Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Anon (Lev), Ludwig Feuerbach and Roger Scruton

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5 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 7. Status of Reason
Do aesthetic reasons count as reasons, if they are rejectable without contradiction? [Scruton]
     Full Idea: The judgement of beauty makes a claim about its object, and can be supported by reasons. But the reasons do not compel the judgement and can be rejected without contradiction. So are they reasons or aren't they?
     From: Roger Scruton (Beauty: a very short introduction [2011], 1)
     A reaction: I suspect that what he is really referring to is evidence rather than reasons.
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 1. Laws of Thought
The laws of reality are also the laws of thought [Feuerbach]
     Full Idea: The laws of reality are also the laws of thought.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §45)
     A reaction: I like this a lot, though it runs contrary to a lot of conventionalist thinking in the twentieth century. Russell, though, agrees with Feuerbach (Idea 5405). There is not much point to thought if it doesn't plug into reality at the roots.
2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 1. Dialectic
Each proposition has an antithesis, and truth exists as its refutation [Feuerbach]
     Full Idea: Every intellectual determination has its antithesis, its contradiction. Truth exists not in unity with, but in refutation of its opposite.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.72)
     A reaction: This appears to be a rejection of the 'synthesis' in Hegel, in favour of what strikes me as a rather more sensible interpretation of the modern dialectic. Being exists in contrast to nothingness, and truth exists in contrast to its negation?
A dialectician has to be his own opponent [Feuerbach]
     Full Idea: A thinker is a dialectician only insofar as he is his own opponent.
     From: Ludwig Feuerbach (Towards a Critique of Hegel's Philosophy [1839], p.72)
     A reaction: Quite an inspirational slogan for beginners in philosophy. How many non-philosophers are willing to be their own opponent. In law courts and the House of Commons we assign the roles to separate persons. Hence rhetoric replaces reason?
2. Reason / E. Argument / 4. Open Question
We may define 'good' correctly, but then ask whether the application of the definition is good [Scruton]
     Full Idea: The 'open question' argument is clearly invalid. A question remains open just so long as our ignorance permits. …It may be an open question whether promoting happiness is good, even though this is what 'good' means.
     From: Roger Scruton (Modern Philosophy:introduction and survey [1994], 20.1)
     A reaction: A nice objection. Like small children, we can keep asking questions forever. Whether there is a question to be asked about a thing is not a property of that thing, but of us who ask it.