25 ideas
12104 | All ideas must be understood historically [Comte] |
12105 | Our knowledge starts in theology, passes through metaphysics, and ends in positivism [Comte] |
12112 | Metaphysics is just the oversubtle qualification of abstract names for phenomena [Comte] |
12106 | Positivism gives up absolute truth, and seeks phenomenal laws, by reason and observation [Comte] |
7491 | The phases of human thought are theological, then metaphysical, then positivist [Comte, by Watson] |
12111 | Positivism is the final state of human intelligence [Comte] |
12114 | Science can drown in detail, so we need broad scientists (to keep out the metaphysicians) [Comte] |
12116 | Only positivist philosophy can terminate modern social crises [Comte] |
3340 | Von Neumann defines each number as the set of all smaller numbers [Neumann, by Blackburn] |
15943 | Limitation of Size is not self-evident, and seems too strong [Lavine on Neumann] |
3355 | Von Neumann wanted mathematical functions to replace sets [Neumann, by Benardete,JA] |
13489 | Von Neumann treated cardinals as a special sort of ordinal [Neumann, by Hart,WD] |
22716 | Von Neumann defined ordinals as the set of all smaller ordinals [Neumann, by Poundstone] |
12336 | A von Neumann ordinal is a transitive set with transitive elements [Neumann, by Badiou] |
18179 | For Von Neumann the successor of n is n U {n} (rather than {n}) [Neumann, by Maddy] |
18180 | Von Neumann numbers are preferred, because they continue into the transfinite [Maddy on Neumann] |
15925 | Each Von Neumann ordinal number is the set of its predecessors [Neumann, by Lavine] |
13672 | All the axioms for mathematics presuppose set theory [Neumann] |
12108 | All real knowledge rests on observed facts [Comte] |
12109 | We must observe in order to form theories, but connected observations need prior theories [Comte] |
12107 | Positivism explains facts by connecting particular phenomena with general facts [Comte] |
12115 | Introspection is pure illusion; we can obviously observe everything except ourselves [Comte] |
12113 | The search for first or final causes is futile [Comte] |
12110 | We can never know origins, purposes or inner natures [Comte] |
1513 | The Egyptians were the first to say the soul is immortal and reincarnated [Herodotus] |