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Single Idea 6918

[from 'Principles of Philosophy of the Future' by Ludwig Feuerbach, in 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 5. Linguistic Analysis ]

Full Idea

Philosophy need not care about the conceptions that common usage or misuse attaches to a name; philosophy, however, has to bind itself to the determined nature of things, whose signs are names.

Gist of Idea

Philosophy should not focus on names, but on the determined nature of things

Source

Ludwig Feuerbach (Principles of Philosophy of the Future [1843], §23)

Book Reference

Feuerbach,Ludwig: 'Principles of the Philosophy of the Future', ed/tr. Vogel,M [Hackett 1986], p.38


A Reaction

I like this attempt to nip ordinary language philosophy in the bud. Indeed I like the notion of philosophy binding itself to the 'determined nature of things' (which sound like essences to me), rather than to their names or descriptions.