Fictionalism

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The term fictionalism in more recent systematic philosophy denotes a type of anti-realistic position with regard to certain objects. These do not exist, they are only fictional.

Definition

Fictionalistic positions regarding a fact or subject or type of objects x often agree on the following:

  1. x does not actually exist
  2. Sentences about x are to be analyzed in such a way that they imply the existence of x (they are accompanied by an existential presupposition with respect to x)
  3. stricte dicto sentences about x are therefore wrong
  4. Speakers accept sentences about x
  5. Speakers are justified in accepting sentences about x, for example for pragmatic reasons
  6. the talk about x is therefore not about "objective truth", but about "fiction"

Fictionalistic positions in ontology or metaontology

The ontology explains what there is in reality. Controversies exist, for example, with regard to the truth-makers of negative statements about existence, statements about identity, statements about propositional attitudes , modal speech and fictional speech (e.g. about unicorns). Fictionalist positions were defended for all of these problem cases.

In some cases, metaontological fictionalism with regard to normal objects was represented, for example by Peter van Inwagen , Cian Dorr and Gideon Rosen .

Truth-theoretical fictionalism

James Woodbridge advocated a general fictionalism in truth theory.

Even Schopenhauer's philosophy of will was called fiktionalistisch.

Mathematical fictionalism

A variant of nominalism with regard to mathematical objects is also called fictionalism; Hartry Field is one of the better-known representatives .

Fictionalism in the Philosophy of Mind

Also, for example, theses of the form " Free will is an illusion, but it makes pragmatic sense to hold on to this illusion." referred to as fictionalistic.

For example, the neo-Kantian Hans Vaihinger represents a pragmatic fictionalism, which z. B. assumes the unprovable free will because it is necessary for living together.

Fictionalism of morality (metaethics)

The life philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche advocates a fictionalism, especially with regard to morality. Overall, he places philosophy under the primacy of life. Knowledge must primarily serve life and life affirmation. Illusions are also welcome. In order to console himself over the horrors of existence, man needs the beautiful appearance of art. Likewise, to act it is necessary to be “veiled by the illusion”.

Modern variants of metaethical fictionalism are represented by Richard Joyce , Mark Kalderon , Daniel Nolan , Greg Restall, and Caroline West .

Fictionalism in the Philosophy of Religion

Voltaire's bon mot "if God did not exist it would be necessary to invent him" can be described as fictionalism in relation to theism .

The American pragmatist and religious philosopher William James advocates a religious fictionalism. A religious philosophy of "as if" can be found in Heinrich Scholz .

Fictionalism in Philosophy of Science

Pierre Duhem has shown that in the premodern period fictionalism was widespread in describing astronomical phenomena and that in astronomy scholasticism was the predominant mode of thinking. Edward Grant has confirmed this for the time before Nicolaus Copernicus .

Bas van Fraassen advocates a general fictionalism with regard to scientific theories.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ See Eklund
  2. ↑ Cf. Arnold Kowalewski: Approaches to fictionalism in Schopenhauer, in: Annalen der Philosophie and philosophical criticism (Leipzig), 1919; Vol. 1, pp. 518-595.
  3. ↑ Cf. u. a. Hans Vaihinger: Philosophy of the As If; 1911; For more information on Vaihinger, see Hans Vaihinger # Literatur .
  4. ↑ See Arthur Fine : Fictionalism , Midwest Studies in Philosophy, 18 (1993), 1-18.
  5. ↑ Cf. for example Friedrich Nietzsche: The Birth of Tragedy, 1872; DelNegro, Walter: The role of fictions in the epistemology of Friedrich Nietzsche; Munich 1923; Heintel, Erich: Reality, Truth and Value in Nietzsche; Vienna 1935; Nadeem Hussain: Honest Illusion: Valuing for Nietzsche's Free Spirits , in Brian Leiter , N. Sinhababu (ed.): Nietzsche and Morality , Oxford: Oxford University Press 2007
  6. ↑ For example with Eklund
  7. ↑ Cf. William James: The will to believe, German by Dr. Th. Lorenz; 1899 (English: The Will to Believe - 1897)
  8. ↑ Le Système du Monde ; histoire des doctrines cosmologiques de Platon à Copernic, Paris: A. Hermann 1913, engl. Translated to Save the Phenomena : An Essay on the Idea of ​​Physical Theory from Plato to Galileo, Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1969.
  9. ↑ u. a. in Late Medieval Thought, Copernicus, and the Scientific Revolution , in: Journal of the History of Ideas 23 (1962), 197-220; Scientific Imagination in the Middle Ages , Perspectives on Science 12/4 (2004), 394-423; see. also Benjamin Nelson: The Early Modern Revolution in Science and Philosophy: Fictionalism, Fideism and Catholic 'Prophetism , in: RS Cohen / M. Wartofsky (eds.): Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science , Dordrecht 1968, 1-40

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