Single Idea 5555

[catalogued under 2. Reason / E. Argument / 3. Analogy]

Full Idea

Giving examples most commonly damages the insight of the understanding, since they only seldom fulfil the condition of the rule under consideration, ..and in the end accustom us to use those rules more like formulas than like principles.

Gist of Idea

Philosophical examples rarely fit rules properly, and lead to inflexibility

Source

Immanuel Kant (Critique of Pure Reason [1781], B173/A134)

Book Reference

Kant,Immanuel: 'Critique of Pure Reason', ed/tr. Guyer,P /Wood,A W [CUO 1998], p.269


A Reaction

This is directly contrary to the belief of most people who study or teach philosophy in the English-speaking world, but it is an interesting challenge. Philosophy is mainly concerned with abstract ideas. Maybe we need many examples, or none.