Professor Tim Button University College London

Seminar
  • Date and time: Wednesday 16 October 2024, 4pm to 5.30pm
  • Location: I/A/009, Sally Baldwin Buildings, Campus West, University of York (Map)
  • Admission: Free admission, booking not required

Event details

Artefacts of Representational Choices

Kant asked: how is metaphysics so much as possible? Quine answered: because metaphysics is
broadly continuous with science. But Quine's answer gives us no reason to think that "joint-
carving" metaphysics is possible. Joint-carvers want our theoretical primitives to keep track of
what is metaphysically primitive (or fundamental, as opposed to derivative). But we have no
reason to think that such a thing is possible. To explain why, I'll offer some general
considerations, a particular case study (about space), and a logical argument. The upshot of all of
these is that we always end up with (arbitrary) artefacts of representational choices.

This is a Philosophy Colloquium Event.

Contact

Dr Daniel Morgan