Donald Davidson is a famous and respected philosopher who put forward a philosophical theory about the relation of mind and matter which he called "anomalous monism". The theory states that mental events are identical with physical events, that physical events are governed by deterministic laws, but that events as described in mentalistic words do not fall under laws.

In giving his theory this name, Davidson tells us the meaning of the word "anomalous". He writes "anomaly (failure to fall under a law)". Contrast "nomological" (a word he also uses a lot) which means "law-like", "falling under laws", coming from the Greek word "nomos", a law.

However, this is just a mistake. The word "anomaly" has no relation whatever to the word "nomos". It is derived from "an-homalos" (not smooth), and could be applied, for instance, to an irregularity in an otherwise smooth surface. I say nothing here about whether this is an important mistake or not. Just that it is one.



GO BACK