display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers
7 ideas
16772 | An angelic mind would not experience pain, even when connected to a human body [Descartes, by Pasnau] |
Full Idea: Descartes points out that an angelic mind, even if causally connected to a human body, would not experience the same sort of bodily sensations; it would, instead, simply observe flesh being torn, like a piece of paper. | |
From: report of René Descartes (Letters to Regius [1642], III:493) by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 25.6 | |
A reaction: Does that mean that the angel could not have the experience even if it wanted to have it. So they can't pick up a cup either? So they can't make themselves known to us, even if they are desperate to? So the Annunciation never happened? |
6609 | With respect to religion, reason is a blind whore [Luther] |
Full Idea: With respect to the mysteries of the Christian religion, reason is a blind whore. | |
From: Martin Luther (talk [1525]), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason n4.2 | |
A reaction: Reason is presumably a blind whore with respect to all impenetrable mysteries. Since the reason of Aquinas endorsed the mysteries of Christianity, the remark seems a bit strong, but it is appropriate if you think that only faith (in Christianity) matters. |
3652 | I can't prove the soul is indestructible, only that it is separate from the mortal body [Descartes] |
Full Idea: I don't know how to demonstrate that God cannot annihilate the soul, but only that it is entirely distinct from the body, and consequently that it is not naturally subject to die with it, which is all that is required to establish religion. | |
From: René Descartes (Letters to Mersenne [1640], 1640.02.24) |
2278 | Error arises because my faculty for judging truth is not infinite [Descartes] |
Full Idea: I make mistakes because the faculty of judging the truth, which I got from God, is not, in my case, infinite. | |
From: René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §4.54) |
3636 | God didn't give us good judgement even about our own lives [Gassendi on Descartes] |
Full Idea: God is not to be blamed for giving puny man a faculty of judging that is too small to cope with everything, but we may still wonder why our judgement is uncertain, confused and inadequate even for the few matters he did want us to decide upon. | |
From: comment on René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §4.58) by Pierre Gassendi - Objections to 'Meditations' (Fifth) 314 |
2277 | Since God does not wish to deceive me, my judgement won't make errors if I use it properly [Descartes] |
Full Idea: Since God does not wish to deceive me, he assuredly has not given me a faculty of judgement with which I could never make a mistake, when I use it properly. | |
From: René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §4.54) |
2281 | If we ask whether God's works are perfect, we must not take a narrow viewpoint, but look at the universe as a whole [Descartes] |
Full Idea: Whenever we ask whether the works of God are perfect, we should keep in view not simply some one creature in isolation from the rest, but the universe as a whole. | |
From: René Descartes (Meditations [1641], §4.55) |