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Carl Alan Matheson

University of Manitoba
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Syracuse University
Department of Philosophy
PhD, 1986
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Areas of Interest
Metaphysics
Aesthetics
  •  65
    Critical Notice
    Canadian Journal of Philosophy 23 (1): 125-149. 1993.
  •  277
    A Return to Musical Idealism
    with Wesley D. Cray
    Australasian Journal of Philosophy 95 (4): 702-715. 2017.
    In disputes about the ontology of music, musical idealism—that is, the view that musical compositions are ideas—has proven to be rather unpopular. We argue that, once we have a better grip on the ontology of ideas, we can formulate a version of musical idealism that is not only defensible, but plausible and attractive. We conclude that compositions are a particular kind of idea: they are completed ideas for musical manifestation.
    Ontology of Music
  •  136
    Is the naturalist really naturally a realist?
    Mind 98 (390): 247-258. 1989.
  • How the Laws of Physics Don't Even Fib
    with A. David Kline
    PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1986 33-41. 1986.
    The most recent challenge to the covering-law model of explanation charges that the fundamental explanatory laws are not true. In fact explanation and truth are alleged to pull in different directions. We hold that this gets its force from confusing issues about the truth of the laws in the explanation and the precision with which those laws can yield an exact description of the event to be explained. In defending this we look at Cartwright's major case studies and sketch an amended covering-law…Read more