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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Grice on a philosopher's longitudinal unity ("Once a Griceian, all-ways a Griceian")

J was saying that Feyerabend's eliminative materialism lasted from Oct. 1956 to Nov. 1962. So what?

Once an eliminative materialist, all-ways an eliminative materialist.

--- In a way, this differs from Grice. Grice found Russell's "My philosophical development" a bore.

"Philosophers don't develop," he would say.

Grice never changed ONE idea in his lifetime.

I would often discuss this with Arlo-Costa whose PhD is on 'belief change'. I would say, "Surely it is impossible to change a belief". "It may, for you", he would reassure me.

3 comments:

  1. Where did I say that, JLster? I said his views probably changed, no dates offered.

    This brings up another point, however, on the politics of...metaphysics in a sense. Which is to say, the proof's in the pudding: when someone does the right thing, then they do the right thing, regardless if eliminative materialist, atheist, catholic, muslim, buddhist whatever. Or so it seems.

    A ...Rational Deity would hopefully forgive the intellectual sins of a doubter such as Thomas Jefferson (or Russell, or Feyerabend) rather than approve of zealots such as Jerry Falwell, Brigham Young or Rev. Wright. But who knows.

    A somewhat virtuous...skeptic, or even atheist offends me less than hysterical biblethumpers (or koran-thumpers, torah-thumpers etc) regardless if I in complete agreement with their metaphysics...(or anti-metaphysics). Same for like AC Grayling--he seems like a decent chap, though I don't completely approve of his methods...it's a bit more complex perhaps...but some traditional catholics for instance (and orthodox jews and muslims) often don't get that. A person's evil merely for belonging to the wrong club (then, I tend to agree, when they belong to evil clubs such as bapticks, masons or mormonics), regardless of the persons' actual deeds....

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  2. OK --! Someone should provide the dates! I was TEASING. Whenever you think something else is happening, blame it on my tease!

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  3. I love you, J! Especially your nod to the "Grice" club! Should find out more about this $tanford entry on the quantum-mechanical identities and individuations, too. Etc.

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