Constructing the World

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
How to Read This Book......Page 26
 1 Primitive concepts......Page 28
 2 Objections to the Aufbau......Page 34
 3 From definitional to a priori scrutability......Page 39
 4 From descriptions to intensions......Page 43
 5 The scrutability base......Page 47
 6 Reviving the Aufbau......Page 52
 First Excursus: Scrutability and Knowability......Page 56
 Second Excursus: The Inscrutability of Reference and the Scrutability of Truth......Page 61
 1 Scrutability theses......Page 66
 2 Sentences or propositions?......Page 69
 3 Inferential scrutability......Page 74
 4 Conditional scrutability......Page 80
 5 A priori scrutability......Page 85
 6 Generalized scrutability......Page 87
 7 Idealization......Page 89
 8 Objections from idealization......Page 91
 Third Excursus: Sentential and Propositional Scrutability......Page 99
 Fourth Excursus: Warrants and Support Structures......Page 119
 Fifth Excursus: Insulated Idealization and the Problem of elf-Doubt......Page 128
 1 A scrutability base......Page 135
 2 The Cosmoscope argument......Page 141
 3 The argument from elimination......Page 147
 4 The argument from knowability......Page 152
 5 Inferential scrutability with a Cosmoscope......Page 161
 6 Conditional scrutability......Page 165
 7 The objection from recognitional capacities......Page 166
 8 The objection from counterfactuals......Page 175
 Sixth Excursus: Totality Truths and Indexical Truths......Page 178
 1 From Conditional to A Priori Scrutability......Page 184
 2 The argument from suspension of belief......Page 186
 3 The argument from frontloading......Page 187
 4 Causal roles, mediating roles, and justifying roles......Page 194
 5 Generalized A Priori Scrutability......Page 196
 6 Objections from self-knowledge......Page 198
 7 Objections from theories of concepts and reference......Page 200
 8 Objections from acquaintance and from nonpropositional evidence......Page 203
 9 The objection from empirical inference......Page 208
 Seventh Excursus: Varieties of Apriority......Page 212
 Eighth Excursus: Recent Challenges to the A Priori......Page 220
 1 Introduction......Page 226
 2 The arguments of ‘Two Dogmas’......Page 227
 3 Carnap on intensions......Page 231
 4 A Carnapian response......Page 232
 5 Refining Carnap’s account......Page 234
 6 A Bayesian analysis of holding-true......Page 238
 7 A Bayesian analysis of revisability......Page 241
 8 Quinean objections......Page 244
 9 Conclusion......Page 251
 Ninth Excursus: Scrutability and Conceptual Dynamics......Page 253
 Tenth Excursus: Constructing Epistemic Space......Page 260
 Eleventh Excursus: Constructing Fregean Senses......Page 271
 1 Introduction......Page 286
 2 Mathematical truths......Page 288
 3 Normative and evaluative truths......Page 291
 4 Ontological truths......Page 294
 5 Other philosophical truths......Page 298
 6 Modal truths......Page 300
 7 Intentional truths......Page 301
 8 Social truths......Page 306
 9 Deferential terms......Page 307
 10 Names......Page 309
 11 Metalinguistic truths......Page 310
 12 Indexicals and demonstratives......Page 312
 13 Vagueness......Page 315
 14 Secondary qualities......Page 316
 15 Macrophysical truths......Page 317
 16 Counterfactual truths......Page 325
 17 Conclusion......Page 326
 Twelfth Excursus: Scrutability and the Unity of Science......Page 328
 1 Introduction......Page 339
 2 Heuristics......Page 340
 3 Microphysical expressions......Page 346
 4 Color, other secondary qualities, and mass......Page 348
 5 Spatiotemporal expressions......Page 352
 6 Causal and nomic expressions......Page 363
 7 Phenomenal expressions......Page 367
 8 Compression using laws......Page 371
 9 Quiddities......Page 374
 10 Other expressions......Page 380
 11 Packages......Page 384
 Thirteenth Excursus: From the Aufbau to the Canberra Plan......Page 389
 Fourteenth Excursus: Epistemic Rigidity and Super-Rigidity......Page 393
 1 Principled scrutability bases......Page 406
 2 Definitional Scrutability (and conceptual analysis)......Page 408
 3 Analytic and Primitive Scrutability (and primitive concepts)......Page 412
 4 Narrow Scrutability (and narrow content)......Page 420
 5 Acquaintance Scrutability (and Russellian acquaintance)......Page 426
 6 Fundamental Scrutability (and the mind–body problem)......Page 431
 7 Structural Scrutability (and structural realism)......Page 436
 8 Generalized Scrutability (and Fregean content)......Page 450
 Summation: Whither the Aufbau?......Page 453
 Fifteenth Excursus: The Structuralist Response to Skepticism......Page 458
 Sixteenth Excursus: Scrutability, Supervenience, and Grounding......Page 468
 Seventeenth Excursus: Explaining Scrutability......Page 488
 C......Page 495
 E......Page 496
 I......Page 497
 N......Page 498
 Q......Page 499
 S......Page 500
 W......Page 501
Bibliography......Page 502
 B......Page 512
 C......Page 513
 E......Page 514
 I......Page 515
 L......Page 516
 N......Page 517
 P......Page 518
 R......Page 519
 S......Page 520
 Z......Page 521