Non-Factualism about Composite Objects (or Why There’s No Fact of the Matter Whether Any Material Objects Exist)

2021 ◽  
pp. 83-122
Author(s):  
Mark Balaguer
Keyword(s):  
Material Objects ◽  
Composite Object ◽  
Contingent Fact ◽  
Composite Objects ◽  
Argument Proceeds ◽  
Mereological Simples

Chapter 4 provides an argument for a non-factualist view of the composite-object question; i.e., it argues that there’s no fact of the matter whether there are any such things as composite objects like tables and rocks and cats (where a composite object is an object that has proper parts). In addition, this chapter explains how the argument can be extended to establish the much more general (and much more radical) conclusion that there’s no fact of the matter whether there are any material objects at all—including mereological simples (i.e., objects that don’t have any proper parts). The argument proceeds by undermining the necessitarian and contingentist views of the composite-object question; so, roughly speaking, the idea is that there isn’t a fact of the matter about the existence of composite objects like tables because there isn’t a necessary fact about this and there also isn’t a contingent fact about it.

PERFORMANCE STUDY ON SUPPORTING OBJECTS IN O-RAID DISTRIBUTED DATABASE SYSTEM

1993 ◽  
Vol 02 (02) ◽  
pp. 225-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAGANNATHAN SRINIVASAN ◽  
YIN-HE JIANG ◽  
YONGGUANG ZHANG ◽  
BHARAT BHARGAVA
Keyword(s):  
Distributed Database ◽  
Database System ◽  
Performance Study ◽  
Composite Object ◽  
Relational Database System ◽  
Replication Strategy ◽  
Composite Objects ◽  
Replication Scheme ◽  
Layered Approach ◽  
Distributed Database System

O-Raid [1, 2] uses a layered approach to provide support for objects on top of a distributed relational database system called RAID [3], It reuses the replication controller of RAID to allow replication of simple objects as well as replication of composite objects. In this paper, we first describe the experiments conducted on O-Raid that measure the overheads incurred in supporting objects through a layered implementation, and the overheads involved in replicating objects. The overheads are low (e.g. 4ms for an insert query involving objects). We present experiments that evaluate three replication strategies for composite objects, namely, full replication, selective replication and no replication in a two-site and a four-site O-Raid system. For composite object experiments, the selective replication strategy demonstrated the flexibility of tuning replication of member objects based on the patterns of access. The experimentation is performed in different networking environments (LANs and WANs) to further evaluate the replication schemes. The results indicate that selective replication scheme has greater benefits in WAN than in LAN.

Natural Objects

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSHUA D. K. BROWN
Keyword(s):  
Natural Laws ◽  
Natural Properties ◽  
Special Composition Question ◽  
Natural Objects ◽  
Composite Objects ◽  
Special Composition ◽  
Mereological Simples

ABSTRACT:This paper introduces a framework for thinking about ontological questions—in particular, the Special Composition Question—and shows how the framework might help support something like an account of restricted composition. The framework takes the form of an account of natural objects, in analogy with David Lewis's account of natural properties. Objects, like properties, come in various metaphysical grades, from the fundamental, fully objective, perfectly natural objects to the nomologically otiose, maximally gerrymandered, perfectly non-natural objects. The perfectly natural objects, I argue, are the mereological simples, and (roughly) a collection composes an object of degree-n naturalness if and only if its members are arranged F-wise, for some property F that appears in the degree-n natural laws. Arbitrary composites turn out to be perfectly non-natural objects and are metaphysical bystanders. Ordinary composite objects fall in between. Some—e.g., atoms—are very (though not perfectly) natural; others—e.g., tables—are highly non-natural.

Metaphysics, Sophistry, and Illusion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Balaguer
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Physical Reality ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Abstract Objects ◽  
Philosophical Argument ◽  
Abstract Object ◽  
Scientific Question ◽  
Composite Object ◽  
Metaphysical Question ◽  
Modal Sentence

This book does two things. First, it introduces a novel kind of non-factualist view, and it argues that we should endorse views of this kind in connection with a wide class of metaphysical questions, most notably, the abstract-object question and the composite-object question (more specifically, the book argues that there’s no fact of the matter whether there are any such things as abstract objects or composite objects—or material objects of any other kind). Second, the book explains how these non-factualist views fit into a general anti-metaphysical view called neo-positivism, and it explains how we could argue that neo-positivism is true. Neo-positivism is (roughly) the view that every metaphysical question decomposes into some subquestions—call them Q1, Q2, Q3, etc.—such that, for each of these subquestions, one of the following three anti-metaphysical views is true of it: non-factualism, or scientism, or metaphysically innocent modal-truth-ism. These three views can be defined (very roughly) as follows. Non-factualism about a question Q is the view that there’s no fact of the matter about the answer to Q. Scientism about Q is the view that Q is an ordinary empirical-scientific question about some contingent aspect of physical reality, and Q can’t be settled with an a priori philosophical argument. And metaphysically innocent modal-truth-ism about Q is the view that Q asks about the truth value of a modal sentence that’s metaphysically innocent in the sense that it doesn’t say anything about reality and, if it’s true, isn’t made true by reality.

Intensional Composition as Identity

2020 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-318
Author(s):  
Manuel Lechthaler
Keyword(s):  
Identity Relation ◽  
Composition As Identity ◽  
Composite Object ◽  
Composite Objects ◽  
Central Claim

Composition as Identity claims that a composite object is identical to its parts taken collectively. This is often understood as reducing the identity of composite objects to the identity of their parts. The author argues that Composition as Identity is not such a reduction. His central claim is that an intensional notion of composition, which is sensitive to the arrangement of the composing objects, avoids criticisms based on an extensional understanding of composition. The key is to understand composition as an intensional kind of identity relation, many-one identity. Eventually, the author suggests an arrangement condition for many-one identity that allows him to distinguish between composite objects, even if they have the same parts.

scholarly journals When do infants understand that they can obtain a desired part of a composite object by grasping another part?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Fagard ◽  
Cecilia Florean ◽  
Maja Petkovic ◽  
Lauriane Rat-Fischer ◽  
Patriza Fattori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Composite Object ◽  
Preferential Looking ◽  
Interesting Part ◽  
Composite Objects ◽  
Significant Step ◽  
White Cardboard

When do infants start to understand that they can grasp an object by its handle when the interesting part is out of reach? Whereas it is known from preferential looking tasks that already at three months of age infants show surprise when all parts of an object do not move together, little is known about when infants are able to use such knowledge in an active grasp situation. To answer this question we presented six, eight, and 10 month-old infants in a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study with a white cardboard handle within reach and a bright ball at the end of the handle and out of reach. A trick condition, where the handle and the ball seem attached but were not, was added to get an indication of the infant’s expectation by observing a possible surprise reaction.Results show that 6-month-olds’ most frequent first behaviors consisted in pointing toward the ball without grasping the handle, or grasping the handle without looking at the ball until it moved. In addition, they often did not look surprised in the trick condition. Eight- and 10-month-olds most often grasped the handle while looking at the ball, and showed clear surprise in the trick condition. This was interpreted as showing that around eight or 10 months, infants take a significant step in understanding the cohesiveness of composite objects during grasping.

TRANSFORMASI DIALEKTIKA SEGITIGA: POSISI DAN PERAN DALAM KAJIAN INTEGRASI AGAMA, SAINS, DAN TEKNOLOGI

1970 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 314-333
Author(s):  
Sarno Hanipudin
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Science And Religion ◽  
Fundamental Difference ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Religion And Science ◽  
Empirically Supported

This paper is intended to describe how the integration of religion and science is done through the practice of PAI learning. This was done because there is a strong presumption in the wider community who say that religion and science are the two entities that can not be met. Both have their respective territories, separated from each other, in terms of formal-material objects, research methods, criteria of truth, the role played by scientists. There is also a view that science and religion stand at their respective position, because science rely on empirically supported data to ascertain what is real and what is not, contrary religion ready to accept the supernatural and certainly not only be based on tangible variables of faith and the belief that religion and science must coexist independently of each other, because even though there are similarities in their mission, the fundamental difference between the two present a conflict that will resonate on each core. Tulisan ini ditujukan untuk mendeskripsikan bagaimana integrasi agama dan sains dilakukan melalui praktik pembelajaran PAI. Hal itu dilakukan karena ada anggapan yang kuat dalam masyarakat luas yang mengatakan bahwa agama dan ilmu adalah dua entitas yang tidak dapat dipertemukan. Keduanya mempunyai wilayah masing-masing, terpisah antara satu dan lainnya, baik dari segi objek formalmaterial, metode penelitian, kriteria kebenaran, peran yang dimainkan oleh ilmuwan. Ada juga yang memandang bahwa sains dan agama berdiri pada posisinya masingmasing, karena bidang ilmu mengandalkan data yang didukung secara empiris untuk memastikan apa yang nyata dan apa yang tidak, agama sebaliknya siap menerima yang gaib dan tidak pasti hanya didasarkan pada variabel berwujud dari iman dan kepercayaan bahwa agama dan sains harus hidup berdampingan independen satu sama lain, sebab meskipun ada kesamaan dalam misi mereka, perbedaan mendasar antarakeduanya menyajikan sebuah konflik yang akan beresonansi pada inti masingmasing.

The Cornucopia in the Minefield

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 253-279
Author(s):  
Jennifer B. Spock
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Social Classes ◽  
Material Objects ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Holy Trinity ◽  
Spiritual Path ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Limited Scope

Abstract The study of monasticism in Russia has found new acolytes since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. With the separation of the Soviet republics, religion became, and continues to become, a vibrant subfield of Russian studies. This article examines the problems inherent in attempting to grasp the day-to-day life of monks and monasteries given their individual characteristics, social classes, roles, and the wide variety, yet often limited scope, of various texts and material objects that can be used as sources. The vast source base is an embarrassment of riches in one sense, but problematic in another as prescriptive and normative texts must be understood in context. One important element that has not been directly addressed is the cacophony of sound, the interruptions, and the distractions of the constant activity of expanding cloisters in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. How did monks maintain their spiritual path and pious duties when on service expeditions outside the monastery: when engaged in salt-production, fishing, trade, rent-collecting, or other activities outside its walls? How intrusive were building projects, which abounded in the period, or even efforts to adorn the churches? How strict was oversight, or how weak? Such questions still need answers and can only be fully understood by integrating diverse source bases. This article uses Solovki, Holy Trinity, and Kirillov monasteries to exemplify the problems that remain in understanding the daily lives of monastics and their adherents within and without the confines of the cloister.

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