Quote by W.V.O. Quine
Physical objects are conceptually imported into the situation as convenient intermediaries not by definition in terms of experience, but simply as irreducible posits comparable, epistemologically, to the gods of Homer . . . For my part I do, qua lay physicist, believe in physical objects and not in Homer's gods; and I consider it a scientific error to believe otherwise. But in point of epistemological footing, the physical objects and the gods differ only in degree and not in kind. Both sorts of entities enter our conceptions only as cultural posits.
Summary
In this quote, the author argues that physical objects, like those studied by physicists, are introduced into our understanding of the world as convenient tools rather than being defined solely by our personal experiences. This introduction of physical objects is likened to the way gods were seen by Homer in ancient mythology. Although the author believes in physical objects as a scientist, they view this belief as a scientific one, not as a fundamentally different type of belief than belief in gods. Both physical objects and gods are seen as cultural constructs that help us make sense of the world.
By W.V.O. Quine
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