# What are Indexicals?



## RamistThomist (Jun 15, 2007)

I see this in philosophy terms. What is it? I think it might have something to do with time. I saw it in this book review of Bill Craig's book on God and Time.



> The nub of Craig’s issue with the traditional view seems to be contained in these two problems:
> 
> 1. Indexical propositions, and God’s knowledge thereof.
> 2. Even “Cambridge change” is still change, so if God relates to a world that changes, then God must change.


----------



## VictorBravo (Jun 16, 2007)

Index is something that points. Indexical is having the condition of pointing.

So an indexical proposition is something that points, usually to a state of being or condition. 

The word "you" points to you, but if you use the same word, it points to me. So its meaning changes with the context. A more complex example is the proposition "I am fast." If this is true, then you couldn't necessarily say the identical proposition, you'd have to say "you are fast."

I think the issue in your example has to do with God's knowledge of propositions. If "I am fast" is true, it means something different if I say it and if God says it. So it is not the same proposition.


----------



## Brian Bosse (Jun 16, 2007)

There are some philosophers who have argued that propositions using indexicals of time - "I am typing a post right now" - are propositions a god outside of time cannot know. Also, some would argue that unless there was some type of direct identity between God and me, then He cannot know the proposition "I am typing a post right now." As such, some philosophers have used indexicals to argue against God's omniscience. 

Brian


----------

