• PhilPapers
  • PhilPeople
  • PhilArchive
  • PhilEvents
  • PhilJobs
  • Sign in
PhilPeople
 
  • Sign in
  • News Feed
  • Find Philosophers
  • Departments
  • Radar
  • Help
 
profile-cover
Drag to reposition
profile picture

Morteza Shahram

  •  Home
  •  Publications
    60
    • Most Recent
    • Most Downloaded
  •  News and Updates
    58

 More details
Email (login required)
Areas of Specialization
Hermeneutics
Critical Theory
Meta-Ethics
Anomalous Monism
Theories of Reference
Philosophy of Literature
Internalism and Externalism about Reasons
Content Internalism and Externalism
3 more
Areas of Interest
Metaphysics and Epistemology
Science, Logic, and Mathematics
  • All publications (60)
  •  714
    Charlie Chaplin Version of Judas
    According to Borges' "Three Versions of Judas": The Redeemer could feel fatigue, cold, confusion, hunger and thirst; it is reasonable to admit that he could also sin and be damned. The Redeemer, the infinite ascetic, lowered himself to a man completely, a man to the point of infamy, a man to the point of being reprehensible—all the way to the abyss. In order to save us, He could have chosen any of the destinies which together weave the uncertain web of history; but He chose an infamous destiny:…Read more
    According to Borges' "Three Versions of Judas": The Redeemer could feel fatigue, cold, confusion, hunger and thirst; it is reasonable to admit that he could also sin and be damned. The Redeemer, the infinite ascetic, lowered himself to a man completely, a man to the point of infamy, a man to the point of being reprehensible—all the way to the abyss. In order to save us, He could have chosen any of the destinies which together weave the uncertain web of history; but He chose an infamous destiny: He was Judas. Who with a terrible lucidity premeditated his offense. ·------- Lets agree with everything EXCEPT that there was no lucidity involved. Because the Redeemer must have no regrets, no guilt (Nietzsche: "likewise sinners and bad consciences! the sting of conscience teaches one to sting"). No guilt, no regret just forgetfulness means that Judas' act of identifying Christ involved a causally deviant chain, an awkward nervous non-intentional gesture, a comic-tragic act. So it merely appeared as dishonorable but internally or psychologically was not dishonorable.
    Theories of ValueNietzsche: Value TheoryInfinite Value TheoryAesthetic ValueLiteratureDonald Davidso…Read more
    Theories of ValueNietzsche: Value TheoryInfinite Value TheoryAesthetic ValueLiteratureDonald DavidsonMedieval TheologyColonialism and PostcolonialismFrantz FanonPhilosophy of ReligionLiterature and Ethics
  •  492
    Decision-Theoretic Proof of God and Total Internalization of Relations of Power
    If there is no God everything is permitted. The phenomenology of decision tells us that permissibility and utility are intimately coordinated (Reason Internalism is effectively a thesis that erases the line between the two). Because of the difference in utility one does not find every choice equally permitted. That the instant of decision is madness means one finds facing every real decision frightening. it is not the case that there is no God. One's God is that which matters most crucially fo…Read more
    If there is no God everything is permitted. The phenomenology of decision tells us that permissibility and utility are intimately coordinated (Reason Internalism is effectively a thesis that erases the line between the two). Because of the difference in utility one does not find every choice equally permitted. That the instant of decision is madness means one finds facing every real decision frightening. it is not the case that there is no God. One's God is that which matters most crucially for one's decision.
    Internalism and Externalism about ReasonsFreedom and LibertyKarl MarxSøren KierkegaardSocial Philoso…Read more
    Internalism and Externalism about ReasonsFreedom and LibertyKarl MarxSøren KierkegaardSocial PhilosophyPolitical Theory
  •  479
    Epistemological Crisis and Tactics of Psychoanalytics
    According to Freud: the business of the analysis is to secure the best possible psychological conditions for the functions of the ego. Functional interpretation rather than veridical reconstruction of past events. Truth in an interpretation is the proximity to the apotheotic resilience of the resilience of the ego undertaking the interpretation in the face of emerging contingencies. If apotheosis implicates the critical functionality of the interpretation, then the apotheosis is the resoluten…Read more
    According to Freud: the business of the analysis is to secure the best possible psychological conditions for the functions of the ego. Functional interpretation rather than veridical reconstruction of past events. Truth in an interpretation is the proximity to the apotheotic resilience of the resilience of the ego undertaking the interpretation in the face of emerging contingencies. If apotheosis implicates the critical functionality of the interpretation, then the apotheosis is the resoluteness that defies future evidence undermining the interpretation. The critical interpretation is the analytic truth that overcomes defeat by the empirical evidence by which it is normally defeasible. Resoluteness amounts to acquisition of the evidence-transcendent METHOD enabling narrative truth.
    InterpretationSigmund FreudJacques Lacan
  •  525
    Comprehensive Authorial Intention and Asymmetric Genre Distinction
    The author of a text originally produced as a literary work has the comprehensive authority, upon its being situated in certain context of evaluation or interpretation or deployment to declare one's text as philosophical. There would have to be extraordinary or even absurd contexts of evaluation in which one's originally-intended philosophical text is so situated for one to declare it as literary.
    Jacques DerridaHans-Georg GadamerThe Interpretation of ArtLiterary InterpretationThe Principle of Ch…Read more
    Jacques DerridaHans-Georg GadamerThe Interpretation of ArtLiterary InterpretationThe Principle of CharityJürgen HabermasEpistemic ParadoxesUtilityMartin Heidegger
  •  596
    Psychoanalyticity (from Existential Significance to Significant Content)
    The mirror stage brings to consciousness out of the subconscious an item of knowledge p about the structure of the external reality. When the ego surpasses id at the mirror stage, it then knows that there is the other and that the other is of a newly disclosed significance for the center. Knowledge of significance (before the mirror stage) and content (after) of p are sources of causal efficacy and so p is true in both cases. After the stage p is true based on empirical evidence. But before the …Read more
    The mirror stage brings to consciousness out of the subconscious an item of knowledge p about the structure of the external reality. When the ego surpasses id at the mirror stage, it then knows that there is the other and that the other is of a newly disclosed significance for the center. Knowledge of significance (before the mirror stage) and content (after) of p are sources of causal efficacy and so p is true in both cases. After the stage p is true based on empirical evidence. But before the stag, p is true by virtue of its meaning, based on semantic evidence = non-structural existential significance knowledge = that within the external reality there is something of unknown content which is the source of the aura of significance sensed by the ego.-------The ego before the stage appears to itself as a sign putatively of pure signified (pure namelessness) causing surplusage of sign. Once structural knowledge is acquired, the ego realizes it is associated with a name. The mirror stage is the process of acquisition of a method. That of understanding temporal mechanism of language. ------The physical event caused by the mirror stage is the perception of two temporally-distinct events morphing into atemporal continuity.
    Jacques LacanLiteratureSigmund FreudMartin HeideggerDonald DavidsonTemporal ExperienceAnomalous Moni…Read more
    Jacques LacanLiteratureSigmund FreudMartin HeideggerDonald DavidsonTemporal ExperienceAnomalous Monism
  •  564
    Totalitarianist Promise of The Free Market (Nature as the Solo Artist of Violence)
    The Free Market as the synthesis of totalitarianism and anarchism --- The most efficient market is the most politically-concentrated market --- There really needs to be a single consolidated global military as a result of eradicating the military other AND a single consolidated global police as a result of eradicating the military arsenal AND simply total internalization of relations of power as a result of eradicating the polis AND the principle of radical economic sustainability which is simul…Read more
    The Free Market as the synthesis of totalitarianism and anarchism --- The most efficient market is the most politically-concentrated market --- There really needs to be a single consolidated global military as a result of eradicating the military other AND a single consolidated global police as a result of eradicating the military arsenal AND simply total internalization of relations of power as a result of eradicating the polis AND the principle of radical economic sustainability which is simultaneously that of radical political preservation as the single principle of total internalization of relations of power only---man is something that shall be overcome.
    Environmental EthicsSocial and Political PhilosophyPopper: Social and Political PhilosophyLeo Straus…Read more
    Environmental EthicsSocial and Political PhilosophyPopper: Social and Political PhilosophyLeo StraussJürgen HabermasKarl MarxTheodor W. Adorno
  •  523
    Modernity, Madness and Hermeneutic Sacrificial
    The courage to use one's own reason is an invitation to take more actions---implicating excessive use of agency, even under rampant false consciousness manufactured by mass media and technological priorities. If one does nothing and gains nothing by doing nothing, one is not subject to any evaluation or interpretation. Modernity is an ongoing incessant festival of cruel hermeneutic sacrificial.
    Moral Reasoning and MotivationFriedrich NietzscheFreedom and LibertyMoral PsychologySøren Kierkegaar…Read more
    Moral Reasoning and MotivationFriedrich NietzscheFreedom and LibertyMoral PsychologySøren KierkegaardReasons, Misc
  •  464
    The Critical Hermeneutic Structure of Plot
    Psychological and social-psychological critique of the characters in a plot is a strand of literary criticism. How a depicted character does actually think even in spite of appearances or not. How a depicted character would act or think under the siege of counterfactual scenarios. Perhaps contra Derrida, one reason there is genre distinction between philosophy and literature is that a philosophical (or even literary-critical) text is not essentially subject to character psychology to which lite…Read more
    Psychological and social-psychological critique of the characters in a plot is a strand of literary criticism. How a depicted character does actually think even in spite of appearances or not. How a depicted character would act or think under the siege of counterfactual scenarios. Perhaps contra Derrida, one reason there is genre distinction between philosophy and literature is that a philosophical (or even literary-critical) text is not essentially subject to character psychology to which literary texts are contrastingly essentially subject.
    Definition of LiteratureNarrativeCausal ExplanationLiteratureLiterary InterpretationDerrida: Psychoa…Read more
    Definition of LiteratureNarrativeCausal ExplanationLiteratureLiterary InterpretationDerrida: PsychoanalysisPaul Ricoeur
  •  525
    An Applied Pathology of Bureaucratic Democracy
    A Democratic-party counterstrategy against consolidation of power by the Republication party in the USA. ---- Gender is a fact (Dave Chappelle etc). Legalize weed instead of guns (Bill Maher) ----- Disclaimer: this text has nothing to do with academic philosophy.
    Herbert MarcusePolitical ScienceFrantz FanonTheodor W. AdornoColonialism and PostcolonialismMax Hork…Read more
    Herbert MarcusePolitical ScienceFrantz FanonTheodor W. AdornoColonialism and PostcolonialismMax Horkheimer
  •  469
    Shortest Possible World (Via Cause-Effect Role Reversal of Pre-temporal Causal Pairs)
    Perhaps beginning of time is the common end of many causal paths (many effects as causal beginnings) and that temporal phenomena compete for somehow finding their way towards one of the beginning of the casual paths. Each casual path starts from a distinct set of parts but they all converge to the same whole at the end of their path. Such a pre-temporal causation is constitution of a whole by the sets. The temporal is de-constitution, the reverse direction, but implicates a second mechanism of c…Read more
    Perhaps beginning of time is the common end of many causal paths (many effects as causal beginnings) and that temporal phenomena compete for somehow finding their way towards one of the beginning of the casual paths. Each casual path starts from a distinct set of parts but they all converge to the same whole at the end of their path. Such a pre-temporal causation is constitution of a whole by the sets. The temporal is de-constitution, the reverse direction, but implicates a second mechanism of causation which enables a pre-temporal effect to somehow cause its pre-temporal cause. Time moves towards its origin.
    McTaggart's ArgumentTime and ChangeCausationDeterminism
  •  454
    Semiological Conception of Analyticity
    In the context of Kripke's puzzle, Paderewski-the-pianist and Paderewski-the-politician are the same object but belong to two different semiotic systems. Their respective tokenings in thought or language are based on two informational contents which are caused by the same object but emitted through two distinct causal pathways. Relativization of the object to the two semiotic systems represent elements of a set of ___coreferential homonyms___. Every F is an F = Everything X that is conspicuous…Read more
    In the context of Kripke's puzzle, Paderewski-the-pianist and Paderewski-the-politician are the same object but belong to two different semiotic systems. Their respective tokenings in thought or language are based on two informational contents which are caused by the same object but emitted through two distinct causal pathways. Relativization of the object to the two semiotic systems represent elements of a set of ___coreferential homonyms___. Every F is an F = Everything X that is conspicuously or demonstratively an F is something XX which is systematically or descriptively an F. Although bearing distinct meanings, X is the same as XX.
    Ferdinand de SaussureAnalyticityRussellian and Direct Reference Theories of MeaningKripke's Puzzle A…Read more
    Ferdinand de SaussureAnalyticityRussellian and Direct Reference Theories of MeaningKripke's Puzzle About BeliefGottlob FregeW. V. O. QuineSaul KripkeReferenceSemiotics
  •  621
    Hidden Value Decision Theory
    Highlighting the preferential/comparative aspect of rationalization. Reasons that explain actions are putatively internal. But if one is compelled to decide between A and B and prefers to be exempt, that one pursues A is partially explained by the external factor causing the compulsory decision situation. The more pronounced the external factor, the less causal agency, and hence the less scrutiny and the more leniency in the process of charitable interpretation, the less hermeneutical sacrificia…Read more
    Highlighting the preferential/comparative aspect of rationalization. Reasons that explain actions are putatively internal. But if one is compelled to decide between A and B and prefers to be exempt, that one pursues A is partially explained by the external factor causing the compulsory decision situation. The more pronounced the external factor, the less causal agency, and hence the less scrutiny and the more leniency in the process of charitable interpretation, the less hermeneutical sacrificial and the higher hidden utility. This paper attempts to make explicit the nomological structure of possible worlds disclosing such hidden utility.
    Donald DavidsonInternalism and Externalism about ReasonsNietzsche: Eternal RecurrenceBernard William…Read more
    Donald DavidsonInternalism and Externalism about ReasonsNietzsche: Eternal RecurrenceBernard WilliamsAnomalous MonismPsychological ExplanationAnomalous Monism and Mental CausationCausal Decision TheoryValue Theory
  •  514
    Lacanian-Quinean Sword Over Humean Reason Enslavement
    There is external reason if every action is by necessity susceptible to charitable interpretation, and the supreme charity (only asymptotically achievable) is guaranteed to excavate an external element arisen from one's desire. The desire whose object perpetually evades disclosure is the target of supreme charity. This only requires one's reason for action face the tribunal of interpretation (evaluation) not individually but as a corporate body. Though Individualistically reasons are the slaves …Read more
    There is external reason if every action is by necessity susceptible to charitable interpretation, and the supreme charity (only asymptotically achievable) is guaranteed to excavate an external element arisen from one's desire. The desire whose object perpetually evades disclosure is the target of supreme charity. This only requires one's reason for action face the tribunal of interpretation (evaluation) not individually but as a corporate body. Though Individualistically reasons are the slaves of passions, holistically they are rebellious.
    Internalism and Externalism about ReasonsMoral Reasoning and MotivationMartin HeideggerBernard Willi…Read more
    Internalism and Externalism about ReasonsMoral Reasoning and MotivationMartin HeideggerBernard WilliamsDonald DavidsonJacques LacanThe Principle of Charity
  •  528
    Contextualization of Text and its Discontent
    __1__ If form is present content is bound to get eclipsed. The eclipse means there is an unfulfillable task of overcoming obstacles to decipher the ultimate content. By utilizing forms they depict vastly different strands of reality tailored to circumstances, neither lying nor imitating a single strand of reality, poets obscure content and dodge criticisms of the referential aspect of work. __2__A text unavoidably reflects the context under which it is produced. The direct emissaries of the unde…Read more
    __1__ If form is present content is bound to get eclipsed. The eclipse means there is an unfulfillable task of overcoming obstacles to decipher the ultimate content. By utilizing forms they depict vastly different strands of reality tailored to circumstances, neither lying nor imitating a single strand of reality, poets obscure content and dodge criticisms of the referential aspect of work. __2__A text unavoidably reflects the context under which it is produced. The direct emissaries of the underlying object of desire underlying the text are disseminated in content. That is what content is. Form is there only supplementarilyto make the content inherently communicative (evocative poetic function). The text is proximally recontextualized to its original context of production if the content is deciphered in the process of reading in a such a way to signify the same object of desire. If there is nothing outside the text, the original context is free from commitment to contextual proximity and paves the road to the signification of slightly or strikingly different object by re-assigning significance to the constituents of the textual whole.
    Jacques LacanRoland BarthesSigmund FreudPhilosophy of LiteratureJacques DerridaJ. L. AustinClaude Le…Read more
    Jacques LacanRoland BarthesSigmund FreudPhilosophy of LiteratureJacques DerridaJ. L. AustinClaude Levi-StraussHans-Georg Gadamer
  •  613
    The Myth of Oedipus Complex
    There is a SURFACE unity of a text which may be described as that which is reflected by taking for granted that the object of desire to be fulfilled in the text contributes EQUALLY to the parts constituting the text as a whole. The DEEP unity of a text on the other hand is that which is reflected by specifying that to which the object of desire underlying the text contributes the most content. The other parts while bearing some superficial content have ONLY poetic (or evocative) function. They c…Read more
    There is a SURFACE unity of a text which may be described as that which is reflected by taking for granted that the object of desire to be fulfilled in the text contributes EQUALLY to the parts constituting the text as a whole. The DEEP unity of a text on the other hand is that which is reflected by specifying that to which the object of desire underlying the text contributes the most content. The other parts while bearing some superficial content have ONLY poetic (or evocative) function. They constitute FORMS serving aesthetic fortification and condensation not really condensation of content relevant to the object of desire. They are ultimately contingent in terms of the underpinning the text. The Freudian mythology is susceptible to conflating contingent forms as essential content.
    Sigmund FreudPolitical TheoryJacques LacanPolitical PowerLiteratureAesthetics and PsychoanalysisNarr…Read more
    Sigmund FreudPolitical TheoryJacques LacanPolitical PowerLiteratureAesthetics and PsychoanalysisNarrativeJacques DerridaSemioticsClaude Levi-Strauss
  •  517
    Political Neurosis in Semiosis
    Earlier semioses (implicating at least sometimes political forces to establish a sign) enabled by anonymous intentions permeate later semioses and shape the structure of language. The same way earlier neuroses shape the epistemically embattled structure of unconscious.---Contingent but primordial relations of power semiotically implicated, on both sides of inter-translation of distant languages, so effectively permeate language and literature that there is ever an ineradicable textual residue in…Read more
    Earlier semioses (implicating at least sometimes political forces to establish a sign) enabled by anonymous intentions permeate later semioses and shape the structure of language. The same way earlier neuroses shape the epistemically embattled structure of unconscious.---Contingent but primordial relations of power semiotically implicated, on both sides of inter-translation of distant languages, so effectively permeate language and literature that there is ever an ineradicable textual residue in the translation reminiscent of the political contexts.---Every belated text a corollary to the primordial proof of establishment of precursor texts.
    PoetryPsychoanalysis and ConsciousnessPolitical TheorySemioticsSociolinguisticsPolitical PowerLitera…Read more
    PoetryPsychoanalysis and ConsciousnessPolitical TheorySemioticsSociolinguisticsPolitical PowerLiterature
  •  575
    Psychogenesis of text = Precursor of its Belated Sociogenesis
    (I) According to J.L Austin all speech and all utterance is the doing of something with words and signs, challenging a metaphysics of language that would posit denotative, propositional assertion as the essence of language and meaning. (II) Since doing things with words implicates authorial intention and rationalization, writing a text implies a psychogenetical origin. (III) The text in the process of charitable interpretation, as a sociolinguistic outcome and practice, acquires new meaning or …Read more
    (I) According to J.L Austin all speech and all utterance is the doing of something with words and signs, challenging a metaphysics of language that would posit denotative, propositional assertion as the essence of language and meaning. (II) Since doing things with words implicates authorial intention and rationalization, writing a text implies a psychogenetical origin. (III) The text in the process of charitable interpretation, as a sociolinguistic outcome and practice, acquires new meaning or significance by its claims being rendered true or utilizable. The original psychogenesis is incriminated into sociogenesis through the merger of horizons between the author and the interpreter by effectively bridging a historical abyss (sociogenesis of claims to truth or agreed-upon utility). In writing primarily-psychogenetical context causes and precedes its text. In reading the text causes and precedes its primarily-sociogenetical context.
    J. L. AustinHans-Georg GadamerAssertionJacques LacanDonald DavidsonJacques DerridaThe Principle of C…Read more
    J. L. AustinHans-Georg GadamerAssertionJacques LacanDonald DavidsonJacques DerridaThe Principle of CharityPhilosophy of LiteratureTheories of Speech Acts
  •  505
    Psychological as Temporal Proximalization of Nomologically Distal
    Type-identity of mental and physical events is compatible with psychological anomalism. (1) Both in action and perceiving singular causal relations, two temporally distant physical events C and E (caused by C) instantiate a COMMON mental property securing "inter-event" continuity of mental content: the mental content when the room is illuminated shows a trace of familiarity with the mental content just before flipping the switch. (2) "Inter-event" continuity is possible if there is "intra-even…Read more
    Type-identity of mental and physical events is compatible with psychological anomalism. (1) Both in action and perceiving singular causal relations, two temporally distant physical events C and E (caused by C) instantiate a COMMON mental property securing "inter-event" continuity of mental content: the mental content when the room is illuminated shows a trace of familiarity with the mental content just before flipping the switch. (2) "Inter-event" continuity is possible if there is "intra-event" continuity in individual mental content: subsets of C and E capable of functioning as both causal antecedent and consequent included. (3) Intra-event continuity means not just seamless adaptation to physical by role-depriving the double-role events but also enables physical shortcuts by being already equipped with pre-causal epistemic link to future (some causally efficacious knowledge of future mental property). --- Whatever causal effect mental may ever have in the physical domain can be reproduced by purely physical events (for example causally deviant chain set off by rare quantum or cosmological events) so it must be covered by strict laws. Mental brings the cause and the effect of such strict laws temporally closer. Illuminating the room takes remarkably shorter time if there is a relevant (temporally extended) mental content involved than if it is left to rare physical phenomena.
    Reasons and CausesEpiphenomenalismPsychological ExplanationAnomalous MonismAnomalous Monism and Ment…Read more
    Reasons and CausesEpiphenomenalismPsychological ExplanationAnomalous MonismAnomalous Monism and Mental Causation
  •  441
    Russell's-Paradox-Intercepting Corollary to the Axiom of Extensionality
    Object x being a member of itself or not and x being a member of R or not constitute two vastly different concepts. This paper attempts to locate the reflection of such an utter difference within the formal structure of the axiom of extensionality.
    Russell's ParadoxAxioms of Set Theory
  •  457
    The Origin of Excluded Middle in the Extensional Bifurcation of Predicate
    x and y are at least weakly indiscernible if they are distinct with respect to two predicates F and G (FxGy or FyGx and not both) but for all z except x and y, Fz if and only if Gz.
    Identity of IndiscerniblesPredicate Logic
  •  607
    Nomothetic Mythology of Propositional Attitudes
    Physical translation of a mental content must involve a set of causal antecedents A and a set of causal consequents B which instantiate properties that figure in strict laws as antecedent and consequent conditions respectively. Only if there are double-role events in common between A and B capable of migrating to purely A or to purely B in future depending on the role that the mental content play then, psychological anomalism can be established but without any need to give up the type-identity o…Read more
    Physical translation of a mental content must involve a set of causal antecedents A and a set of causal consequents B which instantiate properties that figure in strict laws as antecedent and consequent conditions respectively. Only if there are double-role events in common between A and B capable of migrating to purely A or to purely B in future depending on the role that the mental content play then, psychological anomalism can be established but without any need to give up the type-identity of mental and physical events. This paper argues that belief and desire are explanatorily inextricable likewise.
    Decision TheoryDesireAnomalous Monism and Mental CausationPropositional AttitudesAnomalous MonismBel…Read more
    Decision TheoryDesireAnomalous Monism and Mental CausationPropositional AttitudesAnomalous MonismBeliefPsychology of Decision
  •  661
    Special Relativity Anticipating Achilles Paradox
    Zeno's paradox of Achilles and Tortoise is relevant only when Achilles and the tortoise move at different speeds but not if they ever move at the same speed but different directions. Or not relevant if there is in addition a kind of space in which they move at the same speed contrary to appearances. According to a principle of special relativity the more an object moves in coordinate space the less it moves in coordinate time. If the relative speed between Achilles and the tortoise is v, after …Read more
    Zeno's paradox of Achilles and Tortoise is relevant only when Achilles and the tortoise move at different speeds but not if they ever move at the same speed but different directions. Or not relevant if there is in addition a kind of space in which they move at the same speed contrary to appearances. According to a principle of special relativity the more an object moves in coordinate space the less it moves in coordinate time. If the relative speed between Achilles and the tortoise is v, after T passage of time, from the point of view of the tortoise, Achilles moves vT in coordinate space and wT in coordinate time. The framework of special relativity wholly describes the motion of both if v^2 + w^2 = C^2 where C is the speed of light. Achilles and the Tortoise phenomenally (ordinary 3-dimensional conception of space) move at different speeds, but noumenally (in 4-dimensional spacetime) move at the same speed C.
    Special RelativityTime and ChangeZeno of EleaPhysicsPhysics of TimeMetaphysics of Spacetime
  •  524
    Strategic Set Theory
    An attempt to vindicate naive set theory by postulating a universal set V which is describable in two distinct description languages: predicative and extensional. The extensional description of a set consists of describing all its elements whereas its predicative description consists of describing what sets it is an element of. Extensionally described V has an uncapturable description length, akin to its cardinality. But predicatively described, in virtue of being the set that is not contained i…Read more
    An attempt to vindicate naive set theory by postulating a universal set V which is describable in two distinct description languages: predicative and extensional. The extensional description of a set consists of describing all its elements whereas its predicative description consists of describing what sets it is an element of. Extensionally described V has an uncapturable description length, akin to its cardinality. But predicatively described, in virtue of being the set that is not contained in any set whatsoever, V has a minimal description length, a counterbalance to its cardinality. Descriptive efficiency can genuinely be attributed to V (achieved in a third description language) only if it contains predicatively indiscernible but extensionally discernible sets.
    Identity of IndiscerniblesRussell's ParadoxOntologyInformation TheoryOntology of Mathematics
  •  616
    Constructive Deconstructive Mental Events
    ___MERGING of temporally distant events: One perceives a singular causal relation that c causes e whenever c instantiates a mental property C which anticipates a certain mental property E instantiated by e. Such a knowledge of future self is feasible by there being a common mental property D that is instantiated by both c and e. ___SPLITTING to temporally distant events: In the action that is aimed to bring about E, the knowledge or perception or D (explained by the anticipation of …Read more
    ___MERGING of temporally distant events: One perceives a singular causal relation that c causes e whenever c instantiates a mental property C which anticipates a certain mental property E instantiated by e. Such a knowledge of future self is feasible by there being a common mental property D that is instantiated by both c and e. ___SPLITTING to temporally distant events: In the action that is aimed to bring about E, the knowledge or perception or D (explained by the anticipation of E by C) in turn causally explains an event cc instantiating C and then (via causing cc) event ee instantiating E.
    Varieties of Content ExternalismAnomalous Monism and Mental CausationExternalism and Self-KnowledgeA…Read more
    Varieties of Content ExternalismAnomalous Monism and Mental CausationExternalism and Self-KnowledgeAnomalous MonismDonald DavidsonThe Nature of Perceptual Experience
  •  644
    Automatic Conformity to Hermeneutic Charity
    Existential reason belief is a tacit premise in reasoning in any instance of substantial decision making where sentential reason alone cannot indicate the rational choice. The outcome of the decisions that implicate such existential reasons are to essentially constitute either utility or knowledge of some sort or both. The binding underwrites some aspect of mental content that is by design charitably interpretable.---Knowledge or utility if reason consist of desire and belief.
    St. Petersburg ParadoxThe Principle of CharityCriteria and Other MindsEvidenceAnomalous MonismUnderd…Read more
    St. Petersburg ParadoxThe Principle of CharityCriteria and Other MindsEvidenceAnomalous MonismUnderdetermination of Theory by Data, Misc
  •  484
    Molecular Psychology
    The realm of non-sentential propositionality and purely functional rationality the constitutive force of which enables (otherwise non-sentential) incessant subconscious inter-translation of psychological and physical. Nietzsche: there are more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.
    Philosophy of MindPhilosophy of LanguagePhilosophy of Psychology
  •  409
    Hermeneutic Panacea Against the Preface Paradox
    Propositional = Linguistic + Hermeneutically Efficacious. An interpretation of a text is guided by emerging functions of the interpretation. And future function of a text is less than fully known to the author at the time of its production. There is only one the most charitable interpretation of any text at any given time however because there are ever infinitely many propositional versions of any text.
    The Principle of CharityPhilosophy of MindHermeneutics, Misc
  •  480
    Internal Camouflage of External Reasons
    In a convoluted and a frail sense there might be external reasons. One cannot just precipitate an external reason on demand. Their emergence is feasible only via a posteriori rationalization---effectively the effects of future mental events. This paper attempts to specify pre-conditions for an (internal) reason for action in the past to transform into an external reason later. Most fundamentally one must not know something about one's reason at the time of action .
    KnowledgeValue Theory, MiscellaneousPhilosophy of MindBernard WilliamsInternalism and Externalism ab…Read more
    KnowledgeValue Theory, MiscellaneousPhilosophy of MindBernard WilliamsInternalism and Externalism about Moral Judgment
  •  484
    Proliferation of Coreferential Homonyms
    A truism: a name that is essentially associated with a description—so that its description contributes to the psychological explanations in which it figures—refers not to its referent simpliciter but to its referent relative to the information that is mirrored by the description.
    AnalyticityTranslationRussellian and Direct Reference Theories of MeaningKripke's Puzzle About Belie…Read more
    AnalyticityTranslationRussellian and Direct Reference Theories of MeaningKripke's Puzzle About BeliefInterpretationReferencePhilosophy of MindDecision TheoryFregean Theories of Meaning
  •  601
    Permissive Determinism
    This paper attempts to explore theoretical plausibility of a deterministic universe capable of accommodating freedom by postulating certain requisite features for the set of initial conditions (without probing into the nature of deterministic laws). In another sense this paper codifies a reaction to McTaggart’s argument for the unreality of time.
    Quantum Determinism and IndeterminismDeterminismCausation
  • Prev.
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next
PhilPeople logo

On this site

  • Find a philosopher
  • Find a department
  • The Radar
  • Index of professional philosophers
  • Index of departments
  • Help
  • Acknowledgments
  • Careers
  • Contact us
  • Terms and conditions

Brought to you by

  • The PhilPapers Foundation
  • The American Philosophical Association
  • Centre for Digital Philosophy, Western University
PhilPeople is currently in Beta Sponsored by the PhilPapers Foundation and the American Philosophical Association
Feedback