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What philosopher said that knowledge is about discerning differences?
I have heard that knowledge is discerning differences or to that effect. For example, if all things are the same such that there is no differentiating qualities, we can't really speak of anything interesting (think about pitch-dark environment). I…
moonset
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What is the truth value of the proposition 'All unicorns are beautiful'?
If we let Fx denotes that which has the property of being a unicorn, and Gx denotes that which has the property of being beautiful, then this proposition would be signified by the following:
∀x(Fx→Gx)
Obviously, we know unicorns don't exist, so this…
Constantly confused
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How do Neoplatonic interpretations differ from original Platonic ideas?
The Wikipedia entry on Neoplatonism says:
Neoplatonists would have considered themselves simply Platonists, and
the modern distinction is due to the perception that their philosophy
contained sufficiently unique interpretations of Plato to…
a_fan
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Are the first and second forms of the categorical imperative actually equivalent?
I will put aside any question of possible imprecision of the formulations, I will assume that the Kant's intentions can be understood intuitively reasonably precisely.
Kant gives two forms of the categorical imperative:
Behave in such a way that a…
Ron Maimon
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Are normative definitions possible in ordinary language philosophy?
If I recall correctly, analyzing a concept in ordinary-language philosophy involved taking inventory on how the term for the concept is used by the speakers of the language across contexts, thus revealing a family of related concepts for which the…
James Grossmann
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Has Witten written about the philosophy of exceptional nature?
In various of his talks and writings, Edward Witten has been revealing -- always in passing -- a philosophical perspective saying that:
Since nature (reality) is exceptional in that it has existence, it is plausible that it is the exceptional among…
Urs Schreiber
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How does Robert Nozick explain the Gettier problem?
Nozick agrees that the Gettier counterexamples to the JTB analysis of knowledge are cases where someone has a JTB but does not know. What is his explanation of what has gone wrong in those cases? Specifically what conditions in Nozick’s account of…
Kevin Davis
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What makes something mathematics?
Dictionary.com definition of math:
(used with a singular verb) the systematic treatment of magnitude, relationships between figures and forms, and relations between quantities expressed symbolically.
(used with a singular or plural verb)…
Tdonut
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What practical methods can be used to prove a negative claim?
I realize that the burden of proof falls squarely on the shoulders of the person making the claim, but they often seem unwilling to do the footwork.
It is difficult to prove a negative case except by pure logic, so once that avenue is exhausted…
Gavin42
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Why do some philosophers write literature?
Why do some philosophers write literature?
Bataille's main medium of propounding his philosophy was through his literature (though he wrote many notable essays expounding upon his views). One of his main influences, Nietzsche "illustrated" many of…
martin
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How does Kant's moral philosophy define "goodness" and evaluate the moral worth?
Philosophy.SE, this is my first time being here, hence please pardon my inexperience of phrasing the question.
I was discussing the moral philosophy of Kant vs the moral philosophy of the Christian religion on "doing good things" and such with one…
Shuhao Cao
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Why is the problem of universals a problem?
Philosopher Gonzago Rodriguez-Pereyra defines the very old and well-known "Problem of Universals" thusly:
But what then is the Problem of Universals? As I said, it is usually taken to be the problem of accounting for how different particulars can…
Adrian
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Are there rules for dealing with self-reference "paradoxes" in logic?
My favorite paradox that leads to an endless regress, and also leads to a question:
The sentence after this is true.
The sentence before this is false.
When contradictions appear in proofs, we have rules to finish out the proof.
I believe that the…
hellyale
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Are dualism and the theory of evolution compatible?
From an evolutionary point of view there is a continuous gradient of intelligence (in the larger sense of the term), from lower life forms with no intelligence at all to higher life forms that exhibit consciousness and mental states. Presumably this…
Alexander S King
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What confirms the claim that Friedrich Nietzsche was an atheist from a christian perspective?
In reading some of Nietzsche's works, his disappointment with humanity and God is evident to me. But so far I haven't seen any text by him where he explicitly endorses atheism. At the same time, many secondary sources - commentaries on his work and…
Delfino
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