Sam Cowling's guest appearances

Sam Cowling

New Books in Philosophy

New Books Network

New Books in Politics & Society

Alfred Moore

Susanna Siegel

Edouard Machery

Bongrae Seok

David Rondel

Justin Snedegar

Carl Gillett

Benjamin Hale

Fred Feldman

Ryan Muldoon

Ron Mallon

Menachem Fisch

Eric Winsberg

Kieran Setiya

Karen Neander

OwlTail

Here’s a true sentence: The number seven is odd. What’s philosophically odd about the sentence is that it seems to imply that there must be numbers, including the number seven just as the truth of The Statue of Liberty is in New York implies that there is such a statue. But the number seven, unlike the statue, isn’t located anywhere, and we can’t see it or touch it. It is, Plato argued long ago, an abstract entity. But should we think reality includes abstract entities? In his deftly written critical survey Abstract Entities (Routledge, 2017), Sam Cowling provides a sophisticated discussion of what abstract (as opposed to concrete) entities might be, what reasons we have for thinking they exist, and how we might explain mathematical, scientific, and other truths, and our knowledge of such truths, if we don’t think they do. Cowling’s book is an excellent introduction to a fundamental metaphysical debate that brings together main arguments and raises new issues for both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/philosophy

Here’s a true sentence: The number seven is odd. What’s philosophically odd about the sentence is that it seems to imply that there must be numbers, including the number seven just as the truth of The Statue of Liberty is in New York implies that there is such a statue. But the number seven, unlike the statue, isn’t located anywhere, and we can’t see it or touch it. It is, Plato argued long ago, an abstract entity. But should we think reality includes abstract entities? In his deftly written critical survey <a href="http://aax-us-east.amazon-adsystem.com/x/c/QhTn1lZP3rgEkwfBORY8UpMAAAFg_APEBQEAAAFKAfTWJFs/http://www.amazon.com/dp/1138827592/ref=as_at?creativeASIN=1138827592&amp;linkCode=w61&amp;imprToken=N.XWWW02zjC1X4aBU-I3.w&amp;slotNum=0&amp;tag=newbooinhis-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abstract Entities</a> (Routledge, 2017), <a href="http://personal.denison.edu/~cowlings/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sam Cowling</a> provides a sophisticated discussion of what abstract (as opposed to concrete) entities might be, what reasons we have for thinking they exist, and how we might explain mathematical, scientific, and other truths, and our knowledge of such truths, if we don’t think they do. Cowling’s book is an excellent introduction to a fundamental metaphysical debate that brings together main arguments and raises new issues for both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>Support our show by becoming a premium member! <a href="https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/philosophy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/philosophy</a>

Sam Cowling, “Abstract Entities” (Routledge, 2017)

Here’s a true sentence: The number seven is odd. What’s philosophically odd about the sentence is that it seems to imply that there must be numbers, including the number seven just as the truth of The Statue of Liberty is…