Why reduction is underrated

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Abstract

The key idea behind reduction is a simple and familiar one: it’s that there’s more to things than meets the eye. Surprisingly, this simple idea provides the resources to block a number of notable anti-reductionist arguments: Mackie’s argument from queerness against objective moral values, Kripke’s Humphrey objection and its recent variants, and Jubien’s objection from irrelevance against Lewisian modal realism. What is wrong with each of these arguments is that they suppose that what is to be reduced must not be dissimilar to what it is to be reduced to. This supposition is shown to be misguided and that the success or otherwise of a reduction turns on quite different considerations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAnalysis and Explication in 20th Century Philosophy
PublisherBrill
Pages121-136
Number of pages16
Volume22
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-95743-731-0
ISBN (Print)978-3-95743-172-1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Oct 2019

Publication series

NameLogical Analysis and History of Philosophy
PublisherMentis Verlag GmbH

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