Comfort Quote by Willard Van Orman Quine
“Some may find comfort in reflecting that the distinction between an eliminative and an explicative physicalism is unreal.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophical Essay: "Word and Object", 1960
The line between eliminating and explaining phenomena in physicalism is not meaningful; both approaches converge on the same reality.
In simple terms: Distinctions in physicalism are often illusory.
Key Takeaway
Focus on practical implications rather than labels.
Themes
philosophy
physics
ontology
language
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
theoretical
academic
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- science education
- public philosophy discussions
- interdisciplinary research
Key Concepts
physicalism
eliminativism
explicativism
semantic theory
Questions to Reflect On
- Do these labels affect how we conduct science?
- Can we ignore the distinction without loss?
A Different Perspective
Complex terminology may alienate non‑specialists.
![“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)
