[Wittrs] Re: [Wittrs]: Nominalism / Sean
- From: "jrstern" <jrstern@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:21:26 -0000
--- In Wittrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, brendan downs <wittrs@...> wrote:
>
> Further more nominalist and realist in ontology don't dispute things such as
> relations or predicates e.g. from point (a) to point (b) is say 100 miles.
> now this 100 miles has a two part predicate, point(a) and point (b). as in
> process such as computational I will use the example of photosynthesis. Sun,
> oxygen, carbon dioxide, water.. whatever has a four part predicate and this
> applys for computational process. to label something "computational
> nominalism" is to misunderstand the debate. both nominalists and realists in
> ontology don't dispute processes e.g. 1+1=2 does/doesnt exist doesnt make
> sense.
Brendan,
I pretty much agree with what you say about nominalism, in
fact that's a very valuable point, that nominalism is not an
epistemological position at all.
I would not call it a "metaphysical" position as such, at least
I would prefer to call it a "methodological" position, that's how
us naturalizing folks like to talk.
The issue of "computational nominalism" is a new debate, but it
does not change what you say - it is still not an epistemological
position, and it is even more so a methdological project. Trees
will still be trees, and 1+1 will still =2, but perhaps we can come
to understand what the difference is between the computer on my
desk and the paint on Searle's wall - this would at least help to
enlighten Searle. And for people like Fodor (and me) who like to
talk about computational theories of mind (CTM), a better
understanding of the "computational" part, may finally help to
shine some light on the "mind" part, or at least on the composition
CTM. IOW, "computational nominalism" is much more about computation
than it is about nominalism, it draws on nominalism in order to help
explain computation.
Josh
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