Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Anaxarchus, Jeffrey H. Sicha and John Locke

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these philosophers

display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers

4 ideas

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / d. Ethical theory
4130 There couldn't be a moral rule of which a man could not justly demand a reason [Locke]
     Full Idea: There cannot any one moral rule be proposed, whereof a man may not justly demand a reason.
     From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 1.03.04)
     A reaction: I am more with Locke than Williams here. One can demand reasons up to the point where no one can provide them. Then we look for plan B, which probably ought to be conservative.
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / b. Rational ethics
12495 Pursuit of happiness is the highest perfection of intellectual nature [Locke]
     Full Idea: The highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness.
     From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 2.21.51)
     A reaction: A nice remark, in which the word 'intellectual' is particularly interesting. Locke is inclined to equate happiness with pleasure and the absence of pain.
12541 Morality can be demonstrated, because we know the real essences behind moral words [Locke]
     Full Idea: Morality is capable of demonstration as well as mathematics, since the precise real essence of the things moral words stand for may be perfectly known, and so the congruity or incongruity of the things themselves be certainly discovered.
     From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 3.11.16)
     A reaction: This is a rare case of Locke saying that we can know real essences (he apparently having said the same about triangles). I increasingly like the notion that real essences lead to true knowledge in every sphere of our activities, including the moral.
12473 We can demand a reason for any moral rule [Locke]
     Full Idea: There cannot any one moral Rule be proposed, whereof a Man may not justly demand a Reason.
     From: John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 1.03.04)
     A reaction: There may be some things which are indisputable duties or prohibitions, and yet people be quite bewildered when asked for the reason behind the rule. Loyalty, incest, courage.