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Author Topic:   Philosophy of Ideas
nwr
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Posts: 6408
From: Geneva, Illinois
Joined: 08-08-2005
Member Rating: 5.1


Message 13 of 44 (305577)
04-20-2006 11:28 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by lfen
04-20-2006 10:23 PM


Re: An a-priori type of guy
But what was the a priori belief involved? I am trying to undersatand what you knew prior to being educated or to learning through experience about the world.
As used by philosophers, a priori is not the same as innate. For example, mathematical truth is considered a priori, since it is not truth about empirical reality. But there is no assumption that it was known innately.

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 Message 12 by lfen, posted 04-20-2006 10:23 PM lfen has replied

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nwr
Member
Posts: 6408
From: Geneva, Illinois
Joined: 08-08-2005
Member Rating: 5.1


Message 16 of 44 (305628)
04-21-2006 8:06 AM
Reply to: Message 15 by robinrohan
04-21-2006 5:50 AM


Re: An a-priori type of guy
For example, mathematical truth is considered a priori
So "a priori" means "deductive"?
No. In the case of mathematics, the deduction is based on premises that did not come from empirical observation.
If you made a deduction from empirical observations, then the conclusion would not be considered a priori.

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nwr
Member
Posts: 6408
From: Geneva, Illinois
Joined: 08-08-2005
Member Rating: 5.1


Message 18 of 44 (305761)
04-21-2006 6:40 PM
Reply to: Message 17 by robinrohan
04-21-2006 10:21 AM


Re: An a-priori type of guy
Are you referring to things like the assumptions we make for plain geometry? Is that what you call "a priori"?
I don't claim to be an expert. I am just commenting on how philosophers seem to use the term "a priori". I am not asserting that it makes sense.
It is tied up with epistemology (theory of knowledge), where they use terminology such as:
  • a priori or a posteriori;
  • analytic or synthetic;
  • necessary or contingent.
    Kant complicated things by insisting that there could be a synthetic a priori, and Kant would have considered the truths of plane geometry to be synthetic a priori.

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     Message 17 by robinrohan, posted 04-21-2006 10:21 AM robinrohan has not replied

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