the impossibility of P and ¬q [Field,H, by Shapiro]
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / a. Numbers
8958 In Field's version of science, space-time points replace real numbers [Field,H, by Szabó]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 3. Axioms for Geometry
18221 'Metric' axioms uses functions, points and numbers; 'synthetic' axioms give facts about space [Field,H]
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism
8757 The Indispensability Argument is the only serious ground for the existence of mathematical entities [Field,H]
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 3. Mathematical Nominalism
18212 Nominalists try to only refer to physical objects, or language, or mental constructions [Field,H]
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 4. Mathematical Empiricism / b. Indispensability of mathematics
10261 The application of mathematics only needs its possibility, not its truth [Field,H, by Shapiro]
18218 Hilbert explains geometry, by non-numerical facts about space [Field,H]
9623 Field needs a semantical notion of second-order consequence, and that needs sets [Brown,JR on Field,H]
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / d. Logicism critique
18215 It seems impossible to explain the idea that the conclusion is contained in the premises [Field,H]
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 9. Fictional Mathematics
18216 Abstractions can form useful counterparts to concrete statements [Field,H]
18214 Mathematics is only empirical as regards which theory is useful [Field,H]
18210 Why regard standard mathematics as truths, rather than as interesting fictions? [Field,H]
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 11. Ontological Commitment / a. Ontological commitment
18211 You can reduce ontological commitment by expanding the logic [Field,H]
8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 12. Denial of Properties
8959 Field presumes properties can be eliminated from science [Field,H, by Szabó]
9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / d. Problems with abstracta
18213 Abstract objects are only applicable to the world if they are impure, and connect to the physical [Field,H]
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 1. Perception
22167 Our images of bodies are not produced by the bodies, but by our own minds [Augustine, by Aquinas]
12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism
22117 Our minds grasp reality by direct illumination (rather than abstraction from experience) [Augustine, by Matthews]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation
18222 Beneath every extrinsic explanation there is an intrinsic explanation [Field,H]
18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 4. Abstracta by Example
9917 'Abstract' is unclear, but numbers, functions and sets are clearly abstract [Field,H]
20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act
22118 Augustine created the modern concept of the will [Augustine, by Matthews]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / g. Love
4348 Love, and do what you will [Augustine]
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / b. Types of good
7821 Pagans produced three hundred definitions of the highest good [Augustine, by Grayling]
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 2. Duty
22119 Augustine said (unusually) that 'ought' does not imply 'can' [Augustine, by Matthews]
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 2. Electrodynamics / b. Fields
18223 In theories of fields, space-time points or regions are causal agents [Field,H]
27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 4. Substantival Space
18220 Both philosophy and physics now make substantivalism more attractive [Field,H]
27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 5. Relational Space
18219 Relational space is problematic if you take the idea of a field seriously [Field,H]
29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 4. Christianity / d. Heresy
22116 Augustine identified Donatism, Pelagianism and Manicheism as the main heresies [Augustine, by Matthews]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / b. Human Evil
19338 Augustine said evil does not really exist, and evil is a limitation in goodness [Augustine, by Perkins]