Combining Philosophers

Ideas for William Shakespeare, Martha Nussbaum and David E. Cooper

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2 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 1. On Reason

22708	Good reasons must give way to better [Shakespeare]
	Full Idea: Good reasons must of force give way to better.
	From: William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar [1599], 4.3.205)
	A reaction: [Brutus to Cassius] This remark is an axiom of rationality. But, of course, reasons can come in groups, and three modest reasons may compete with one very good reason.

2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 6. Ockham's Razor

21021	Keep premises as weak as possible, to avoid controversial difficulties [Nussbaum]
	Full Idea: One should always choose the weakest premises from which one's conclusion follows, rather than saddling the theory with thicker or more controversial premises.
	From: Martha Nussbaum (Creating Capabilities [2011], 8)
	A reaction: I like this because it connects the rather vague Ockham's Razor to the logical concept of Thinning. The key point is that a thinner set of premises that prove something will be more persuasive, because critics may reject premises instead of conclusion.