On ''what there is''


The question looks ''philosophical'' in the sense of ''what exist?''. In the old terminology ''ontology question''.
The modern formulation (by Quine) is: ''what are the values of your variables''? In our hobby ''what are
the new available components''?  Can one person know what are available components? Obviously not
but we have ''collective knowledge''. Each contribution is welcome. Like in science. But like in science there
are individuals with special contributions. Raul with his MM contributions and his ''successor'' chakster
with his contributions about ''both kinds'': MC's and MM's. Despite his ''modest means''. I think we should
be thankful to have such individuals.
128x128nandric
I read some of the works referenced in this thread. Well over my head. 

Where does the thing we refer to as our ‘spirit’ originate? That always puzzles me.
The French ''enlightenment'' is understood in some countries
as ''well-read'' in contraposition to ''poorly educated''. This
explains high expectation from ''literature'' to explain the
world. Hence ''tell me what you read and I shell tell you who
you are!'' So we got ''scientist'' after their typewriters in their
study fantasizing  about  the world. There were ''readers clubs''
everywhere were newest books were discussed. The members
consider themselves  as ''elite''. So, for example, in Germany everybody knew who Goethe and Hegel was/is but hardly any
who Frege the father of modern logic is. He is, mirabile dictu,
better known in USA than Germany. So if one want to study
Frege he should first learn English. 





So now we know it is possible to claim fluency in 4 languages yet completely misunderstand and denigrate a pertinent comment made in English... wtf has this got to do with music and its associated sound reproduction equipment?
Gavagai and mathematics. By putting ''theory of meaning''
against ''theory of reference'' Quine constructed his Gavagai
as ''unclear reference''. But the ''background'' is what kinds
of objects or entities ''the numbers are'' . Frege had no difficulty
to see them as ''objects''. But his definition was ''extension of
 terms or concepts''. Aka ''any object that is extension of some
concept''. Actually ''sets'', ''properties'' and '' classes'' are
logically ''the same'' because all assume ''members''. Hence
''set theoretic'' reduction of complexity.