The Sting of Negativity and Its Cure.

Filippo Casati (Lehigh University)

In recent years, Irad Kimhi, Michael Della Rocca and Anton Koch articulated three new solutions to the so-called Parmenidean Puzzle. To begin with, I will present this puzzle, and summarize Kimhi's and Della Rocca's solutions. After arguing that such solutions appear to be inconsistent with each other, I will discuss Koch's approach to the Parmenidean Puzzle and show that, if deemed to be correct, his approach can accommodate both Kimhi's and Della Rocca's solutions.  I will also show that, in developing his approach, Koch reaches what he calls 'the singularity of thinking and being' and, in so doing, he committees himself to what he labels 'the antinomy of negation'. To conclude, I will argue that Koch's engagement with such an antinomy leads him to face some important issues, and I will suggest that he could overcome them by appealing to paraconsistent logic and dialetheism. In other words, I will argue that, given his approach to the Parmenidean Puzzle, Koch would be better off admitting that 'the singularity of thinking and being' forces us to face the truth of 'the antinomy of negation'.   

Zoom link for participation: https://cuhk.zoom.us/j/97418441588?pwd=UGVFam9qNUFFUG1sVTVrZVEvak9Gdz09