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Single Idea 3815
[filed under theme 20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / b. Intellectualism
]
Full Idea
The single greatest difference between humans and other animals as far as rationality is concerned is our ability to create, recognise and act on desire-independent reasons for action.
Gist of Idea
The essence of humanity is desire-independent reasons for action
Source
John Searle (Rationality in Action [2001], Ch.1.II)
Book Ref
Searle,John R.: 'Rationality in Action' [MIT 2001], p.32
The
31 ideas
with the same theme
[all actions are guided entirely by reason]:
5867
|
For Socrates, virtues are forms of knowledge, so knowing justice produces justice
[Socrates, by Aristotle]
|
5069
|
Socrates was the first to base ethics upon reason, and use reason to explain it
[Taylor,R on Socrates]
|
5836
|
All human virtues are increased by study and practice
[Socrates, by Xenophon]
|
5840
|
The wise perform good actions, and people fail to be good without wisdom
[Socrates, by Xenophon]
|
1567
|
How could someone who knows everything fail to act correctly?
[Anon (Diss)]
|
1655
|
If goodness needs true opinion but not knowledge, you can skip the 'examined life'
[Vlastos on Plato]
|
203
|
Courage is knowing what should or shouldn't be feared
[Plato]
|
7813
|
Cynicism was open to anyone, and needed neither education nor sophistication
[Diogenes of Sin., by Grayling]
|
3023
|
Even the foolish may have some virtues
[Aristippus young, by Diog. Laertius]
|
67
|
Bad people are just ignorant of what they ought to do
[Aristotle]
|
5218
|
Some people are good at forming opinions, but bad at making moral choices
[Aristotle]
|
81
|
For Socrates virtues are principles, involving knowledge, but we say they only imply the principle of practical reason
[Aristotle]
|
7352
|
Jesus said learning was unnecessary, and only the spirit of the Law was needed
[Jesus, by Johnson,P]
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5762
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The wicked want goodness, so they would not be wicked if they obtained it
[Boethius]
|
6248
|
Reason is too slow and doubtful to guide all actions, which need external and moral senses
[Hutcheson]
|
8257
|
Reason alone can never be a motive to any action of the will
[Hume]
|
21787
|
Evil enters a good will when we believe we are doing right, but allow no criticism of our choice
[Hegel, by Houlgate]
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14820
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People always do what they think is right, according to the degree of their intellect
[Nietzsche]
|
14856
|
Our judgment seems to cause our nature, but actually judgment arises from our nature
[Nietzsche]
|
20133
|
The 'motive' is superficial, and may even hide the antecedents of a deed
[Nietzsche]
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16478
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A mother cat is paralysed if equidistant between two needy kittens
[Russell]
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22372
|
Not all actions need motives, but it is irrational to perform troublesome actions with no motive
[Foot]
|
22393
|
I don't understand the idea of a reason for acting, but it is probably the agent's interests or desires
[Foot]
|
7665
|
Most Enlightenment thinkers believed that virtue consists ultimately in knowledge
[Berlin]
|
15677
|
Moral right is linked to validity and truth, so morality is a matter of knowledge, not an expression of values
[Habermas, by Finlayson]
|
3815
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The essence of humanity is desire-independent reasons for action
[Searle]
|
3839
|
Only an internal reason can actually motivate the agent to act
[Searle]
|
4377
|
Intellectualism is an excessive emphasis on reasoning in moral philosophy
[Burnyeat]
|
5348
|
Intellectualism admires the 'principled actor', non-intellectualism admires the 'good character'
[Flanagan]
|
4351
|
It is a fantasy that only through the study of philosophy can one become virtuous
[Hursthouse]
|
20012
|
Maybe the explanation of an action is in the reasons that make it intelligible to the agent
[Wilson/Schpall]
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