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This philosophical exploration delves into the nature of reality, questioning the ultimate conceptual categories that shape our understanding of it. It critiques metaphysics and presents alternative metaphysical systems, such as Berkeley's idealism and physicalism.
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A defence of speculative metaphysics Peter Ells peterells@hotmail.co.uk
Metaphysics defined • Philosophical enquiry that goes beyond the particular sciences and asks very general questions about the nature of reality and the ultimate conceptual categories in terms of which we are to understand it • John Cottingham • ‘Speculative metaphysics’ is an attempt to provide a comprehensive system or model for understanding the cosmos both in its particulars and its entirety • (Peter Strawson calls this ‘revisionary metaphysics’)
Metaphysics criticised • [Any book on metaphysics should be] committed to the flames, for it can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding • Philosophy, as a genuine branch of knowledge, must be distinguished from metaphysics. ... The majority of the ‘great philosophers’ of the past were not essentially metaphysicians. A.J. Ayer, Language, Truth and Logic
Berkeley’s attack on ‘matter’ ... all the choir of heaven and furniture of the earth, in a word all those bodies which compose the mighty frame of the world, have not any substance without a mind ...
Example 2: Physicalism Theses: • Everything that exists in nature is dependent upon the physical domain • In any part of the world, the physical facts determine all the facts • Different branches of knowledge are organised hierarchically with physics at the foundation • Causal closure: every physical event has a physical cause (Loose précis of Jeffrey Poland,1994)
Problems of physicalism The mind body-problem How could the spatio-temporal behaviour of systems of matter (regardless of their complexity) necessitate the existence of / give rise to / be identical to ?
Problems of physicalism The mind body-problem How could the spatio-temporal behaviour of systems of matter (regardless of their complexity) necessitate the existence of / give rise to / be identical to ?
Problems of physicalism What do we mean by the term ‘physical’ in the theses of physicalism? Hempel’s Dilemma: If we mean present day physics, then physicalism is trivially false; If we mean a (perhaps vastly different) future, completed physics then physicalism is hopelessly vague.
Problems of physicalism Updating Berkeley’s attack on ‘matter’ Berkeley rejected abstract ideas, but if we accept mathematical abstractions, then an argument similar to his still goes through: How does differ from ? Physicalists have not explained what it means for an unobserved world to be instantiated. This lack is fatal to physicalism because now: Any proof that mind necessarily arises from Can be translated into a proof that mind must arise from !?
Comparing metaphysical systems • Scope The range and variety of facts explained by the system • Not denying basic data “Time does not exist.” • Plausibility From within the system itself, considered in its entirety • The minimum number of brute facts or miracles needed • Engagement with and consistency with current science • Lack of “promissory notes” “Science, in the far future, and using far different methods, will solve this problem eventually.” • Elegance and simplicity • Clarity versus fudge
Conclusions & opinions • It is all but inevitable that each human being will possess a metaphysical system – and will act on it • If we fail to research metaphysical systems then we are liable to assume a poor one implicitly, and be reluctant to give it up • Physicalism, for example, is fatally flawed • We have excellent criteria for making reasoned judgements between such systems, even though they are not empirical • Many novel and under-explored metaphysical systems await our investigation– some may prove to be superior
Thank you peterells@hotmail.co.uk
