Hypothesis and the Spiral of ReflectionThis book describes a realist, fallibilist alternative when intuitionism and its psychocentric ontology are rejected. Weissman proposes an agenda for metaphysical inquiry and also a method for testing metaphysical claims. Arguing that science and metaphysics are successive refinements of the maps and plans used in practical life, he affirms that metaphysics is to complete our self-understanding by locating us within a world we have not made. This book is a sequel to Intuition and Ideality which surveys the many versions of intuitionism—intuitionism as it prescribes that reality be identified with mind itself or with the things set before our inspecting mind. |
Contents
Chapter Three | 70 |
Why We Need to Think Hypothetically | 90 |
The Metaphysical Uses of Hypothesis | 92 |
Hypotheses Used as Descriptions and Explanations | 96 |
The Testing of Metaphysical Hypotheses | 102 |
Objections | 130 |
Conclusion | 136 |
Chapter Four Sufficient Reason | 139 |
Some Problematic Possibilities | 171 |
Conclusion | 176 |
Chapter Six Hypothesizing Mind | 179 |
Vulnerability and Security | 180 |
Sources of Our Vulnerability | 181 |
Submission and Control Dependence and Selfsufficiency | 183 |
Constraining Values and Ideals | 185 |
Cognitiveaffective Balance | 187 |
Being as a Bounded Whole | 140 |
The Principle of Sufficient Reason and Its Reformulation | 142 |
Proving That the Principle of Sufficient Reason is Valid | 144 |
A Conflict Between Metaphysics and Science | 150 |
An Error to be Averted | 152 |
Conclusion | 155 |
Chapter Five Ontology | 157 |
A Twopart Ontology | 158 |
Actuality and Possibility | 160 |
Alternative Ways of Accounting for Possibility | 164 |
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Hypothesis and the Spiral of Reflection: Levinas and the Politics of ... David Weissman Limited preview - 1989 |
Common terms and phrases
acknowledge actual affairs applicable argument behaviors categorial form cause characterization claims confirmed constraining values construed contradiction David Weissman Descartes described determinable dialectic difference domain effect empirical Empiricism eternal possibilities evidence example experience exposition expression formulated Hume hypothe hypothetical method ideas implies infer inquiry inspecting minds instantiated integration intentional objects interpretation intuition intuitionism intuitionist language laws learned logical possibilities maps material possibility matters of fact meaning merely metaphysical hypotheses metaphysicians mind's nature nature's non-contradiction notion object realism objects observed ontology ourselves particular perception phenomena Phenomenology philosophic physical plans Plato possibilities signified possible worlds practice and science prescriptivist principle of sufficient Process and Reality properties reality relations René Descartes represent representations rubrics rules satisfy schemas scientism secure selfhood sensory data sentences signs sometimes sort space space-time speculative sufficient reason suppose tences testable things thinkable thinking thoughts and words tion Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus true truth vulnerability