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11/15/2016 12:59 am  #1


EJ Lowe and Dependence

EJ Lowe in his paper on the ontological argument argues that all material things are dependent by using the example of an electron which is postulated to be the most fundamental level of physics so far, and says it is dependent on space permeating fields. Lowe is saying here I think, that if the most fundamental material thing is contingent, then all material things are contingent correct? And if so does he articulate a general principle to argue for the dependency of material things in general?

Lowe also states time is dependent on concrete individuals existing through time. With regards to space under his view could space also be said to be dependent on concrete individual things existing in space? If not then how would under Lowe's position space be taken to be dependent as in his paper in on the ontological argument he argues an immaterial thing is what can be said to be truly independent  which for me looks like he also does not take space to be independent as immaterial things are not tied to space.

 

11/16/2016 11:34 am  #2


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

It's worth distinguishing between relationalism and substantivalism about space. Relationalism construes space as relations (e.g. to the left of and distance relations); substantivalism construes it as a substance that can exist independently of the entities located in it.

Lowe also states time is dependent on concrete individuals existing through time. With regards to space under his view could space also be said to be dependent on concrete individual things existing in space?

I don't think so. Lowe could say that if he were a relationalist about space. Then the relations constituting space would depend on their relata*. He, however, explicitly denies the existence of all relations (see here). He thinks space is a simple, extended substance. So, he seems to allow that even if nothing existed in space, space could exist.

*If, for example, Bill is two feet from Hillary, the two feet from relation-instance depends on Bill and Hillary to exist.

Last edited by John West (11/16/2016 12:10 pm)

 

11/16/2016 12:26 pm  #3


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

This discussion on the necessity of space-time may also wild some interest: http://christian-agnostic.blogspot.ca/2015/11/are-space-and-time-necessary.html

     Thread Starter
 

11/16/2016 5:18 pm  #4


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

AKG wrote:

This discussion on the necessity of space-time may also wild some interest: http://christian-agnostic.blogspot.ca/2015/11/are-space-and-time-necessary.html

I only skimmed the article. It's, however, probably worth noting that the questions of dependency and contingency are distinct (see comments five, six, seven, eight, and nine, here).

 

11/18/2016 10:38 am  #5


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

Ed has a nice article on "existential inertia", which ties into all this, here. It's the fifth essay here. You should check it out.

 

11/25/2016 4:00 pm  #6


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

Hey John, do you agree with Feser or Bill on this case? Matter of fact, what do you think about his articles on the existence of God in general? i've sort of found Bill's commentary on cosmological arguments quite interesting in regards to how he thinks that we ultimately can't prove or disprove the existence of God, which many here will obviously disagree with (probably myself included). It probably makes sense why he considers himself an ultimist and possibly even a panentheist in light of the recent articles he has posted regarding that topic.

 

11/25/2016 4:25 pm  #7


Re: EJ Lowe and Dependence

884heid wrote:

Hey John, do you agree with Feser or Bill on this case? Matter of fact, what do you think about his articles on the existence of God in general?

I haven't spent enough time with the Five Ways to give a responsible answer right now.

(It's probably worth flagging that Ed and Bill would agree that everything is “dependently contingent” on God, though.)

 

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