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Single Idea 22649

[filed under theme 7. Existence / E. Categories / 2. Categorisation ]

Full Idea

Every way of classifying a thing is but a way of handling it for some particular purpose. Conceptions, 'kinds', are teleological instruments.

Gist of Idea

Classification can only ever be for a particular purpose

Source

William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.24)

Book Ref

James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.24

A Reaction

Could there not be ways of classifying which suit all of our purposes? If there were a naturally correct way to classifying things, then any pragmatist would probably welcome that. (I don't say there is such a way).

The 18 ideas from 'The Sentiment of Rationality'

22643 It seems that we feel rational when we detect no irrationality [James]
22644 Our greatest pleasure is the economy of reducing chaotic facts to one single fact [James]
22645 Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number [James]
22646 We have a passion for knowing the parts of something, rather than the whole [James]
22647 A complete system is just a classification of the whole world's ingredients [James]
22648 A single explanation must have a single point of view [James]
22649 Classification can only ever be for a particular purpose [James]
22650 How can the ground of rationality be itself rational? [James]
22651 Dogs' curiosity only concerns what will happen next [James]
22652 The mind has evolved entirely for practical interests, seen in our reflex actions [James]
22653 Early Christianity says God recognises the neglected weak and tender impulses [James]
22654 We can't know if the laws of nature are stable, but we must postulate it or assume it [James]
22656 Trying to assess probabilities by mere calculation is absurd and impossible [James]
22655 Scientific genius extracts more than other people from the same evidence [James]
22657 All good philosophers start from a dumb conviction about which truths can be revealed [James]
22658 Experimenters assume the theory is true, and stick to it as long as result don't disappoint [James]
22659 It is wisdom to believe what you desire, because belief is needed to achieve it [James]
22660 Evolution suggests prevailing or survival as a new criterion of right and wrong [James]