Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Herodotus, Charles Sanders Peirce and Ernest Nagel

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2 ideas

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / b. Defining ethics
Ethics is the science of aims [Peirce]
     Full Idea: Ethics is the science of aims.
     From: Charles Sanders Peirce (The Nature of Mathematics [1898], II)
     A reaction: Intriguing slogan. He is discussing the aims of logic. I think what he means is that ethics is the science of value. 'Science' may be optimistic, but I would sort of agree with his basic idea.
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / e. Death
Is there any such thing as death among the lower organisms? [Peirce]
     Full Idea: Among some of the lower organisms, it is a moot point with biologists whether there be anything which ought to be called death.
     From: Charles Sanders Peirce (The Doctrine of Necessity Examined [1892], p.334)
     A reaction: The point, presumably, is that one phase of an organisms moves into another, and the 'individuals' are not distinct enough for their 'death' to be a significant transition. A nicely mind-expanding thought.