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Single Idea 3242

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 1. Philosophy ]

Full Idea

Philosophy is the childhood of the intellect, and a culture that tries to skip it will never grow up.

Gist of Idea

Philosophy is the childhood of the intellect, and a culture can't skip it

Source

Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], Intro)

Book Ref

Nagel,Thomas: 'The View from Nowhere' [OUP 1989], p.12

A Reaction

Can he really mean that a mature culture doesn't need philosophy?

The 24 ideas from 'The View from Nowhere'

3240 There is more insight in fundamental perplexity about problems than in their supposed solutions [Nagel]
3242 Philosophy is the childhood of the intellect, and a culture can't skip it [Nagel]
3241 It seems mad, but the aim of philosophy is to climb outside of our own minds [Nagel]
22429 We achieve objectivity by dropping secondary qualities, to focus on structural primary qualities [Nagel]
3244 Personal identity cannot be fully known a priori [Nagel]
3245 The question of whether a future experience will be mine presupposes personal identity [Nagel]
3246 I can't even conceive of my brain being split in two [Nagel]
20989 Views are objective if they don't rely on a person's character, social position or species [Nagel]
22354 Things cause perceptions, properties have other effects, hence we reach a 'view from nowhere' [Nagel, by Reiss/Sprenger]
3248 Realism invites scepticism because it claims to be objective [Nagel]
3247 Epistemology is centrally about what we should believe, not the definition of knowledge [Nagel]
3249 Modern science depends on the distinction between primary and secondary qualities [Nagel]
3251 Observed regularities are only predictable if we assume hidden necessity [Nagel]
3252 Scepticism is based on ideas which scepticism makes impossible [Nagel]
3255 We find new motives by discovering reasons for action different from our preexisting motives [Nagel]
3254 If we can decide how to live after stepping outside of ourselves, we have the basis of a moral theory [Nagel]
3257 Total objectivity can't see value, but it sees many people with values [Nagel]
3256 Pain doesn't have a further property of badness; it gives a reason for its avoidance [Nagel]
3258 If cockroaches can't think about their actions, they have no duties [Nagel]
3261 Something may be 'rational' either because it is required or because it is acceptable [Nagel]
3262 Utilitarianism is too demanding [Nagel]
3264 We should see others' viewpoints, but not lose touch with our own values [Nagel]
3263 If our own life lacks meaning, devotion to others won't give it meaning [Nagel]
3265 We don't worry about the time before we were born the way we worry about death [Nagel]