Monism Comes In One Variety

--- By J. L. Speranza, of the Grice Club
----------- For the Carnap Corner

---- WE ALL KNOW IT'S PRETTY HATEFUL TO provide and provide and provide literature reference, especially coming from the philosophy machinery -- but here is the abstract (online) from a specific "Carnap" secondary bibliography essay (below). Again, to consider when discussing

Pluralism vs. Monism

--- None is a bete noire for Grice, but the may attach to other things so let's be sort of warned:

Matti Eklund (2009).

"Carnap and Ontological Pluralism."

In David J. Chalmers, David Manley & Ryan Wasserman (eds.),

Metametaphysics: New Essays on the Foundations
of Ontology. Oxford University Press.

"ABSTRACT. "My focus here will be Carnap’s views on ontology,

as these are presented in the seminal

“Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology” (1950).

I will first describe how I think Carnap’s

distinction between external and internal questions

is best understood.

Then I will turn to broader issues regarding

Carnap’s views on ontology. With certain reservations,

I will ascribe to Carnap an ontological

pluralist position roughly similar to

the positions of Eli Hirsch and

the later Hilary Putnam."

"Then I turn to some interrelated

arguments against the pluralist view."

"The arguments are not demonstrative."

"Some possible escape routes for

the pluralist are outlined."

----- Such kindness. Gladiatorial at best! :). It's only the later Putnam, though. :(, not the latest and top.

"But I think the arguments constitute a

formidable challenge."

for anyone who will get the book!

"There should be serious doubt

as to whether the pluralist view,

as it emerges after discussion

of these arguments, will be worth

defending."

Sure it will -- the only good things
worth defending are those YOU will
doubt about!


"Moreover, there is an alternative

ontological view which equally well

subserves the motivations

underlying ontological pluralism."


---- Don't say it's Monism, because it comes in just one variety and there's two of us here: Roger Bishop Jones and I. :).