Marc A. Moffett
@gnosishead.bsky.social
Philosopher at UTEP. Metaphysics & Epistemology
FFS. Can we please stop writing as if treating a member of the clergy is worse than the same treatment of any other person?
November 16, 2025 at 3:34 AM
FFS. Can we please stop writing as if treating a member of the clergy is worse than the same treatment of any other person?
Having tenure in TX is no great barrier to dismissal
November 14, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Having tenure in TX is no great barrier to dismissal
I'm reasonably confident that nobody will agree with much in this book -- on either side of intuitions debate! Thanks for the post!
October 22, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I'm reasonably confident that nobody will agree with much in this book -- on either side of intuitions debate! Thanks for the post!
I agree that logical or metaphysical necessity is not sufficient for a property to be essential. This seems to me to be a conceptual matter settled by intuition. I do see the worry here, about my stipulation -- but will have to think about it when I have more time
September 27, 2025 at 7:37 PM
I agree that logical or metaphysical necessity is not sufficient for a property to be essential. This seems to me to be a conceptual matter settled by intuition. I do see the worry here, about my stipulation -- but will have to think about it when I have more time
I think it is true in the way Kripke suggests: Nec(if x exists, then x is true)
September 27, 2025 at 7:12 PM
I think it is true in the way Kripke suggests: Nec(if x exists, then x is true)
I do think they serve as truth-makers; they are in the "extensions" of propositions. So, the view ends up being similar to the one defended by Baylis (1948).
September 27, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I do think they serve as truth-makers; they are in the "extensions" of propositions. So, the view ends up being similar to the one defended by Baylis (1948).
Well, I am partial to the idea that states-of-affairs are abstract when they don't obtain and concrete when they do (when they are facts). Similar to Linsky-Zalta on the contingently, non-concrete.
September 27, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Well, I am partial to the idea that states-of-affairs are abstract when they don't obtain and concrete when they do (when they are facts). Similar to Linsky-Zalta on the contingently, non-concrete.
Here I intended it to be stipulated that truths are essentially true. (In the case of facts, I think this comes from our ordinary concept and is not stipulated.)
September 27, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Here I intended it to be stipulated that truths are essentially true. (In the case of facts, I think this comes from our ordinary concept and is not stipulated.)
and they have the property of obtaining essentially. The identity theorist, IMO, would do better to identify facts with truths, rather than true propositions. I still think this is a category mistake, but not so egregious. (What is the truth value of the fact that p?)
September 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
and they have the property of obtaining essentially. The identity theorist, IMO, would do better to identify facts with truths, rather than true propositions. I still think this is a category mistake, but not so egregious. (What is the truth value of the fact that p?)
In this case, the correct relation is closer to something like composition -- truths have propositions in their analyses.
I read facts this way. It just sounds wrong to say "The fact that Hilary Clinton won in 2016 exists, but isn't a fact". I take facts to be states-of-affairs that obtain, (more)
I read facts this way. It just sounds wrong to say "The fact that Hilary Clinton won in 2016 exists, but isn't a fact". I take facts to be states-of-affairs that obtain, (more)
September 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
In this case, the correct relation is closer to something like composition -- truths have propositions in their analyses.
I read facts this way. It just sounds wrong to say "The fact that Hilary Clinton won in 2016 exists, but isn't a fact". I take facts to be states-of-affairs that obtain, (more)
I read facts this way. It just sounds wrong to say "The fact that Hilary Clinton won in 2016 exists, but isn't a fact". I take facts to be states-of-affairs that obtain, (more)
It is not identity. Truths don't exist in worlds where the proposition is false, but the proposition does exist in those worlds. Since being true is an essential property of truths, it would be wrong to say that they exist in that world but just aren't true (more)
September 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
It is not identity. Truths don't exist in worlds where the proposition is false, but the proposition does exist in those worlds. Since being true is an essential property of truths, it would be wrong to say that they exist in that world but just aren't true (more)
Let me introduce the slightly awkward notion of a truth as in, "It's a truth that JC was pres in 1979". Truths, I will suppose, have the property of being true necessarily. What is the relation between the proposition that p and the truth that p? (more)
September 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Let me introduce the slightly awkward notion of a truth as in, "It's a truth that JC was pres in 1979". Truths, I will suppose, have the property of being true necessarily. What is the relation between the proposition that p and the truth that p? (more)
This is just a little more explicitly the argument I was suggesting.
September 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
This is just a little more explicitly the argument I was suggesting.
the fact that Carter was president in 1979 would not have existed had Carter not been president in 1979, but the true proposition that Carter was president in 1979 would have existed had Carter not been president then; it merely would not have been true.
September 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
the fact that Carter was president in 1979 would not have existed had Carter not been president in 1979, but the true proposition that Carter was president in 1979 would have existed had Carter not been president then; it merely would not have been true.
By the way, just came across this in T. Parson's paper: Frege's thoughts are the referents of that-clauses in non-factive contexts, and so they are my propositions. Are the true ones facts? I think not. One reason is familiar from metaphysical considerations: as philosophers construe facts, (more)
September 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
By the way, just came across this in T. Parson's paper: Frege's thoughts are the referents of that-clauses in non-factive contexts, and so they are my propositions. Are the true ones facts? I think not. One reason is familiar from metaphysical considerations: as philosophers construe facts, (more)
Well, that is far better put than I could have managed!
September 15, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Well, that is far better put than I could have managed!
is a contingent feature. So, the proposition exists when false. If facts = true propositions, then the truth wouldn't be a contingent feature. So, whatever a fact is, it isn't just a true proposition. (I'm sick, so maybe I'm not spelling this out carefully or just missing something.)
September 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
is a contingent feature. So, the proposition exists when false. If facts = true propositions, then the truth wouldn't be a contingent feature. So, whatever a fact is, it isn't just a true proposition. (I'm sick, so maybe I'm not spelling this out carefully or just missing something.)
Not knowing the full context, this blurb only argues that facts and propositions are distinct; not that facts and true propositions are distinct. Though the former is, of course, a weird view. But, TBH, even then I don't think the argument is that bad. The truth-value of (many) propositions (more)
September 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Not knowing the full context, this blurb only argues that facts and propositions are distinct; not that facts and true propositions are distinct. Though the former is, of course, a weird view. But, TBH, even then I don't think the argument is that bad. The truth-value of (many) propositions (more)
highly recommend
September 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
highly recommend
It is important to remember that these cuts affect more than science. The arts and humanities are huge drivers of creativity, innovation, and insight and have been just as devastated by Trump's cuts.
July 1, 2025 at 12:00 AM
It is important to remember that these cuts affect more than science. The arts and humanities are huge drivers of creativity, innovation, and insight and have been just as devastated by Trump's cuts.