>>> Propositions are in the same category as sentences, as far as their dependency on representation is concerned.
>> What evidence do you have of this being the case?
> Well, the thought experiment that followed?
The thought experiment was scientific evidence?
> My point is not that the content of the concept depends on how it is represented, but that the existence of the concept depends on the concept being represented.
Ah, well I am referring to the proposition as the content of the concept, and the content of the concept as not being dependent on its representation conceptually or syntactically. How something is conceptualized in the mind is not of current concern for my position.
> You mean you could evaluate "1 < 2" to "true" using the Peano axioms ... without representing the Peano axioms anywhere? Doing an immaterial computation? I am not sure I have any concept of what you are trying to construct here.
No, 'you' and 'evaluate/compute' is not in the picture. I can do an evaluation, and that would require representation, but my evaluation is to find that it is true, not to make it true. I agree that immaterial computation is not possible, but computation is not what is being discussed. Do you think that the statement "'1 < 2' is true under the Peano axioms" is dependent on something material?
> It's kinda unfortunate that you used "exist" in defining "objective reality", which was supposed to define "exist" ... ?!
Well its not my definition. Is there a definition that satisfies you that I could consider co-opting?
> ... "exist" is a pretty ambiguous word ...
Hmmm, interesting. I hadn't thought that it might be ambiguous. Why do you think it's ambiguous?
> ... to make sure we aren't running into any equivocation where ["exists" is] used with two different meanings in different places in the argument.
Well, if it is any consolation, you may note that I use "exists" in only one phrase that is used three times: "The potential for the universe being in a different state actually exists".
>> B) The universe can change states.
> I see quite a few potential flaws in that whole argument, but I think I'll start with this one:
> How do you know that, if not as a result of the scientific observation of the physical process of the universe changing states? Or am I misunderstanding your claim here?
That "the universe can change states" is known by observation.
>> Right/Good behavior is an act which is in accordance with what God wills.
>> Wrong/Bad behavior is and act which is not in accordance with what God wills.
> OK ... so, under that definition(!!!): Why should I, or anyone, care about morality?
Define "should".
The thought experiment was scientific evidence?
> My point is not that the content of the concept depends on how it is represented, but that the existence of the concept depends on the concept being represented.
Ah, well I am referring to the proposition as the content of the concept, and the content of the concept as not being dependent on its representation conceptually or syntactically. How something is conceptualized in the mind is not of current concern for my position.
> You mean you could evaluate "1 < 2" to "true" using the Peano axioms ... without representing the Peano axioms anywhere? Doing an immaterial computation? I am not sure I have any concept of what you are trying to construct here.
No, 'you' and 'evaluate/compute' is not in the picture. I can do an evaluation, and that would require representation, but my evaluation is to find that it is true, not to make it true. I agree that immaterial computation is not possible, but computation is not what is being discussed. Do you think that the statement "'1 < 2' is true under the Peano axioms" is dependent on something material?
> It's kinda unfortunate that you used "exist" in defining "objective reality", which was supposed to define "exist" ... ?!
Well its not my definition. Is there a definition that satisfies you that I could consider co-opting?
> ... "exist" is a pretty ambiguous word ...
Hmmm, interesting. I hadn't thought that it might be ambiguous. Why do you think it's ambiguous?
> ... to make sure we aren't running into any equivocation where ["exists" is] used with two different meanings in different places in the argument.
Well, if it is any consolation, you may note that I use "exists" in only one phrase that is used three times: "The potential for the universe being in a different state actually exists".
>> B) The universe can change states.
> I see quite a few potential flaws in that whole argument, but I think I'll start with this one:
> How do you know that, if not as a result of the scientific observation of the physical process of the universe changing states? Or am I misunderstanding your claim here?
That "the universe can change states" is known by observation.
>> Right/Good behavior is an act which is in accordance with what God wills.
>> Wrong/Bad behavior is and act which is not in accordance with what God wills.
> OK ... so, under that definition(!!!): Why should I, or anyone, care about morality?
Define "should".