Accounts Quote by Willard Van Orman Quine
![“Just as the introduction of the irrational numbers ... is a convenient myth [which] simplifies the laws of arithmetic ... so physical objects are postulated entities which round out and simplify our account of the flux of existence... The conceptional scheme of physical objects is [likewise] a…” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da9/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_accounts_just-as-the-introduction-of-the-irration_3191599.jpg)
“Just as the introduction of the irrational numbers ... is a convenient myth [which] simplifies the laws of arithmetic ... so physical objects are postulated entities which round out and simplify our account of the flux of existence... The conceptional scheme of physical objects is [likewise] a convenient myth, simpler than the literal truth and yet containing that literal truth as a scattered part.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Word and Object by Willard Van Orman Quine, 1960
Physical objects are conceptual shortcuts that simplify complex reality, much like myths that help us manage abstract ideas.
In simple terms: Physical objects are simplifying myths.
Key Takeaway
Recognize simplifications and question their limits.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
metaphysics
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- scientific modeling
- everyday reasoning
- teaching physics
Key Concepts
conceptual abstraction
mythmaking
reductionism
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions do we accept as convenient myths?
- When do simplifications become misleading?
A Different Perspective
Simplifications can obscure important nuances.
![“Some have said that the thesis [of indeterminacy] is a consequence of my behaviorism. Some have said that it is a reductio ad absurdum of my behaviorism. I disagree with this second point, but I agree with the first. I hold further that the behaviorism approach is mandatory. In psychology one may…” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e0/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_ads_some-have-said-that-the-thesis-of-indete_315688.jpg)
