Topics Philosophy

Question Can you explain to me what is considered to be a "philosophical error"? How different is it from any other error in the common/simple world? And what are the bases under which something is considered as 'philosophical' error, as oposed to a 'regular/normal' error?

Accepted:
February 5, 2007

Comments

A fascinating question. In defining philosophical error, we are venturingclose to trying to define philosophy itself -- and about that there is littleagreement! So, I’m going to try to avoid answering your question in such away as to assume an answer to that other one.

This time of year, my thoughts turn to the marking of student philosophyessays. It's worth remembering that not all errors in philosophy essays aredistinctively philosophical in some way. There are factual errors about historyor language; errors of understanding or exposition; errors of reasoning. Thesecould be errors in a science paper, a history paper or whatever. In fact, I'mhaving trouble thinking of any type of error that could not be re-categorisedadequately in one of these ways. The best I can do are something like anerror of omission. For example, where an opportunity is missed to draw andinteresting conclusion, or make a fruitful connection to some other idea. To besure, such errors are also common in other disciplines. However, interestingly,an error of this type in one discipline would not necessarily be an error inanother. So, in that sense, a failure to recognise that Kant's argument HEREcan productively be considered a modification of Leibniz's argument THERE,would be a distinctively philosophical error.

Question Can you explain to me what is considered to be a "philosophical error"? How different is it from any other error in the common/simple world? And what are the bases under which something is considered as 'philosophical' error, as oposed to a 'regular/normal' error? Accepted:February 5, 2007