[talk.philosophy.misc] Philosophical Summary #1: Metaphysical Skepticism

cbo@utai.UUCP (Calvin Bruce Ostrum) (10/03/86)

| >From: john@bcsaic.UUCP (john boose)
| Metaphysical Scepticism.
| A. Hume.          Metaphysical knowledge impossible.
| B. Carnap, Ayer.  Metaphysical statements meaningless.
| C. Wittgenstein.  Metaphysical problems due to misuse of language.
| D. ?              ?        

Pretty good for the back of a cereal box. Keeping in historical line,
how about:

  D: Putnam.	Metaphysical realism is rendered incoherent by the
		Lowenheim Skolem theorem, since truth is just ideal
		rational acceptability.

| "The arrdvark knows what he knows, and that's it."
|    John Boose, Knowledge Systems Laboratory, Boeing Computer Services

Unfortunately, only one of these readings is correct:
	(x) if A knows x then A knows x
	(x) if A knows x then A knows `A knows x'

Calvin Bruce Ostrum, University of Toronto Department of Computer Science

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