Pegasus is a flying horse of ancient mythology.
McX argues this way: "Pegasus must in some sense exist -- because if we say 'Pegasus doesn't exist' we have to be talking about something -- so Pegasus must in some sense be something."
Quine objects to the reasoning on the grounds that
Pegasus is a flying horse of ancient mythology.
McX argues this way: "Pegasus must in some sense exist -- because if we say 'Pegasus doesn't exist' we have to be talking about something -- so Pegasus must in some sense be something."
Quine objects to the reasoning on the grounds that
Quine thinks that this confuses a claim about a flying horse with a claim about an idea in people's minds. When we say "Pegasus doesn't exist" we're denying that there is a flying horse; we're not denying that some people have an idea of a flying horse.
Pegasus is a flying horse of ancient mythology.
McX argues this way: "Pegasus must in some sense exist -- because if we say 'Pegasus doesn't exist' we have to be talking about something -- so Pegasus must in some sense be something."
Quine objects to the reasoning on the grounds that
Quine has grave objections to talking about possible beings.
Pegasus is a flying horse of ancient mythology.
McX argues this way: "Pegasus must in some sense exist -- because if we say 'Pegasus doesn't exist' we have to be talking about something -- so Pegasus must in some sense be something."
Quine objects to the reasoning on the grounds that
Quine says that the claim "Pegasus doesn't exist" can be put more clearly as "It is false that there is something that is Pegasus" -- which clearly doesn't assume that Pegasus in some sense exists.