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Single Idea 22645
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / d. Selecting the cause
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Full Idea
The knowledge of things by their causes, which is often given as a definition of rational knowledge, is useless unless the causes converge to a minimum number, while still producing the maximum number of effects.
Gist of Idea
Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number
Source
William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.21)
Book Ref
James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.21
A Reaction
This is certainly the psychological motivation for trying to identify 'the' cause of something, but James always tries to sell such things as subjective. 'Useless' to one person is a subjective criterion; useless to anyone is much more objective.
Related Idea
Idea 13929
Natural explanations give the causal interconnections [Haslanger]
The
18 ideas
from 'The Sentiment of Rationality'
22643
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It seems that we feel rational when we detect no irrationality
[James]
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22645
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Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number
[James]
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22644
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Our greatest pleasure is the economy of reducing chaotic facts to one single fact
[James]
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22646
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We have a passion for knowing the parts of something, rather than the whole
[James]
|
22647
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A complete system is just a classification of the whole world's ingredients
[James]
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22648
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A single explanation must have a single point of view
[James]
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22649
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Classification can only ever be for a particular purpose
[James]
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22650
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How can the ground of rationality be itself rational?
[James]
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22651
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Dogs' curiosity only concerns what will happen next
[James]
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22652
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The mind has evolved entirely for practical interests, seen in our reflex actions
[James]
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22653
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Early Christianity says God recognises the neglected weak and tender impulses
[James]
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22654
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We can't know if the laws of nature are stable, but we must postulate it or assume it
[James]
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22656
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Trying to assess probabilities by mere calculation is absurd and impossible
[James]
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22655
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Scientific genius extracts more than other people from the same evidence
[James]
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22657
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All good philosophers start from a dumb conviction about which truths can be revealed
[James]
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22658
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Experimenters assume the theory is true, and stick to it as long as result don't disappoint
[James]
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22659
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It is wisdom to believe what you desire, because belief is needed to achieve it
[James]
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22660
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Evolution suggests prevailing or survival as a new criterion of right and wrong
[James]
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