Ideas from 'Tractatus de corpore Christi' by William of Ockham [1323], by Theme Structure
green numbers give full details |
back to texts
|
unexpand these ideas
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 6. Ockham's Razor
16676
|
Why use more things when fewer will do?
|
|
|
|
Full Idea:
It is pointless to do through more things something that can be done through fewer.
|
|
|
|
From:
William of Ockham (Tractatus de corpore Christi [1323], Ch. 29), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 14.3
|
|
|
|
A reaction:
The more famous formulation isn't found in his works, so I'm delighted to find an authentic quotation from the man.
|
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 7. Later Matter Theories / b. Corpuscles
16675
|
Every extended material substance is composed of parts distant from one another
|
|
|
|
Full Idea:
Every extended material substance is composed of substantial parts distant from one another in place or location.
|
|
|
|
From:
William of Ockham (Tractatus de corpore Christi [1323], Ch. 12)
|
|
|
|
A reaction:
Pasnau glosses this as that 'bodies have corpuscular structure', meaning that they are made up of parts of matter (rather than just enformed matter, I think).
|