Study Questions - Parsons
1. What does Parsons intend to do in each part of his paper?
He first wants to show that there is a significant difference between empty singular terms and singular terms with nonexistent references. Parsons’ second goal is to revitalize Meinong and create two classes of properties. His final goal is to explain singular terms differently than Russell and then create an alternative logical notation.
3*. Do you accept Parsons’ view of the second conversation, namely, that A grants that what he is referring to does not exist?
Yes, I believe Parsons is correct. Someone might claim, contra Parsons, that A is referring to something that exists: the unicorn-idea. However, Quine has already defused the idea of referring to an idea as being the same as referring to the thing.
4. The argument toward the top of 37b is very simple in form. What is its form?
1. P v Q
2. ~Q
3. Therefore, P.
5. What is Parson’s evidence that we are willing to treat singular terms that appear to refer to fictional and mythological entities as if they in fact do refer?
He has three pieces of evidence: first, we are willing to assert things about fictional and mythological entities. Second, we are willing to use their names to refer back to previous discussions about them. Third, we can’t come up with a way to paraphrase away their names.
8. What is “the prejudice in favor of the actual” (38b)?
The inclination of philosophers to reject the idea of including unreal or impossible objects in their ontology.
10*. On Parsons’ theory how many objects are there? How many actual objects are there?
The number of objects is equal to the combination of all the possible nuclear properties at all string lengths from 1 to the number of all the possible nuclear properties. The number of actual objects is limited to the ones of those that we determine have the extranuclear property of existence.
11. What is it for an object to be complete?
An object is complete if, with respect to every nuclear property, the object has that property, or its negation.
13*. Why are “all existing objects complete”?
Any existing object is complete because we can, at least in theory, examine it to see if it has property p or not. Presumably, the existing object has p or its negation idependently of our observation.
He first wants to show that there is a significant difference between empty singular terms and singular terms with nonexistent references. Parsons’ second goal is to revitalize Meinong and create two classes of properties. His final goal is to explain singular terms differently than Russell and then create an alternative logical notation.
3*. Do you accept Parsons’ view of the second conversation, namely, that A grants that what he is referring to does not exist?
Yes, I believe Parsons is correct. Someone might claim, contra Parsons, that A is referring to something that exists: the unicorn-idea. However, Quine has already defused the idea of referring to an idea as being the same as referring to the thing.
4. The argument toward the top of 37b is very simple in form. What is its form?
1. P v Q
2. ~Q
3. Therefore, P.
5. What is Parson’s evidence that we are willing to treat singular terms that appear to refer to fictional and mythological entities as if they in fact do refer?
He has three pieces of evidence: first, we are willing to assert things about fictional and mythological entities. Second, we are willing to use their names to refer back to previous discussions about them. Third, we can’t come up with a way to paraphrase away their names.
8. What is “the prejudice in favor of the actual” (38b)?
The inclination of philosophers to reject the idea of including unreal or impossible objects in their ontology.
10*. On Parsons’ theory how many objects are there? How many actual objects are there?
The number of objects is equal to the combination of all the possible nuclear properties at all string lengths from 1 to the number of all the possible nuclear properties. The number of actual objects is limited to the ones of those that we determine have the extranuclear property of existence.
11. What is it for an object to be complete?
An object is complete if, with respect to every nuclear property, the object has that property, or its negation.
13*. Why are “all existing objects complete”?
Any existing object is complete because we can, at least in theory, examine it to see if it has property p or not. Presumably, the existing object has p or its negation idependently of our observation.
posted by Joshua Frear at 7:46 AM
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