| We Can’t Stop Doing Metaphysics (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“We Can’t Stop Doing Metaphysics” Music by Kris McDaniel/Ben Bradley with vocal harmonies by Carrie Jenkins. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel. Ben Bradley — keyboards, electric guitar Carrie Jenkins — vocals Kris McDaniel — vocals, electric guitar, keyboards Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris and Ben’s parts were recorded by Kris and Ben in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
Please Oh Please And you cried and you cried There’s something shaky about this whole enterprise You know we’ve heard it all before Every generation or so Someone new comes along To tell us what we’ve been doing wrong But it’s getting hard to take them seriously Because it’s always a different theory It’s always a different theory But you cried Please stop Please stop doing metaphysics Please oh please stop We can’t stop doing metaphysics We can’t stop, we can’t stop, we can’t stop Doing metaphysics You can try with all your might But F. H. Bradley had it right It’s something you can try to disown But you’ve a metaphysic all your own So tell me, what’s the nature of the defect Of the metaphysical project? Is it semantic? epistemological? I suppose a Heideggerian would say its onto-theological To science are we insufficiently deferential? Was our point of view too ahistorical? Are our debates shallow, no more than merely verbal? So many worries But they’re all so blurry | ||


| 1. The G. E. Moore Shift (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“The G.E. Moore Shift” Music by Kris McDaniel/Ben Bradley. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel/Carrie Jenkins. Carrie Jenkins — vocals Ben Bradley — electric guitar Kris McDaniel — synthesizer, electric guitar Carrie’s vocals were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris and Ben’s parts were recorded by Kris and Ben in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
There’s something wrong with this argument, but I don’t know what it is. The denial of the conclusion is more plausible than the conjunction of the premises. There must be something here to reject; something’s gotta give. I’m gonna do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. I can’t believe you think that that’s true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? I can’t believe you think that that’s true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? There’s nothing great about validity; it depends on where you start. Don’t even try to modus ponens me; I’m gonna tollens you so hard. It’s obvious something here ain’t right; use a little common sense And do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. I can’t believe you think that that’s true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? I can’t believe you think that that’s true. How can you accept the consequence of that view? It’s obvious something here ain’t right; something’s gotta go. We’ve gotta do the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. Come on the G.E. Moore shift. I wanna do the G.E. Moore shift. | ||
| 2. My Paper Was Rejected Again (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads.liner notes | ||
|
“My Paper Was Rejected Again” Music and lyrics by Kris McDaniel. Kris McDaniel — vocals, electric guitar, synthesizers Kris’ parts were recorded by Kris in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
To the editor, please consider My paper for review The manuscript has been prepared So my identity can’t be deduced Your website says the turnaround time’s four months But you’ll be four months overdue And I’ll be feeling so blue. And then my paper will be rejected once again The first round was so maddening The comments were almost laughable But that was better than the second round In which I received no comments at all I waited for eight months But no explanation was given Not a single word of Constructive criticism And then my paper was rejected once again Help me through the night, Tell me when will this process ever come to an end? I think my paper’s got it right But should I throw it into the garbage bin? Revise and submit to another journal This process sure feels like it is eternal But I will resend And then My paper will be rejected once again | ||
| 3. When Does Composition Occur? (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“When Does Composition Occur?” Music by Kris McDaniel, vocal harmonies by Carrie Jenkins. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel and Carrie Jenkins. Carrie Jenkins — vocals Kris McDaniel — vocals, classical guitar, electric guitar, keyboards Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris’ parts were recorded by Kris in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
We wanted to make One out of two But we didn’t know What we needed to do What’s the correct Description of the act? Would it suffice To make perfect contact? So tell me, when does composition occur? What would happen were we to kiss? What if I were to touch you like this? What if you held me and wouldn’t let go? Would an intuition still tell us no? So tell me, when does composition occur? I was tempted by a serpent Coiled into a net He told me composition Hadn’t happened yet And all our work would be in vain Of no ontological worth For all we’d do is rearrange The furniture of the earth So tell me, when does composition occur? It can’t be automatic We are mereologically variable But is a life together The answer that we’ve been searching for? | ||
| 4. A Priori (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“A Priori” Music and lyrics by Carrie Jenkins. Carrie Jenkins — vocals, piano, synthesizers Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Song engineered by Carrie Jenkins. | ||
|
You could say I’m quite experienced; Yeah I’ve perceived a thing or two. But tonight I wanna get conceptual. I wanna start by analyzing you. You know I love when you surprise me — Those crazy claims you sometimes make. But there’s nothing synthetic about you. Kant think who’d make that mistake. It’s only Humean to feel sceptical: No-one’s entitled to be Wright. But I’d give up Millians just to be with you. Let’s trust our intuitions tonight. No need to play the Field no more, babe: I see you’re a factual enterprise. Can’t hold you come what may, but that’s OK. Tonight there’s nothing to revise. But what I feel don’t really matter; You got me thinking really good. I should believe in you tonight babe, And that’s an epistemic ‘should’. It’s only Humean to feel sceptical: No-one’s entitled to be Wright. But I’d give up Millians just to be with you. Let’s trust our intuitions tonight. Don’t need no late-night lab work. Don’t need no Bunsen burner. Don’t need no fucking survey. Don’t need no off-line reasoning. Don’t need no Canberra two-step. Just need my basic concepts. Just need a little grounding. Just need the a priori. Just need the a priori. Just need the a priori. Just need the a priori. | ||
| 5. Mr. Determinable (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“Mr. Determinable” Music by Kris McDaniel and Ben Bradley, with vocal harmonies by Carrie Jenkins. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel, inspired by a very short story by Ben Bradley. Kris McDaniel — vocals, keyboards Ben Bradley — electric guitar, cello, keyboards Carrie Jenkins — vocals SPECIAL GUEST MUSICIAN, Bree Spencer — Alto Saxophone Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris, Ben and Bree’s parts were recorded by Kris, Ben and Bree in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
Mr. Determinable Has an occupation An animal companion Some wife But Mr. Determinable Finds living unbearable Though nothing specifically Is wrong with his life He desires in general That something or other Be changed in some way He lives a life that’s impossible Poor Mr. Determinable Maybe it will get better Some day Every day seems so similar At work, does nothing particular Oh the day seems interminable Then it’s night So Mr. Determinable Returns to his domicile Greets some number of children And cries, and cries He desires in general That something or other Be changed in some way His life, that’s impossible Poor Mr. Determinable Maybe it will be better Some day Feels a bit like an imbecile As he thinks to himself But in an indeterminate way That his life is unreasonable There must be some principle That he’s failed To obey And then Mr. Determinable Desires in general That something Be changed in some way He lives a life that’s impossible Poor Mr. Determinable Maybe it will get better Some day | ||
| 6. Willard Van Orman Quine (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“Willard van Orman Quine” Music by Carrie Jenkins, Ben Bradley, Kris McDaniel. Lyrics by Carrie Jenkins. Carrie Jenkins — vocals, piano, electric piano Ben Bradley — keyboards, cello, ukulele Kris McDaniel — keyboards, vocals, electric guitar, hand percussion Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris and Ben’s parts were recorded by Kris and Ben in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
He’ll play upon Your naturalistic intuitions He’ll lure you in With the promise of positions that you love Like realism about numbers and sets And the view that philosophy’s continuous with science. And then you’re caught in the web No support from the a priori All aboard Neurath’s ship It will all be fine But you’re tied to the mast It’s all a posteriori Here on in; have a blast With Willard Van Orman Quine. He looks so good Next to Carnap, Ayer and Chisholm And there’s nothing wrong With confirmational holism; It’s quite nice as an account of how theories face the tribunal of experience. Mmm yeah. But step away when he starts Talking about the analytic. Meaning’s not that strange in being tricky to define. And it comes in small bits; Not all holism’s terrific. Keep your head; keep your wits Round Willard Van Orman Quine. | ||
| 7. All I Want to Do (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“All I Want to Do” Music by Kris McDaniel/Ben Bradley, vocal harmonies by Carrie Jenkins. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel. Carrie Jenkins — vocals Kris McDaniel — vocals, electric guitar, synthesizer Ben Bradley — electric guitar, synthesizer Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris and Ben’s parts were recorded by Kris and Ben in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
All I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations All I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations My friends say don’t be so promiscuous There are many kinds of properties There are those that make for objective resemblance And those that are as gerrymandered as you please That some draw this distinction, I am aware And maybe it’s conventional or really out there But whatever it is, I really don’t care ’cause all I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations All I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations I don’t care if they’re monadic Two-place, three-place, variably polyadic I don’t even care if they’re tropes or universals Don’t even care if they’re sets of individuals There’s gotta be something to exemplify Conjoin with in a fact sometime before I die To be with the way I am, and there’s no reason why ’cause all I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations All I want to do is instantiate some properties Maybe stand in some relations | ||
| 8. I Think I Might Be Grounded in You (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“I Think I Might Be Grounded in You” Music by Carrie Jenkins with additional vocal parts by Kris McDaniel. Lyrics by Carrie Jenkins and Kris McDaniel. Carrie Jenkins — piano, vocals Kris McDaniel — vocals Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris’ parts were recorded by Kris in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel and Carrie Jenkins. | ||
|
Baby you seem relatively fundamental, Antecedent to everything about me. I think this might be something a little bit special: I think this might be metaphysical priority. I think I might be grounded in you. I think I might be grounded in you. Nothing ‘reduces’ my feelings for you; that’s misleading. Deriving pleasure just makes this whole thing more intense. When I say this, it'll sound terribly asymmetric, But you must come before me at least in this sense. Some people think this is a relation of convenience. Some people think it’s nothing more than supervenience. But I think this might be hyperintensional. My need for you is more than merely modal. I think I might be grounded in you. I think I might be grounded in you. Some people say this relationship is impossible. Some people say they don’t understand what I mean When I tell them how much and how I depend on you: They want to keep their metaphysics clean, And they won’t believe I’m grounded in you. They can’t believe I’m grounded in you. But my belief is grounded in you. | ||
| 9. You Are the One (M4A) (MP3) | ||
| view lyricsCopyright 2010 © The 21st Century Monads. liner notes | ||
|
“You Are the One” Music by Kris McDaniel, Ben Bradley and Carrie Jenkins. Lyrics by Kris McDaniel. Kris McDaniel — vocals, classical guitar, drum Carrie Jenkins — electric clarsach Ben Bradley — cello Carrie’s parts were recorded by Carrie in Nottingham. Kris and Ben’s parts were recorded by Kris and Ben in Syracuse. Song engineered by Kris McDaniel. | ||
|
As I meditate in silence The world around me folds Into something I behold I make abstraction a science The petals on the steel And the forms that they reveal In this hierarchy of ideas The Beautiful, the True and The highest one is you You are metaphysically fundamental I try to name you when I sing But you are Being, not a being You are the One As I meditate in silence The world as it appears No long holds me here I long for ontological guidance And so you reveal From you emanates all that’s real As I meditate in silence The tethers of my fear Completely disappear Your touch is infinitely gentle As I am reborn Into this open morn You are the One | ||

| 1. The Skeptic Song* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 2. Counterparts* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 3. The Missing Shade of Blues (MP3) |
| 4. You Are My Everything* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 5. Slap Me Happy (I’m Temporally Gappy) (MP3) |
| 6. Let the Trolley Ride on Through (MP3) |
| 7. Modus Tollens (MP3) |
| 8. Meinongian Babe* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 9. Meditations on Berkeley (MP3) |
| 10. Problem of the Many (MP3) |
| 11. I Need Your Love* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 12. I Am The Fusion* (M4A) (MP3) |
| 13. We Are The Monads (MP3) |