Davidson asserts the absence of a "coordinate system" through which to compare old and new conceptual schemes. — ZzzoneiroCosm
But if there isn't one, and there aren't more than one... the only thing left is none. — Banno
Yes; this is what those who take conceptual schemes to be incommensurable must be asserting. — Banno
But this need not be the case. If we were to conceive (as I tried to convey earlier) of reality->perception->schema, then we have a co-ordination system 'reality' which nonetheless is not necessarily the content from which schema are built (perception), yet is linked to it. — Isaac
Nothing, however, no thing, makes sentences and theories true: not experience, not surface irritations, not the world, can make a sentence true. — ZzzoneiroCosm
It does, but what we call real and the concept that there might be hidden states of affairs are two slightly different things. — Isaac
So you're saying our perceptual apparatus is directed at hidden states? Maybe. If I'm looking at the duck rabbit, I may be aware of the lines that make it up, but my senses lock into the rabbit as soon as I see it. — frank
Yes, that's how I see it. I cited a paper earlier in the thread all about it. Ideas about perception and models of reality based on inference from it seem to be cropping up in a number of related threads at the moment. If you're interested, I strongly recommend the paper. — Isaac
if there are differing conceptual schemes, would translatability be necessary? — frank
if there are different schemes, the very idea of different schemes implies translatability. — frank
Yes, that's his conclusion, but his route there is via what he considers the relativist would have to say about the different schemes by reference to their content. — Isaac
What he missed, however, is reference to hidden states, — Isaac
Hm. I've seen more convincing arguments... Is this any more than a play on "basis"? — Banno
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