--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How are we to adjudicate among rival…" description: "\"How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly the answer is not provided by the semantical formula \"To be is to be the value of a variable..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg" --- # How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly… ![“How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly the answer is not provided by the semantical formula "To be is to be the value of a variable"; this formula serves rather, conversely, in testing the conformity of a given remark or doctrine to a prior ontological standard.” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg) > “How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly the answer is not provided by the semantical formula "To be is to be the value of a variable"; this formula serves rather, conversely, in testing the conformity of a given remark or doctrine to a prior ontological standard.” [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ontological disputes require standards beyond mere definitions; testing conformity to a prior framework reveals deeper commitments. **In simple terms:** We need standards to judge different worldviews. Key Takeaway Use criteria to evaluate philosophical claims. Themes ontology philosophy logic Mood analytical critical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - academic debate - policy analysis - ethical reasoning - theoretical research Key Concepts semantic theory epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide ontological judgments? - Can standards be truly neutral? A Different Perspective Rigid standards may stifle novel perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Ontological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ontological-277311/) [Ontological Standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ontological-standard-4231024/) [Ontology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ontology/) [Prior Ontological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prior-ontological-4231021/) [Remarks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remarks/) [Rival Ontologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rival-ontologies-4231023/) [Rivals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivals/) [Semantical Formula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/semantical-formula-4231022/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Te Amo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/te-amo/) [Testing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testing/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Variables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variables/) ## Related quotes > [The variables of quantification, 'something,' 'nothing,' 'everything,' range over our whole ontology, whatever it may be; and we are convicted of a particular ontological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-variables-of-quantification-something-nothing-everything-range/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Bohm's 'ontological interpretation' was so called because of the bad rap the word 'ontology' has had in our correlationist age. As a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-morton/bohm-s-ontological-interpretation-was-so-called-because-of-the-bad/) [Timothy Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-morton/) > [“Our conduct of the ontological investigation in the first and second parts opens up for us at the same time a view of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/our-conduct-of-the-ontological-investigation-in-the-first-and-second/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [English general and singular terms, identity, quantification, and the whole bag of ontological tricks may be correlated with elements of the native language in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/english-general-and-singular-terms-identity-quantification-and-the/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Our acceptance of an ontology is, I think, similar in principle to our acceptance of a scientific theory, say a system of physics;we adopt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/our-acceptance-of-an-ontology-is-i-think-similar-in-principle-to-our/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [“The ontological person is the person as such. The empiriological person is the ontological person as he manifests himself through his acts, powers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-warkulwiz/the-ontological-person-is-the-person-as-such-the-empiriological/) [Victor Warkulwiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-warkulwiz/) > [Amazing fine tuning occurs in the laws that make this complexity possible. Realization of the complexity of what is accomplished makes it very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-f-r-ellis/amazing-fine-tuning-occurs-in-the-laws-that-make-this-complexity/) [George F. R. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-f-r-ellis/) > [I don't know what ontological means... I barely graduated high school, and I have never heard that word in conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-don-t-know-what-ontological-means-i-barely-graduated-high-school/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [When it comes to the real operational issues that govern our understanding of physical reality, ontological definitions of classical philosophers are, in my opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/when-it-comes-to-the-real-operational-issues-that-govern-our/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [From now on, I'm opting for ontological terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/from-now-on-i-m-opting-for-ontological-terrorism/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Great God in Boots! – the ontological argument is sound!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/great-god-in-boots-the-ontological-argument-is-sound/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Without the ontological assumption which goes with it, what is called science, is nothing but the dreamer's well-ordered dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-trumbull-ladd/without-the-ontological-assumption-which-goes-with-it-what-is-called/) [George Trumbull Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-trumbull-ladd/) > [Ontological questions are generally beside the point, hardly more than a form of harassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/ontological-questions-are-generally-beside-the-point-hardly-more-than/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The claim that there cannot be an infinite regress of contingent ontological causes raises a truly difficult challenge to pure materialism; but to imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bentley-hart/the-claim-that-there-cannot-be-an-infinite-regress-of-contingent/) [David Bentley Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bentley-hart/) > [“Oh, just some crap about the essential paradox of man: How we refuse to juxtapose the absolute to the relative, and some other some-such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/oh-just-some-crap-about-the-essential-paradox-of-man-how-we-refuse-to/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) ## More by Willard Van Orman Quine > [It is one of the consolations of philosophy that the benefit of showing how to dispense with a concept does not hinge on dispensing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/it-is-one-of-the-consolations-of-philosophy-that-the-benefit-of/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Theory may be deliberate, as in a chapter on chemistry, or it may be second nature, as in the immemorial doctrine of ordinary enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/theory-may-be-deliberate-as-in-a-chapter-on-chemistry-or-it-may-be/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The line that I am urging as today's conventional wisdom is not a denial of consciousness. It is often called, with more reason, arepudiation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-line-that-i-am-urging-as-today-s-conventional-wisdom-is-not-a/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Our talk of external things, our very notion of things, is just a conceptual apparatus that helps us to foresee and control the triggerings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/our-talk-of-external-things-our-very-notion-of-things-is-just-a/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The mastery of one's phonemes may be compared to the violinist's mastery of fingering. The violin string lends itself to a continuous gradation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-mastery-of-one-s-phonemes-may-be-compared-to-the-violinist-s/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [“Believing is a disposition. We could tire ourselves out thinking, if we put our minds to it, but believing takes no toll.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/believing-is-a-disposition-we-could-tire-ourselves-out-thinking-if-we/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The strategy of semantic ascent is that it carries the discussion into a domain where both parties are better agreed on the objects (viz.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-strategy-of-semantic-ascent-is-that-it-carries-the-discussion/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Scientific method is the way to truth, but it affords, even in principle, no unique definition of truth. Any so-called pragmatic definition of truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/scientific-method-is-the-way-to-truth-but-it-affords-even-in/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [ Some have said that the thesis \[of indeterminacy\] is a consequence of my behaviorism. Some have said that it is a reductio ad absurdum… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/some-have-said-that-the-thesis-of-indeterminacy-is-a-consequence-of/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Some may find comfort in reflecting that the distinction between an eliminative and an explicative physicalism is unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/some-may-find-comfort-in-reflecting-that-the-distinction-between-an/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [We must not leap to the fatalistic conclusion that we are stuck with the conceptual scheme that we grew up in. We can change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/we-must-not-leap-to-the-fatalistic-conclusion-that-we-are-stuck-with/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The word 'definition' has come to have a dangerously reassuring sound, owing no doubt to its frequent occurrence in logical and mathematical writings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-word-definition-has-come-to-have-a-dangerously-reassuring-sound/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Logic chases truth up the tree of grammar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/logic-chases-truth-up-the-tree-of-grammar/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [Science is not a substitute for common sense, but an extension of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/science-is-not-a-substitute-for-common-sense-but-an-extension-of-it/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) > [The variables of quantification, 'something,' 'nothing,' 'everything,' range over our whole ontology, whatever it may be; and we are convicted of a particular ontological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/the-variables-of-quantification-something-nothing-everything-range/) [Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) [Explore all 67 Willard Van Orman Quine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly the answer is not provided by the semantical formula \"To be is to be the value of a variable\"; this formula serves rather, conversely, in testing the conformity of a given remark or doctrine to a prior ontological standard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ontologies-certainly-the-answer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ontologies-certainly-the-answer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_answers_how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ont_2106279.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How are we to adjudicate among rival ontologies? Certainly the answer is not provided by the semantical…” — Willard Van Orman Quine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Willard Van Orman Quine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-van-orman-quine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How are we to adjudicate among...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ontologies-certainly-the-answer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-van-orman-quine/how-are-we-to-adjudicate-among-rival-ontologies-certainly-the-answer/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```