NDLI: The Myth of Reductive Extensionalism

Please wait, while we are loading the content...

The Myth of Reductive Extensionalism

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Shani, Itay
Copyright Year	2007
Abstract	Extensionalism, as I understand it here, is the view that physical reality consists exclusively of extensional entities. On this view, intensional entitities must either be eliminated in favor of an ontology of extensional entities, or be reduced to such an ontology, or otherwise be admitted as non-physical. In this paper I argue that extensionalism is a misguided philosophical doctrine. First, I argue that intensional phenomena are not confined to the realm of language and thought. Rather, the ontology of such phenomena is intimately entwined with the ontology of properties. After providing some evidence to the popularity of extensionalism in contemporary analytic philosophy, I investigate the motivating reasons behind it. Considering several explanations, I argue that the main motivating reason is rooted in the identification of matter with extension, an identification which is one of the hallmarks of the mechanistic conception of nature inherited from the founding fathers of our modern scientific outlook. I then argue that such a conception is not only at odds with a robust ontology of properties but is also at odds with our best contemporary physics. Rather than vindicating extensionalism contemporary science undermines the position, and the lesson to be drawn from this surprising fact is that extensionalism needs no longer be espoused as a regulative ideal of naturalistic philosophy. I conclude by showing that the ontological approach to intensional phenomena advocated throughout the paper also gains support from an examination of the historical context within which ‘intension’ was first introduced as a semantic notion.
Starting Page	155
Ending Page	183
Page Count	29
File Format	PDF
ISSN	11221151
Journal	Axiomathes
Volume Number	17
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	15728390
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2007-09-01
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	Extensional entities Extensionalism Intensional entities Mechanistic philosophy Modes Naturalism Properties Philosophy Ontology Linguistics (general) Cognitive Psychology Logic
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Philosophy Mathematics

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Searle on the unity of the world

The Meaning of Meaning-Fallibilism

Logic and Ontology

Hartmann's General Ontology

The unnoticed regional ontology of mechanisms

On the Exhaustion of Mathematical Entities by Structures

Equivalence of Problems (An Attempt at an Explication of Problem)

Logic and thought

The Roots Of Ontics

The Myth of Reductive Extensionalism

Similar Documents

Searle on the unity of the world

The Meaning of Meaning-Fallibilism

Logic and Ontology

Hartmann's General Ontology

The unnoticed regional ontology of mechanisms

On the Exhaustion of Mathematical Entities by Structures

Equivalence of Problems (An Attempt at an Explication of Problem)

Logic and thought

The Roots Of Ontics

The Myth of Reductive Extensionalism