Constructing the World / David J. Chalmers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chalmers, David J. (David James), 1947-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Knowledge, Theory of.

Logical positivism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (521 p.)

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

David Chalmers develops a picture of reality on which all truths can be derived from a limited class of basic truths. The picture is inspired by Rudolf Carnap's construction of the world in Der Logische Aufbau Der Welt. Carnap's Aufbau is often seen as a noble failure, but Chalmers argues that a version of the project can succeed. With the right basic elements and the right derivation relation, we can indeed construct the world. The focal point of Chalmers'project is scrutability: the thesis that ideal reasoning from a limited class of basic truths yields all truths about the world. Chalmers f

Contents:

Cover; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; How to Read This Book; 1 Scrutability and the Aufbau; 1 Primitive concepts; 2 Objections to the Aufbau; 3 From definitional to a priori scrutability; 4 From descriptions to intensions; 5 The scrutability base; 6 Reviving the Aufbau; First Excursus: Scrutability and Knowability; Second Excursus: The Inscrutability of Reference and the Scrutability of Truth; 2 Varieties of Scrutability; 1 Scrutability theses; 2 Sentences or propositions?; 3 Inferential scrutability; 4 Conditional scrutability; 5 A priori scrutability; 6 Generalized scrutability

7 Idealization8 Objections from idealization; Third Excursus: Sentential and Propositional Scrutability; Fourth Excursus: Warrants and Support Structures; Fifth Excursus: Insulated Idealization and the Problem of elf-Doubt; 3 Adventures with a Cosmoscope; 1 A scrutability base; 2 The Cosmoscope argument; 3 The argument from elimination; 4 The argument from knowability; 5 Inferential scrutability with a Cosmoscope; 6 Conditional scrutability; 7 The objection from recognitional capacities; 8 The objection from counterfactuals; Sixth Excursus: Totality Truths and Indexical Truths

4 The Case for A Priori Scrutability1 From Conditional to A Priori Scrutability; 2 The argument from suspension of belief; 3 The argument from frontloading; 4 Causal roles, mediating roles, and justifying roles; 5 Generalized A Priori Scrutability; 6 Objections from self-knowledge; 7 Objections from theories of concepts and reference; 8 Objections from acquaintance and from nonpropositional evidence; 9 The objection from empirical inference; Seventh Excursus: Varieties of Apriority; Eighth Excursus: Recent Challenges to the A Priori; 5 Revisability and Conceptual Change; 1 Introduction

2 The arguments of 'Two Dogmas'3 Carnap on intensions; 4 A Carnapian response; 5 Refining Carnap's account; 6 A Bayesian analysis of holding-true; 7 A Bayesian analysis of revisability; 8 Quinean objections; 9 Conclusion; Ninth Excursus: Scrutability and Conceptual Dynamics; Tenth Excursus: Constructing Epistemic Space; Eleventh Excursus: Constructing Fregean Senses; 6 Hard Cases; 1 Introduction; 2 Mathematical truths; 3 Normative and evaluative truths; 4 Ontological truths; 5 Other philosophical truths; 6 Modal truths; 7 Intentional truths; 8 Social truths; 9 Deferential terms; 10 Names

11 Metalinguistic truths12 Indexicals and demonstratives; 13 Vagueness; 14 Secondary qualities; 15 Macrophysical truths; 16 Counterfactual truths; 17 Conclusion; Twelfth Excursus: Scrutability and the Unity of Science; 7 Minimizing the Base; 1 Introduction; 2 Heuristics; 3 Microphysical expressions; 4 Color, other secondary qualities, and mass; 5 Spatiotemporal expressions; 6 Causal and nomic expressions; 7 Phenomenal expressions; 8 Compression using laws; 9 Quiddities; 10 Other expressions; 11 Packages; Thirteenth Excursus: From the Aufbau to the Canberra Plan

Fourteenth Excursus: Epistemic Rigidity and Super-Rigidity

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on metadata supplied by the publisher and other sources.

ISBN:

0-19-165494-9

1-283-60966-5

9786613922113

0-19-165493-0

OCLC:

811142495