Single Idea 13883

[catalogued under 2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 1. Dialectic]

Full Idea

The most productive way in which to attempt an understanding of any philosophical idea is to work on its defence.

Gist of Idea

The best way to understand a philosophical idea is to defend it

Source

Crispin Wright (Frege's Concept of Numbers as Objects [1983], 1.vii)

Book Reference

Wright,Crispin: 'Frege's Conception of Numbers' [Scots Philosophical Monographs 1983], p.49


A Reaction

Very nice. The key point is that this brings greater understanding than working on attacking an idea, which presumably has the dangers of caricature, straw men etc. It is the Socratic insight that dialectic is the route to wisdom.