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Is this Quentin Meillassoux's argument?

 
 
Reply Thu 11 Jun, 2020 07:57 am
Philosophy enthusiast here.

I read After Finitude but could not understand it fully.

This is what I gather his argument is.

Q:
How do we know absolute reality exists?
E.g How do we know tennis balls actually exists?
A:
a. It's wrong to ask whether stuff exist?
b. What is more paramount is that possibilities (Contingencies ?) exist.
c. It's possible that tennis balls can get destroyed by fire etc. i.e. possibility
d. Since possibilities exist for sure (how do we know this for sure?), the things that make up those possibilities (i.e tennis balls) have to exist.
e. So stuff (tennis balls) exist.

Is this his argument??

On face-value this looks circular reasoning because one cannot think of "possibilities" without thinking about the stuff that make up those possibilities. I.e You cannot think of tennis balls getting destroyed by fire without thinking about tennis balls. So it's circular reasoning which is wrong.

Is this what Quentin Meillassoux's argument or have I got it all wrong??
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Olivier5
 
  1  
Reply Fri 12 Jun, 2020 03:09 am
@francis20520,
Welcome to a2k. I don't know him. It does sound quite ridiculous, the way you present it.
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Leadfoot
 
  1  
Reply Sat 13 Jun, 2020 09:23 am
@francis20520,
If the first Item in the answer you gave is actually an answer he gave rather than a question, it is not circular at all.
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mark noble
 
  1  
Reply Wed 17 Jun, 2020 08:10 am
@francis20520,
This question has been debated for 2.5k (Recorded) yrs - The answer is -
Nobody knows what 'reality' is - Because it is 'subjectively' observed.
Have a Lovely Day
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