Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Mark Steiner, John von Neumann and Michel de Montaigne

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27 ideas

1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People
6259 Why can't a wise man doubt everything? [Montaigne]
1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 3. Wisdom Deflated
6263 No wisdom could make us comfortably walk a wide beam if it was high in the air [Montaigne]
1. Philosophy / B. History of Ideas / 4. Early European Thought
23122 Montaigne was the founding father of liberalism [Montaigne, by Gopnik]
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 3. Value of Truth
6258 Virtue is the distinctive mark of truth, and its greatest product [Montaigne]
4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 4. Axioms for Sets / a. Axioms for sets
3340 Von Neumann defines each number as the set of all smaller numbers [Neumann, by Blackburn]
4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 5. Conceptions of Set / f. Limitation of Size
15943 Limitation of Size is not self-evident, and seems too strong [Lavine on Neumann]
4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 8. Critique of Set Theory
3355 Von Neumann wanted mathematical functions to replace sets [Neumann, by Benardete,JA]
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / c. Priority of numbers
13489 Von Neumann treated cardinals as a special sort of ordinal [Neumann, by Hart,WD]
6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / e. Ordinal numbers
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]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 5. Definitions of Number / g. Von Neumann numbers
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]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 6. Mathematics as Set Theory / a. Mathematics is set theory
13672 All the axioms for mathematics presuppose set theory [Neumann]
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
6262 We lack some sense or other, and hence objects may have hidden features [Montaigne]
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 3. Individual Essences
13230 Particular essence is often captured by generality [Steiner,M]
13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 1. Scepticism
6260 Sceptics say there is truth, but no means of making or testing lasting judgements [Montaigne]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / e. Lawlike explanations
13229 Maybe an instance of a generalisation is more explanatory than the particular case [Steiner,M]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / m. Explanation by proof
13231 Explanatory proofs rest on 'characterizing properties' of entities or structure [Steiner,M]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / d. Location of mind
6261 The soul is in the brain, as shown by head injuries [Montaigne]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / g. Moral responsibility
7496 Rules and duties are based on the will, as that is all we control [Montaigne]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / e. Death
7495 Apart from the fear, dying is an easy duty [Montaigne]
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / c. Value of pleasure
22269 We must fight fiercely to hang on to the few pleasures which survive into old age [Montaigne]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue
20482 Virtue inspires Stoics, but I want a good temperament [Montaigne]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / e. Character
20480 There is not much point in only becoming good near the end of your life [Montaigne]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 3. Free speech
20481 Nothing we say can be worse than unsaying it in the face of authority [Montaigne]
25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / c. Combatants
20479 People at home care far more than soldiers risking death about the outcome of wars [Montaigne]