PHL201H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Scientific Method, Logical Truth, Empiricism
Document Summary
Knowledge can be divided into 2 kinds: relations of ideas. Don"t need evidence from the external world to show they are true. Can come from reason alone priori. Negations entail contradictions and therefore are inconceivable and impossible. Can only be shown to be true by gathering evidence. Evidence comes inferences between the relation between cause and effect. Heat and light are effects of fire; each of these effects can be inferred from each other. Can only acquire (inferences about cause and effect) through experience posteriori. Negations do not entail a contradiction and are therefore conceivable and possible. Relation of a cause and its effect. Only way to get beyond sense experiences. Evidence is inductive makes the matter of fact more likely, can never entail something is true. Anything that entails a contradiction cannot be true. Anything that entails a contradistinction can also not be thought of as being true.
