65 ideas
5300 | Philosophers have interpreted the world, but the point is to change it [Marx] |
5297 | Whether human thinking can be 'true' must be decided in practice, not theory [Marx] |
2764 | Full coherence might involve consistency and mutual entailment of all propositions [Blanshard, by Dancy,J] |
19080 | Coherence tests for truth without implying correspondence, so truth is not correspondence [Blanshard, by Young,JO] |
22598 | The authentic self exists at the level of class, rather than the individual [Marx, by Dunt] |
5298 | The human essence is not found in individuals but in social relations [Marx] |
23874 | Armies and businesses create moralities in which their activity can do no wrong [Marx, by Weil] |
20489 | Human beings can never really flourish in a long-term state of nature [Wolff,J] |
20483 | Collective rationality is individuals doing their best, assuming others all do the same [Wolff,J] |
20532 | Should love be the first virtue of a society, as it is of the family? [Wolff,J] |
20490 | For utilitarians, consent to the state is irrelevant, if it produces more happiness [Wolff,J] |
20493 | Social contract theory has the attracton of including everyone, and being voluntary [Wolff,J] |
20494 | Maybe voting in elections is a grant of legitimacy to the winners [Wolff,J] |
22001 | The real will of the cooperative will replace the 'will of the people' [Marx] |
20500 | We can see the 'general will' as what is in the general interest [Wolff,J] |
20497 | How can dictators advance the interests of the people, if they don't consult them about interests? [Wolff,J] |
20506 | 'Separation of powers' allows legislative, executive and judicial functions to monitor one another [Wolff,J] |
21991 | The middle class gain freedom through property, but workers can only free all of humanity [Marx, by Singer] |
21990 | Theory is as much a part of a revolution as material force is [Marx] |
22971 | In moving from capitalism to communism a revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is needed [Marx] |
20530 | Political choice can be by utility, or maximin, or maximax [Wolff,J] |
20487 | A realistic and less utopian anarchism looks increasingly like liberal democracy [Wolff,J] |
20488 | It is hard for anarchists to deny that we need experts [Wolff,J] |
20529 | Utilitarianism probably implies a free market plus welfare [Wolff,J] |
20510 | A system of democracy which includes both freedom and equality is almost impossible [Wolff,J] |
20511 | Democracy expresses equal respect (which explains why criminals forfeit the vote) [Wolff,J] |
20502 | Democracy has been seen as consistent with many types of inequality [Wolff,J] |
20496 | A true democracy could not tolerate slavery, exploitation or colonialism [Wolff,J] |
20498 | We should decide whether voting is for self-interests, or for the common good [Wolff,J] |
20499 | Condorcet proved that sensible voting leads to an emphatically right answer [Wolff,J] |
20509 | Occasional defeat is acceptable, but a minority that is continually defeated is a problem [Wolff,J] |
18662 | Liberal freedom is the right to be separate, and ignores the union of man with man [Marx] |
23372 | Liberals want the right to be separate, rather than for people to be united [Marx] |
20576 | Early Marx anticipates communitarian objections to liberalism [Marx, by Oksala] |
21989 | Man is dominated by money, which is the essence of his alienation [Marx] |
21996 | Freedom only comes when labour is no longer necessary [Marx] |
23862 | By saying the material dialectic of history aspires to the best, Marx agreed with capitalism [Weil on Marx] |
21999 | False consciousness results from concealment by the superstructure [Marx, by Singer] |
23875 | Marx says force is everything, and that the weak will become strong, while remaining the weak [Weil on Marx] |
21995 | Must production determine superstructure, or could it be the other way round? [Singer on Marx] |
18653 | Marx rejected equal rights because they never actually treat people as equals [Marx, by Kymlicka] |
20577 | Even decently paid workers still have their produce bought with money stolen from them [Marx] |
22969 | People who only have their labour power are the slaves of those permitting them to work [Marx] |
22970 | Freedom is making the state subordinate to its society [Marx] |
22000 | From each according to his ability, to each according to his need [Marx] |
21994 | The handmill gives feudalism, the steam mill capitalism [Marx] |
23876 | The essence of capitalism is the subordination of people to things [Marx, by Weil] |
20958 | Capitalism changes the world, by socialising the idea of a commodity [Marx, by Bowie] |
20960 | Marx thought capitalism was partly liberating, and could make labour and ownership more humane [Marx, by Bowie] |
22972 | Bourgeois 'freedom of conscience' just tolerates all sorts of religious intolerance [Marx] |
20524 | Market prices indicate shortages and gluts, and where the profits are to be made [Wolff,J] |
20518 | Liberty principles can't justify laws against duelling, incest between siblings and euthanasia [Wolff,J] |
20531 | Either Difference allows unequal liberty, or Liberty makes implementing Difference impossible [Wolff,J] |
20526 | Utilitarians argue for equal distribution because of diminishing utility of repetition [Wolff,J] |
20528 | Difference Principle: all inequalities should be in favour of the disadvantaged [Wolff,J] |
20503 | Political equality is not much use without social equality [Wolff,J] |
20519 | Marxists say liberal rights are confrontational, and liberal equality is a sham [Marx, by Wolff,J] |
20513 | If natural rights are axiomatic, there is then no way we can defend them [Wolff,J] |
20512 | Standard rights: life, free speech, assembly, movement, vote, stand (plus shelter, food, health?) [Wolff,J] |
20514 | If rights are natural, rather than inferred, how do we know which rights we have? [Wolff,J] |
20522 | Utilitarians might say property ownership encourages the best use of the land [Wolff,J] |
20534 | Rights and justice are only the last resorts of a society, something to fall back on [Wolff,J] |
20492 | Following some laws is not a moral matter; trivial traffic rules, for example [Wolff,J] |
7128 | Religion is the opium of the people, and real happiness requires its abolition [Marx] |
5299 | Religious feeling is social in origin [Marx] |