What would you say is the difference between abstract and concrete facts? — Janus
What we don't know is whether this means that reality consists of abstract facts. — Janus
An "if-then fact" is exclusively a linguistically formulated fact. I experience the world as has been, is being and could be; only the last is possibility or "if" rather than "is". Only language enables the apprehension of the future, of possibility. So, I see no reason to think the provenance of "if-then" extends beyond language. — Janus
Whatever it is that we formulate in terms of "if-then" may be thought to be in a certain restricted sense "true for and known by animals".
We could even say the same of the valley; 'if it rains the valley will be eroded'. — Janus
This addresses only possibility though and says nothing about what is or what has been. On this account it is not conceptually adequate to underpin a comprehensive metaphysics.
I won't engage further if you are going to respond with (deliberately?) stupid, uncharitable interpretations. — Janus
We could even say the same of the valley; 'if it rains the valley will be eroded'. This addresses only possibilty though and says nothing about what is or what has been.
On this account it is not conceptually adequate to underpin a comprehensive metaphysics. — Janus
A set of hypothetical physical quantity-values, and a hypothetical relation among them (called a "physical law"), are parts of the "if" premise of an if-then fact.
...except that one of those quantity-values can be taken as the "then" conclusion of that if-then fact.
How does the fact that there's a green car out in front relate to an if-then fact. Well,if you look out the front window, then you'll experience that a green car is visible to you.. — Michael Ossipoff
It seems to me that that conflates what is: 'the green car out front' with a possibility: 'that I will look at it'.
You're using the meaning of "conflate" that means "confuse".
You're saying that I'm confusing what is, with a possibility. ...the green car out in front, with the possibility that I'll look at it.
Well, I only said "If you look out the front window."
"If you look out the front window" is the "if " premise of the if-then fact.
I'm saying that "There's a green car out in the parking space out in front" implies and corresponds with "If you look out the window, a green car will be visible to you in your parking space out in front."
But no,I'm not confusing "There's a green car out in front" with "You'll look at it". Yes, I'm relating "There's a green car out in front" with an if-then fact whose "if " premise is "If you look out the front window."
— Janus
An example you didn't give 'if there is a green car out front, then someone must have parked it there" might seem to be a counterexample that addresses the past; but this is merely apparent. On analysis we can see that this is merely an inductive inference. The car could have gotten there any number of ways, no matter how unlikely.
Also it reflects that fact that, for us epistemologically speaking, it actually invokes a possible future in which we come to discover how the car got there.
But no,I'm not confusing "There's a green car out in front" with "You'll look at it". Yes, I'm relating "There's a green car out in front" with an if-then fact whose "if " premise is "If you look out the front window." — Janus
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