Now there are a few types of nominalism's, that have complex but yet subtle differences, so I just want to Focus, on Hobbesian, Which I fine almost identical to Wittgenstein's understanding of language.
Hobbes is saying that we can recognize that the angles in a triangle equal two right angles, if shown then side by side, but thinks without language we couldn't understand what a triangle is universally.
He is making the same Wittgenstein's conclusion that the words, and or language are the very same as the thoughts.
This conclusion is a common result of materialism. Because if you want to say the world or reality is what material, then you lose your mind literally.
The mind/consciousness is not compatible with an all physical world that is what causes the mind/body problem in a physicalism doctrine. If you go pure idealist, now consciousness makes sense but to say things exist outside of consciousness now doesn't make sense.
Anyways back to the nominalism. Hobbes thinks that like true and false depend on the definitions, a kind of language games theory, where if a social group decides to change a definition the reality of a ‘state of affairs' changes too. He goes as far as saying "The Greeks have but one word, logos, for both speech and Reason—not that they thought there was no speech without reasoning, but know reasoning without speech. "
The Fool: BullSh!t
Logos is first made significant by Heraclitus of Ephesus
Heraclitus: "Listening not to me but to the LOGOS it is wise to agree that all things are one. "
Heraclitus: "Things taken together are whole and not whole"." of all things there is unity, and out of unity there is all things. " (The Absolute universe is made of particulars)
Heraclitus: "Those who speak with understanding must rely firmly on what is common to all'(universals) For human law are nourished by one law, the divine law; for it has as much power as it wishes and is sufficient for all and is still left over."
As Theist's begin to get to excited lets make it clear that he is not speaking in a religious divine sense. He is pretty against, such type of thinking.
Heraclitus "they vainly purify themselves with blood when defiled with it, as if a man who had stepped into mud were to wash it off with mud. He would be thought mad if anyone noticed him acting thus." (he gets more insulting and this is like in 500 BC)
So according to Hobbes theory of language, if we all at DDO decide that murder is "just" by definition, that now murder is just, because it all depends on the how we define things .
Mind you this partly in reaction against Descartes Meditations.
The Fool: Personally I think Descartes is smarter than Hobbes. If we get rid of the dualism, and awful God arguments, Descartes model of science is a more complete understanding of reality. Nothing has to get kicked out.
"All the same, it could be that I am mistaken, and what I take for Gold and Diamonds is perhaps nothing but a bit of copper and glass."
"I know how much we are prone to err in what affects us, and also how much the Judgments made by our friends should be distrusted when these Judgments in our favor." Rene Descartes
"I know how much we are prone to err in what affects us, and also how much the Judgments made by our friends should be distrusted when these Judgments in our favor." Rene Descartes