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Single Idea 21416

[filed under theme 2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 1. On Reason ]

Full Idea

It is a highly unphilosophic expedient to resort to a number of proofs for one and the same proposition, consoling oneself that the multitude of reasons makes up for the inadequacy of any one of them taken by itself.

Gist of Idea

Philosophers should not offer multiple proofs - suggesting the weakness of each of them

Source

Immanuel Kant (Metaphysics of Morals II:Doctrine of Virtue [1797], 403 Intro XIII)

Book Ref

Kant,Immanuel: 'The Metaphysics of Morals', ed/tr. Gregor,Mary [CUP 1991], p.204

A Reaction

This makes philosophical proofs sound very mathematical in character, whereas I think most reasons for a proposition given in philosophy are more like evidence, which can clearly accumulate in a rational way. Some maths proofs are better than others.

The 34 ideas with the same theme [general role of reason in mind and living]:

1502 Parmenides was much more cautious about accepting ideas than his predecessors [Simplicius on Parmenides]
243 It is foolish to quarrel with the mind's own reasoning processes [Plato]
224 When questions are doubtful we should concentrate not on objects but on ideas of the intellect [Plato]
11283 There is pure deductive reasoning, and explanatory demonstration reasoning [Aristotle, by Politis]
23250 Desired responsible actions result either from rational or from irrational desire [Aristotle]
2676 Didactic argument starts from the principles of the subject, not from the opinions of the learner [Aristotle]
1848 We are coerced into assent to a truth by reason's violence [Aquinas]
22708 Good reasons must give way to better [Shakespeare]
13009 A reason is a known truth which leads to assent to some further truth [Leibniz]
16897 Reason is the faculty for grasping apriori necessary truths [Leibniz, by Burge]
6253 Reason is our power of finding out true propositions [Hutcheson]
5604 In reason things can only begin if they are voluntary [Kant]
5622 The boundaries of reason can only be determined a priori [Kant]
5623 If I know the earth is a sphere, and I am on it, I can work out its area from a small part [Kant]
21416 Philosophers should not offer multiple proofs - suggesting the weakness of each of them [Kant]
21974 The world seems rational to those who look at it rationally [Hegel]
7083 Highest reason is aesthetic, and truth and good are subordinate to beauty [Hegel]
17892 For clear questions posed by reason, reason can also find clear answers [Gödel]
23945 Reason is actually passions, guided by perspicacious reflection [Solomon]
3811 Entailment and validity are relations, but inference is a human activity [Searle]
3822 Theory involves accepting conclusions, and so is a special case of practical reason [Searle]
19304 The rules of reasoning are not the rules of logic [Harman]
19307 If there is a great cost to avoiding inconsistency, we learn to reason our way around it [Harman]
19309 Logic has little relevance to reasoning, except when logical conclusions are immediate [Harman]
19306 It is a principle of reasoning not to clutter your mind with trivialities [Harman]
6950 You can be rational with undetected or minor inconsistencies [Harman]
3099 Inference is never a conscious process [Harman]
23249 The early philosophers thought that reason has its own needs and desires [Frede,M]
9429 Many forms of reasoning, such as extrapolation and analogy, are useful but deductively invalid [Mumford]
4767 Traditionally, rational beliefs are those which are justified by reasons [Psillos]
20955 Art can make reason more all-inclusive, by articulating what seemed inexpressible [Bowie]
5750 Consistency is modal, saying propositions are consistent if they could be true together [Melia]
6585 Rationality is threatened by fear of inconsistency, illusions of absolutes or relativism, and doubt [Fogelin]
8952 We reach 'reflective equilibrium' when intuitions and theory completely align [Fisher]