Logical Properties: Identity, Existence, Predication, Necessity, Truth - Softcover

McGinn, Colin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199262632 ISBN 13: 9780199262632

Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A., 2003

Synopsis

Identity, existence, predication, necessity, and truth are vital concepts at the center of philosophy. Yet Colin McGinn believes that orthodox views of these topics are misguided in important ways. Philosophers and logicians have often distorted the nature of these concepts in an attempt to define them according to preconceived ideas. Logical Properties aims to respect the ordinary ways we talk and think when we employ these concepts, while at the same time showing that they are far more interesting and peculiar than some have assumed; these notions correspond to real properties-logical properties-that challenge naturalistic metaphysical views. Written with a minimum of formal terminology, this book deals with logico-linguistic issues as well as ontological ones. The focus is on trying to get to the essence of the concept concerned, not merely finding some established notation for providing formal interpretations.

About this title

Review

McGinn's book is well worth reading, and can be used by even beginning students - a virtue of the book's clarity. (Australasian Journal of Philosophy)

While McGinn says that it is 'an avowedly specialist book', beginning students may easily profit from reading it in part or whole; the chapters are nicely independent of one another, and each chapter is very clearly written. (Australasian Journal of Philosophy)

Synopsis

The concepts of identity, existence, predication, necessity, and truth are at the centre of philosophy and have rightly received sustained attention. Yet Colin McGinn believes that orthodox views of these topics are misguided in important ways. Philosophers and logicians have often distorted the nature of these concepts in an attempt to define them according to preconceived ideas. Logical Properties aims to respect the ordinary ways we talk and think when we employ these concepts, while at the same time showing that they are far more interesting and peculiar than some have supposed. There are real properties corresponding to these concepts - logical properties - that challenge naturalistic metaphysical views. These are not pseudo-properties or mere pieces of syntax. Logical Properties is written with the minimum of formal apparatus and deals with logico-linguistic issues as well as ontological ones. The focus is on trying to get to the essence of what the concept concerned stands for, and not merely finding some established notation for providing formal paraphrases.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A.
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0199262632
• ISBN 13: 9780199262632
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128