Philosophy Now Forum

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:00 am

Empirical and abstract phenomenon cycle through eachother, no one came before the other.

tapaticmadness wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:28 am

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:00 am

Empirical and abstract phenomenon cycle through eachother, no one came before the other.

You seem to be saying that abstract phenomena are not empirical. Why would you say that? It seems to me that I am empirically aware of abstract things. That was my whole point above when I wrote about going shopping for a shirt.

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:48 pm

tapaticmadness wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:28 am

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:00 am

Empirical and abstract phenomenon cycle through eachother, no one came before the other.

You seem to be saying that abstract phenomena are not empirical. Why would you say that? It seems to me that I am empirically aware of abstract things. That was my whole point above when I wrote about going shopping for a shirt.

They are United by forms. A unicorn may be a physical abstraction that does not exists physically except as an image.

tapaticmadness wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:59 pm

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:48 pm

tapaticmadness wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:28 am

You seem to be saying that abstract phenomena are not empirical. Why would you say that? It seems to me that I am empirically aware of abstract things. That was my whole point above when I wrote about going shopping for a shirt.

They are United by forms. A unicorn may be a physical abstraction that does not exists physically except as an image.

My interest is in the word you use "image". Are you saying that it is only something "in the mind", a mental construct? If so then I disagree. A unicorn is an abstraction, but abstractions exist external to the mind, or so I am maintaining in my story about buying a shirt. Yes, it is rather indeterminate and dreamy, but it is a real thing. It is a god. I think when you use the word "physical" you mean something definite and precisely located in space and time, concrete. An abstract unicorn is not that. Are you saying that being definite and located and therefore concrete are your criteria for existence?

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:28 pm

tapaticmadness wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 8:59 pm

Eodnhoj7 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:48 pm
They are United by forms. A unicorn may be a physical abstraction that does not exists physically except as an image.

My interest is in the word you use "image". Are you saying that it is only something "in the mind", a mental construct? If so then I disagree. A unicorn is an abstraction, but abstractions exist external to the mind, or so I am maintaining in my story about buying a shirt. Yes, it is rather indeterminate and dreamy, but it is a real thing. It is a god. I think when you use the word "physical" you mean something definite and precisely located in space and time, concrete. An abstract unicorn is not that. Are you saying that being definite and located and therefore concrete are your criteria for existence?

All is contained within a divine mind, and many minds exist as recursive images of the one mind.