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Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Elbow Room: varieties of free will' and 'Tonk, Plonk and Plink'

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2 ideas

1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 3. Philosophy Defined

23367	Even pointing a finger should only be done for a reason [Epictetus]
	Full Idea: Philosophy says it is not right even to stretch out a finger without some reason.
	From: Epictetus (fragments/reports [c.57], 15)
	A reaction: The key point here is that philosophy concerns action, an idea on which Epictetus is very keen. He rather despise theory. This idea perfectly sums up the concept of the wholly rational life (which no rational person would actually want to live!).

1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / a. Philosophy as worldly

3798	An overexamined life is as bad as an unexamined one [Dennett]
	Full Idea: The unexamined life may not be worth living, but the overexamined life is nothing to write home about either.
	From: Daniel C. Dennett (Elbow Room: varieties of free will [1984], §4.2)
	A reaction: Presumably he means a life which is all theory and no practice. Compare Idea 343.