The Web of BeliefThe Web of Belief provides a philosophical base for the study and practice of the art of argumentation. Stressing the importance of language in understanding and expressing ideas, the authors explore such questions as: What concepts do we believe to be true and why? And how can we convince others to accept our own beliefs? Drawing on everyday problems of communication, creative exercises give the student practice in formulating and testing his own arguments, as well as those of others. -- |
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absurd accept already analogy axioms Babbitt basic believe true boiling Cabot called causal chains cause Chapter claim confirmation conflict conservatism count credibility curves depends doctrines Einstein's emeralds are green event evidence example expect experience explanation false favorable further gain grue happens headache hypothe hypothesis imply induction instance intuition J. J. C. Smart knowledge language lawlike learning less limiting principles Logical implication logical particles logical truth mathematics mechanism Michelson-Morley experiment modesty moon moral Nelson Goodman Newton's objects observation sentences ostension perhaps person philosophical physicist physics plausible pothesis prediction projectible proof procedure purpose Pythagorean theorem question reason reports rules of inference scientific scientists self-evident steps self-evident truths sense set theory similar simplicity someone speaker steady-state theory strategy suppose sweet pickles system of beliefs tence testimony theorem things tides tion tive traits valid logical form Virtue W. V. Quine words