Combining Texts

Ideas for 'works', 'Process and Reality' and 'Epistemology'

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these texts

display all the ideas for this combination of texts


2 ideas

1. Philosophy / C. History of Philosophy / 2. Ancient Philosophy / c. Classical philosophy
European philosophy consists of a series of footnotes to Plato [Whitehead]
     Full Idea: The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.
     From: Alfred North Whitehead (Process and Reality [1929], p.39)
     A reaction: Outsiders think this is a ridiculous remark, but readers of Plato can only be struck by what a wonderful tribute Whitehead has come up with. I would say that at least 80% of this database deals with problems which were discussed at length by Plato.
1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 3. Metaphysical Systems
Super-ordinate disciplines give laws or principles; subordinate disciplines give concrete cases [Peirce, by Atkin]
     Full Idea: In Peirce's system, a super-ordinate discipline provides general laws or principles for subordinate disciplines, which in turn provide concrete examples of those general laws.
     From: report of Charles Sanders Peirce (works [1892]) by Albert Atkin - Peirce 1 'System'
     A reaction: Does he really mean that subordinate disciplines have no principles or laws? That can't be right.