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Single Idea 22647

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 3. Metaphysical Systems ]

Full Idea

A completed theoretic philosophy can never be anything more than a completed classification of the world's ingredients.

Gist of Idea

A complete system is just a classification of the whole world's ingredients

Source

William James (The Sentiment of Rationality [1882], p.23)

Book Ref

James,William: 'Selected Writings of William James', ed/tr. Bird,Graham [Everyman 1995], p.23

A Reaction

I assume this is not just the physical ingredients, but must also include our conceptual scheme - but then we must first decide which is the best conceptual scheme to classify, and that's where the real action is. [He scorns such classifation later].

The 47 ideas from William James

9285 'Consciousness' is a nonentity, a mere echo of the disappearing 'soul' [James]
9286 Consciousness is not a stuff, but is explained by the relations between experiences [James]
6710 You can only define a statement that something is 'true' by referring to its functional possibilities [James]
22305 If the hypothesis of God is widely successful, it is true [James]
18972 Ideas are true in so far as they co-ordinate our experiences [James]
18973 New opinions count as 'true' if they are assimilated to an individual's current beliefs [James]
18974 Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief [James]
18971 Theories are practical tools for progress, not answers to enigmas [James]
18976 Private experience is the main evidence for God [James]
18975 We return to experience with concepts, where they show us differences [James]
18978 It is hard to grasp a cosmic mind which produces such a mixture of goods and evils [James]
18977 The wonderful design of a woodpecker looks diabolical to its victims [James]
18979 Things with parts always have some structure, so they always appear to be designed [James]
18980 If there is a 'greatest knower', it doesn't follow that they know absolutely everything [James]
18981 'Substance' is just a word for groupings and structures in experience [James]
18982 Pragmatism says all theories are instrumental - that is, mental modes of adaptation to reality [James]
18985 True thoughts are just valuable instruments of action [James]
18986 Truth is just a name for verification-processes [James]
18984 True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate and verify (and false otherwise) [James]
18983 In many cases there is no obvious way in which ideas can agree with their object [James]
18987 A 'thing' is simply carved out of reality for human purposes [James]
18989 Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences [James]
18990 Nirvana means safety from sense experience, and hindus and buddhists are just afraid of life [James]
18991 If the God hypothesis works well, then it is true [James]
22640 We find satisfaction in consistency of all of our beliefs, perceptions and mental connections [James]
22641 Realities just are, and beliefs are true of them [James]
22642 Man has an intense natural interest in the consistency of his own thinking [James]
22643 It seems that we feel rational when we detect no irrationality [James]
22645 Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number [James]
22644 Our greatest pleasure is the economy of reducing chaotic facts to one single fact [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]
23981 Rage is inconceivable without bodily responses; so there are no disembodied emotions [James]
6570 Imagine millions made happy on condition that one person suffers endless lonely torture [James]