Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Metrodorus (Lamp), Paolo Mancosu and Peter B. Lewis

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4 ideas

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 7. Essence and Necessity / b. Essence not necessities

13166	Essences are no use in mathematics, if all mathematical truths are necessary [Mancosu]
	Full Idea: Essences and essential properties do not seem to be useful in mathematical contexts, since all mathematical truths are regarded as necessary (though Kit Fine distinguishes between essential and necessary properties).
	From: Paolo Mancosu (Explanation in Mathematics [2008], §6.1)
	A reaction: I take the proviso in brackets to be crucial. This represents a distortion of notion of an essence. There is a world of difference between the central facts about the nature of a square and the peripheral inferences derivable from it.

11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / d. Absolute idealism

21912	Fichte, Schelling and Hegel rejected transcendental idealism [Lewis,PB]
	Full Idea: Fichte, Schelling and Hegel were united in their opposition to Kant's Transcendental Idealism.
	From: Peter B. Lewis (Schopenhauer [2012], 3)
	A reaction: That is, they preferred genuine idealism, to the mere idealist attitude Kant felt that we are forced to adopt.

21911	Fichte, Hegel and Schelling developed versions of Absolute Idealism [Lewis,PB]
	Full Idea: At the University of Jena, Fichte, Hegel and Schelling critically developed aspects of Kant's philosophy, each in his own way, thereby giving rise to the movement known as Absolute Idealism, see reality as universal God-like self-consciousness.
	From: Peter B. Lewis (Schopenhauer [2012], 2)
	A reaction: Is asking how anyone can possibly have believed such a bizarre and ridiculous idea a) uneducated, b) stupid, c) unimaginative, or d) very sensible? It sounds awfully like Spinoza's concept of God. Also Anaxagoras.

23. Ethics / A. Egoism / 2. Hedonism

5954	All inventions of the mind aim at pleasure, and those that don't are worthless [Metrodorus of Lamp., by Plutarch]
	Full Idea: Metrodorus says that all the wonderful, ingenious and brilliant inventions of the mind have been contrived for the sake of pleasure of the flesh or for the sake of looking forward to it, and any accomplishment not leading to this end is worthless.
	From: report of Metrodorus (Lamp) (fragments/reports [c.291 BCE], Fr 6) by Plutarch - 74: Reply to Colotes §1125
	A reaction: It is very hard to think of counterexamples! Would anyone bother to work out the theorems of number theory if they didn't enjoy doing it? Would any sensible person make great sacrifices if they didn't think that increased happiness would result?