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Single Idea 22647

[from 'The Sentiment of Rationality' by William James, in 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 Reference

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].