Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Plutarch, Alexander Baumgarten and Edmund O. Wilson

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33 ideas

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 3. Levels of Reality
5311 If observation goes up a level, we expect the laws of the lower level to remain in force [Wilson,EO]
8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 5. Universals as Concepts
5312 A child first sees objects as distinct, and later as members of groups [Wilson,EO]
9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 9. Ship of Theseus
1212 Replacing timbers on Theseus' ship was the classic illustration of the problem of growth and change [Plutarch]
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / a. Beliefs
5309 Beliefs are really enabling mechanisms for survival [Wilson,EO]
11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 3. Idealism / a. Idealism
5958 The sun is always bright; it doesn't become bright when it emerges [Plutarch]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 2. Psuche
5959 Some philosophers say the soul is light [Plutarch]
5960 When the soul is intelligent and harmonious, it is part of god and derives from god [Plutarch]
16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / c. Self as brain controller
5952 Rather than being the whole soul, maybe I am its chief part? [Plutarch]
17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 7. Anti-Physicalism / a. Physicalism critique
5951 If atoms have no qualities, they cannot possibly produce a mind [Plutarch]
18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / f. Emotion and reason
5963 Some say emotion is a sort of reason, and others say virtue concerns emotion [Plutarch]
20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 1. Intention to Act / c. Reducing intentions
20796 Action needs an affinity for a presentation, and an impulse toward the affinity [Plutarch]
21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 1. Aesthetics
8063 Baumgarten founded aesthetics in 1750 [Baumgarten, by Tolstoy]
21. Aesthetics / B. Nature of Art / 2. Art as Form
8118 Beauty is an order between parts, and in relation to the whole [Baumgarten, by Tolstoy]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / d. Ethical theory
5310 Philosophers study the consequences of ethics instead of its origins [Wilson,EO]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / d. Biological ethics
22187 Genetic behaviours that have enhanced human success include aggression, rape and xenophobia [Wilson,EO, by Okasha]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / e. Human nature
5313 The rules of human decision-making converge and overlap in a 'human nature' [Wilson,EO]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / j. Ethics by convention
1477 Being manly and brave is the result of convention, not of human nature [Plutarch]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / f. Altruism
5316 We undermine altruism by rewarding it, but we reward it to encourage it [Wilson,EO]
5318 Pure hard-core altruism based on kin selection is the enemy of civilisation [Wilson,EO]
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / b. Types of good
8117 Perfection comes through the senses (Beauty), through reason (Truth), and through moral will (Good) [Baumgarten, by Tolstoy]
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / e. Role of pleasure
1478 Animals don't value pleasure, as they cease sexual intercourse after impregnation [Plutarch]
23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 1. Contractarianism
5317 The actor is most convincing who believes that his performance is real [Wilson,EO]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / a. Virtues
5948 The good life involves social participation, loyalty, temperance and honesty [Plutarch]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / c. A unified people
20662 The biology of societies: kin selection, parenting, mating; status, territory, contracts [Wilson,EO]
25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 5. Sexual Morality
1479 Animals have not been led into homosexuality, because they value pleasure very little [Plutarch]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / c. Purpose denied
5308 The only human purpose is that created by our genetic history [Wilson,EO]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / g. Atomism
5950 If only atoms exist, how do qualities arise when the atoms come together? [Plutarch]
27. Natural Reality / G. Biology / 3. Evolution
5314 Cultural evolution is Lamarckian and fast, biological evolution is Darwinian and slow [Wilson,EO]
5315 Over 99 percent of human evolution has been in the hunter-gatherer phase [Wilson,EO]
28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / e. Miracles
5974 People report seeing through rocks, or over the horizon, or impossibly small works [Plutarch]
28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 5. Atheism
5957 Absurd superstitions make people atheist, not disharmony in nature [Plutarch]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / a. Religious Belief
5955 No one will ever find a city that lacks religious practices [Plutarch]
5320 It is estimated that mankind has produced 100,000 religions [Wilson,EO]