Partition epistemology and arguments from analogy

Nineteenth and twentieth century philosophies of science have consistently failed to identify any rational basis for the compelling character of scientific analogies. This failure is particularly worrisome in light of the fact that the development and diffusion of certain scientific analogies, e.g. Darwin’s analogy between domestic breeds and naturally occurring species, constitute paradigm cases of good science. It is argued that the interactivist model, through the notion of a partition epistemology, provides a way to understand the persuasive character of compelling scientific analogies without consigning them to an irrational or arational context of discovery.     

Coherence arguments and cyclical moral rankings

I thank an anonymous referee of this journal for this or her helpful comments.     

Evolutionary debunking arguments and the reliability of moral cognition

Recent debate in metaethics over evolutionary debunking arguments against morality has shown a tendency to abstract away from relevant empirical detail. Here, I engage the debate about Darwinian debunking of morality with relevant empirical issues. I present four conditions that must be met in order for it to be reasonable to expect an evolved cognitive faculty to be reliable: the environment, information, error, and tracking conditions. I then argue that these conditions are not met in the case of our evolved faculty for moral judgement.     

Evidential arguments from evil

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -     

《周易》与类比推理

中国古代无逻辑的观点源自逻辑一元论。本文认为,人类思维形式的多样性决定了逻辑的多元性。人类对思维形式的认识,还处于初期阶段;随着人类认识活动的不断发展,新的思维形式还会层出不穷。由于文化背景的差异,不同地区的人对思维形式的选择不尽相同。西方人注重演绎,中国人注重类比。《周易》就是一个属于类比性质的符号推理系统,一直规范影响着中国人的思维活动。华夏民族将象形文字发展为象意文字,决定了"以象尽意"的《周易》符号推理系统的形成。中国人注重体悟自然、追寻智慧的求道精神,是《周易》推理系统得以千年传承的哲学基础。类比推理是中国文化发展的必然选择,也是中国文化继往开来的主要思维方式。     

Ethical problems in arguments from potentiality

Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics - If potentiality of an entity is accepted as intrinsic to its reality, it will not lead to fallacious conflations and misuses that distort some of the most...