Commensurability 5.0

Key concept: commensurability
Dictionary Definition: measurability by a common standard (Based on definition of "commensurable" in WordNet 2.0.)
Substantive Account: of a claim, measurability of its truth or falsity by a common standard that falls along a continuum of degrees, or levels, of conduciveness to non-coercive agreement. I distinguish the following four levels:

Level 1

Keyword: Commonality. UPDATE 2014/12/28: Could also be triviality.
Necessary and sufficient condition:
  • Pre-existing agreement about truth or falsity of claim.
Examples: "The Pope is Catholic" is at level 1 because of pre-existing agreement of its truth. "The moon is made of green cheese" is at level 1 because of pre-existing agreement of its falsity. Additionally, non-trivial claims can be at level 1 relative to a particular discussion. For example, assumptions made in a scientific paradigm are at level 1 relative to all who share that paradigm.

Level 2

Keyword: Agreeability.
Necessary and sufficient conditions:
  • Not at level 1
  • Possibility in principle of non-coercive agreement about truth or falsity of claim through commonality of relatively foundational assumptions.
Examples: The hypotheses and theories of science, by definition.

Level 3

Keyword: Respectability.
Necessary and sufficient conditions:
  • Not at level 2.
  • Possibility exists in principle of developing cogent arguments for or against claim.
Examples: Typically, the claims of philosophy.

Level 4

Keyword: Appreciability.
Necessary and sufficient conditions:
  • Not at level 3
  • Possibility exists in principle of achieving a sympathetic understanding of why someone would want to hold that view.
Examples: Richard Rorty's (probably too weak) notion of philosophy as an 'open conversation' (1980, pp.389-90). Most polite conversation, where the emphasis is not on intellectual rigour. UPDATE 2014/12/28: Though this would be controversial, religion.

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