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Single Idea 8251

[filed under theme 2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 3. Pure Reason ]

Full Idea

The logical space of reasons is just part of the logical space of nature. ...And, in a Kantian slogan, the space of reasons is the realm of freedom.

Gist of Idea

The logical space of reasons is a natural phenomenon, and it is the realm of freedom

Source

John McDowell (Mind and World [1994], Intro 7)

Book Ref

McDowell,John: 'Mind and World' [Harvard 1996], p.-9


A Reaction

[second half on p.5] This is a modern have-your-cake-and-eat-it view of which I am becoming very suspicious. The modern Kantians (Davidson, Nagel, McDowell) are struggling to naturalise free will, but it won't work. Just dump it!


The 13 ideas with the same theme [idea of reason as independent of natural constraints]:

In investigation the body leads us astray, but the soul gets a clear view of the facts [Plato]
Reason only explains what is universal, so it is timeless, under a certain form of eternity [Spinoza]
Reason perceives things under a certain form of eternity [Spinoza]
Reasonings have a natural ordering in God's understanding, but only a temporal order in ours [Leibniz]
Pure reason deals with concepts in the understanding, not with objects [Kant]
Pure reason exists outside of time [Kant]
Pure reason is only concerned with itself because it deals with understandings, not objects [Kant]
Reason hates to be limited in its speculations [Kant]
Reason enables the unbounded extension of our rules and intentions [Kant]
Let thought follow its own course, and don't interfere [Hegel]
Thoughts have a natural order, to which human thinking is drawn [Frege, by Yablo]
The logical space of reasons is a natural phenomenon, and it is the realm of freedom [McDowell]
Perceiving necessary connections is the essence of reasoning [Bonjour]