Are There Numbers? - Peter van Inwagen & William Lane Craig | EPS 2023

Evangelical Philosophical Society Panel: Are There Numbers?
Part one of this panel discussion features opening precis from Peter Van Inwagen and William Lane Craig.
Parts two and three will include the respondents, replies to respondents, and audience Q&A.
Respondents:
Kenneth Boyce
Thomas Ward
Robert Koons
Moderator:
Mitch Stokes
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[@JohnHanly]

Whoa, I can see where Dr. Craig could have a budding, 2nd career in philosophical hip-hop 🤣

[@DerMelodist]

There once was a doctor named Bill, A metaphysician who'd kill Ontological commitment Of Plato's existent Numbers and sets with such skill.

[@blakejohnson1264]

😂👌

[@minor00]

I love WLC's ending haha What a jovial addition

[@blakejohnson1264]

I love Bill Craig man😂 the ending was hilarious

[@Mentat1231]

When can we have the rest?!?

[@SNUGandSESOR]

Does either author offer a definition of "to exist?" I would say that the best definition is that "something exists if and only if it has causal efficacy." Both Craig and van Inwagen seem to agree that abstract objects do not have causal efficacy. So, problem solved! I guess van Inwagen would have to disagree with the definition of existence that I offered, but I'm not sure what he would counter with 🤔

[@Mentat1231]

I guess the hard thing is picking a definition that satisfies all we want from the word. For example, if I say "my definition of existence is that things exist only if they are alive", the main objection is going to be counter-examples of non-living things. Likewise, the objection someone like van Inwagen would have to your definition is counter-examples like numbers.

[@zgobermn6895]

Craig, in his closing, managed to bring down to earth such a head spinning discussion. Nice touch 😇

[@KeepsLearning]

Do irrational numbers like pi exist?

[@ReasonableFaithOrg]

Dr. Craig is an anti-realist regarding all abstract objects, so he would say that irrational numbers like pi do not exist, nor do any other numbers. But he clarifies that we can still make true statements using numbers in propositions. It's just that using them doesn't commit us to their existence. - RF Admin

[@Caution2TheWind1]

This was so fun and carefree. I’m encouraged to see that the representatives of each view did not feel defensive or spiteful in front of an audience

[@MiladTabasy]

Everything whether abstract or concrete, mental or physical is made of "One". One as the multiplication factor of everything shows its relevance to them and as the division factor of everything shows its independence from things. To have a better understanding of "One" we can analyze the term "is". This being or isness is a common essence uniting everything. We can say " matter is", "soul is", " time is", "abstract is", " concrete is" etc.