Hempel's dilemma

Hempel's dilemma is a question first asked (at least on record) by the philosopher Carl Hempel.^[1] It has relevance to naturalism and physicalism in philosophy, and to philosophy of mind.

The dilemma questions how the language of physics can be used to accurately describe existence, given that it relies on imperfect human linguistics, or as Hempel stated: "The thesis of physicalism would seem to require a language in which a true theory of all physical phenomena can be formulated. But it is quite unclear what is to be understood here by a physical phenomenon, especially in the context of a doctrine that has taken a decidedly linguistic turn."^[2]

^ Hempel, Carl Gustav (1969), "Reduction: Ontological and linguistic facets", in S. Morgenbesser; P. Suppes; M. White (eds.), Philosophy, Science, and Method: Essays in Honor of Ernest Nagel, New York: St. Martin's Press, pp. 179–199
^ Hempel, C. 1980, Comments on Goodman’s Ways of Worldmaking, Synthese, 45: 139-199

[Hempel-1] Hempel, Carl Gustav (1969), "Reduction: Ontological and linguistic facets", in S. Morgenbesser; P. Suppes; M. White (eds.), Philosophy, Science, and Method: Essays in Honor of Ernest Nagel, New York: St. Martin's Press, pp. 179–199

[2] Hempel, C. 1980, Comments on Goodman’s Ways of Worldmaking, Synthese, 45: 139-199

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