56 ideas
16241 | The metaphysics of nature should focus on physics [Maudlin] |
16257 | Kant survives in seeing metaphysics as analysing our conceptual system, which is a priori [Maudlin] |
16276 | Wide metaphysical possibility may reduce metaphysics to analysis of fantasies [Maudlin] |
501 | Reason is a more powerful persuader than gold [Democritus (attr)] |
16244 | If the universe is profligate, the Razor leads us astray [Maudlin] |
16255 | The Razor rightly prefers one cause of multiple events to coincidences of causes [Maudlin] |
16243 | The Humean view is wrong; laws and direction of time are primitive, and atoms are decided by physics [Maudlin] |
16271 | Lewis says it supervenes on the Mosaic, but actually thinks the Mosaic is all there is [Maudlin] |
16273 | If the Humean Mosaic is ontological bedrock, there can be no explanation of its structure [Maudlin] |
16275 | The 'spinning disc' is just impossible, because there cannot be 'homogeneous matter' [Maudlin] |
16258 | To get an ontology from ontological commitment, just add that some theory is actually true [Maudlin] |
16259 | Naïve translation from natural to formal language can hide or multiply the ontology [Maudlin] |
16253 | A property is fundamental if two objects can differ in only that respect [Maudlin] |
16263 | Fundamental physics seems to suggest there are no such things as properties [Maudlin] |
16260 | Existence of universals may just be decided by acceptance, or not, of second-order logic [Maudlin] |
16277 | Logically impossible is metaphysically impossible, but logically possible is not metaphysically possible [Maudlin] |
16249 | A counterfactual antecedent commands the redescription of a selected moment [Maudlin] |
3061 | Anaxarchus said that he was not even sure that he knew nothing [Anaxarchus, by Diog. Laertius] |
16254 | Induction leaps into the unknown, but usually lands safely [Maudlin] |
16245 | Laws should help explain the things they govern, or that manifest them [Maudlin] |
514 | Beauty is merely animal without intelligence [Democritus (attr)] |
525 | Behave well when alone, and feel shame in you own eyes [Democritus (attr)] |
502 | Good breeding in men means having a good character [Democritus (attr)] |
507 | Virtuous love consists of decorous desire for the beautiful [Democritus (attr)] |
521 | We should only choose pleasures which are concerned with the beautiful [Democritus (attr)] |
505 | Good and true are the same for everyone, but pleasures differ [Democritus (attr)] |
508 | Only accept beneficial pleasures [Democritus (attr)] |
520 | The great pleasures come from the contemplation of noble works [Democritus (attr)] |
522 | Moderation brings more pleasures, and so increases pleasure [Democritus (attr)] |
506 | Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not an adult [Democritus (attr)] |
523 | It is as brave to master pleasure as to overcome the enemy [Democritus (attr)] |
503 | Virtue doesn't just avoid evil, but also doesn't desire it [Democritus (attr)] |
518 | A bad life is just a drawn-out death [Democritus (attr)] |
497 | Be virtuous from duty, not from fear [Democritus (attr)] |
499 | Repentance of shameful deeds is salvation [Democritus (attr)] |
524 | Virtue comes more from practice than from nature [Democritus (attr)] |
519 | One must avoid even speaking of evil deeds [Democritus (attr)] |
500 | The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the person wronged [Democritus (attr)] |
526 | Small appetite makes poverty equal to wealth [Democritus (attr)] |
1539 | The endless desire for money is a crueller slavery than poverty [Democritus (attr)] |
511 | It is better to have one intelligent friend than many unintelligent [Democritus (attr)] |
498 | It is a great thing, when one is in adversity, to think of duty [Democritus (attr)] |
1541 | It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom [Democritus (attr)] |
16248 | Evaluating counterfactuals involves context and interests [Maudlin] |
16250 | We don't pick a similar world from many - we construct one possibility from the description [Maudlin] |
16268 | The counterfactual is ruined if some other cause steps in when the antecedent fails [Maudlin] |
16267 | If we know the cause of an event, we seem to assent to the counterfactual [Maudlin] |
16269 | If the effect hadn't occurred the cause wouldn't have happened, so counterfactuals are two-way [Maudlin] |
16247 | Laws are primitive, so two indiscernible worlds could have the same laws [Maudlin] |
16272 | Fundamental laws say how nature will, or might, evolve from some initial state [Maudlin] |
16242 | Laws of nature are ontological bedrock, and beyond analysis [Maudlin] |
16251 | 'Humans with prime house numbers are mortal' is not a law, because not a natural kind [Maudlin] |
16270 | If laws are just regularities, then there have to be laws [Maudlin] |
16264 | I believe the passing of time is a fundamental fact about the world [Maudlin] |
16265 | If time passes, presumably it passes at one second per second [Maudlin] |
16266 | There is one ordered B series, but an infinitude of A series, depending on when the present is [Maudlin] |