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Single Idea 21249

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 2. Self-Evidence ]

Full Idea

A thing can be self-evident in either of two ways: on the one hand, self-evident in itself, though not to us; on the other hand, self-evident in itself, and to us.

Gist of Idea

Some things are self-evident to us; others are only self-evident in themselves

Source

Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], Art 1, Obj 3)

Book Ref

'The Existence of God', ed/tr. Hick,John [Macmillan 1964], p.32


A Reaction

A clear distinction, which is hard to deny, though there are lots of borderline cases. Self-evident to genius, and self-evident to future genius. Self-evident to almost everyone. Goldbach's Conjecture may be self-evident but unknowable.


The 23 ideas with the same theme [knowledge that is immediately grasped or obvious]:

Start a thesis with something undisputable [Diogenes of Apollonia]
Self-evidence is most obvious when people who deny a proposition still have to use it [Epictetus]
Some things are self-evident to us; others are only self-evident in themselves [Aquinas]
Augustine's 'illumination' theory of knowledge leads to nothing but scepticism [Duns Scotus, by Dumont]
Clear and distinct truths must be known all at once (unlike deductions) [Descartes]
Descartes needs to demonstrate how other people can attain his clear and distinct conceptions [Leibniz]
Truths are self-evident to sensible persons who understand them clearly without prejudice [Reid]
Experienceless bodies have space; propertyless bodies have substance; this must be seen a priori [Kant]
Mathematicians just accept self-evidence, whether it is logical or intuitive [Frege]
Frege's concept of 'self-evident' makes no reference to minds [Frege, by Burge]
Feelings of self-evidence (and necessity) are just the inventions of theory [Husserl]
Husserl says we have intellectual intuitions (of categories), as well as of the senses [Husserl, by Velarde-Mayol]
Self-evidence is often a mere will-o'-the-wisp [Russell]
Some propositions are self-evident, but their implications may also be self-evident [Russell]
Particular instances are more clearly self-evident than any general principles [Russell]
As shown by memory, self-evidence comes in degrees [Russell]
If self-evidence has degrees, we should accept the more self-evident as correct [Russell]
If the truth doesn't follow from self-evidence, then self-evidence cannot justify a truth [Wittgenstein]
A sentence is obvious if it is true, and any speaker of the language will instantly agree to it [Quine]
It is hard to give the concept of 'self-evident' a clear and defensible characterization [Bonjour]
Fregean self-evidence is an intrinsic property of basic truths, rules and definitions [Hart,WD]
Two propositions might seem self-evident, but contradict one another [Grayling]
There are 'armchair' truths which are not a priori, because experience was involved [Williamson]