Nominalistic Things

[selfAdjoint]

Has anyone seen this (http://philrsss.anu.edu.au/~henry/RRnom.html) ? Any comments?

[Tom Mattson]

Yeah, why is a "dragon" less dubious than "July the 11th"?

[selfAdjoint]

It's a satire on some modern philsophies (note the mention of Rorty), which have been discussed not to long ago on PF Philosophy.

[steppenwolf]

do you know this chap? seems fascinating *stares off dreamily into space*, i was just wondering as i am in canberra...




...




...and need to get married to be eligible for youth allowance! [:D]

actually it was interesting from a philosophical point of view, how is it a satire? ooh, i missed something...

Typical things which nominalists snort at the existence of are numbers, properties, states of affairs, the note C-sharp, propositions, classes, sets, and distances. Some take the further step of denying the existence of space and time. I certainly do.

isn't calling a certain wavelength of vibration a C sharp just like calling a certain 'assembly' of cells a tree? i spose saying C sharp describes the properties of something real and tangible, like saying green describes one property of the real and tangible tree? am i on the right track? ah it's nice to disprove your own musings.

p.S: i was kidding about the getting married thing, well, it's true about the youth allowance... but yes, kidding... mmm

[wuliheron]

Sarcasm is never pretty. Its existence around this issue highlights the absurdity of assuming intellectual stances such as nominalism and realism. Plato with his realistic ethics, burned all of Democritus' books while today Rorty criticizes realists. The simple truth is all of logic and philosophy is founded upon absurdity.

Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee,
Resolved to have a battle,
For Tweedle-Dum said Tweedle-Dee,
Had spoiled his nice new rattle.
Just then flew by a monstrous crow,
As big as a tar barrel,
Which frightened both the heroes so,
They quite forgot the battle.