A Reductio for Eliminative Materialism

Can arguments for eliminative materialism be made without employing some aspects of so-called “folk psychology” and does it matter if they cannot? These are questions I want to explore. 

An Education In Virtue

"But I take it...what we have in mind is education from childhood in virtue, a training which produces a keen desire to become a perfect citizen..." from Plato's Laws I (643e)

Historicism and Literalism: Strange Bedfellows

For some time I have been considering the thesis that both historicism and literalism emphasize the historical in such a way that said emphasis creates a barrier to significance for each, but in different ways. For this post I will limit my considerations to how this common emphasis is exemplified within Christianity; however, a similar critique may be applicable elsewhere.

Christian Epistemic Humility

Christian epistemic humility is easy to come by...

A working word that does no work

"Supervenience" is a fancy way of saying, "I have no idea how the physical and mental are related."
 

Wittgenstein: Language-games and Foundations

Do language-games need some kind of foundation?

Towers of Babel, Universal Agreement, and Consequences

There are precious few understandings that produce universal agreement among those who could understand. It seems reasonable that mathematical understandings, logical understandings, and scientific understandings are the best candidates; and a precious few indeed. What does this mean and is it good?

"Certainty is as rare as the individuals who know they don't possess it."

The No-Driving Mechanic

Imagine a mechanic who cannot drive.

Comments on "The Idolatrous Use Of Scripture"

I should say more about the last post "The Idolatrous Use of Scripture." The content of that post is as follows:

The Idolatrous Use Of Scripture

Scripture interprets scripture. Yes. First, the scriptures reveal Christ. Second, the scriptures submit to Christ.

The scriptures are always a means to an end. Christ is that end. The authority of the scriptures derives from that same end. Scripture becomes an idol whenever it serves itself or serves another end. And as an idol, the book has no authority. The history of humanity after Christ is scarred from the idolatrous use of the scriptures. 

"Better him than me"

There is something about the encouragement-by-way-of-comparison (EWC) approach that bothers me. What do I mean by EWC? For instance, say I have a broken leg. I’m somewhat distressed by my one broken leg because it prevents me from doing those things I could do if I had no broken leg. This affects my disposition and now I am down. But, I consider the individual with two broken legs. Furthermore, I consider all of the things that a two-broken-legged person cannot do that a one-broken-legged person can. It seems to me that this person with two broken legs is in a much worse spot than I am. Now I am beginning to feel better. In fact, now things don’t look so bad. Now, I'm encouraged. This is EWC and it seems, at least to me, wrong-headed.

Two Friends Fishing (On Expectations Of Justice)

Sam:  Hand me that light. I can't see what I'm doing with this hook.

Frank:  I don't think we'll catch any more tonight, but here you go.

Sam:  Maybe we should go about this from a different angle.

Frank: You mean we should use different bait?

Sam:  No. I'm talking about the injustice we see in the world. For the last hour and a half we've bemoaned the fact that it seems injustices will never end. In fact, it seems reasonable that our expectations of a just world are unreasonable. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should always seek to bring about a just world, but that we should also be realistic. It will never happen. It can never happen.