Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Necessary Existents', 'Realistic Rationalism' and 'Metaphysics of Morals I: Doctrine of Right'

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3 ideas

1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 3. Philosophy Defined
Traditionally philosophy is an a priori enquiry into general truths about reality [Katz]
     Full Idea: The traditional conception of philosophy is that it is an a priori enquiry into the most general facts about reality.
     From: Jerrold J. Katz (Realistic Rationalism [2000], Int.xi)
     A reaction: I think this still defines philosophy, though it also highlights the weakness of the subject, which is over-confidence about asserting necessary truths. How could the most god-like areas of human thought be about anything else?
Most of philosophy begins where science leaves off [Katz]
     Full Idea: Philosophy, or at least one large part of it, is subsequent to science; it begins where science leaves off.
     From: Jerrold J. Katz (Realistic Rationalism [2000], Int.xxi)
     A reaction: In some sense this has to be true. Without metaphysics there couldn't be any science. Rationalists should not forget, though, the huge impact which Darwin's science has (or should have) on fairly abstract philosophy (e.g. epistemology).
1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / e. Philosophy as reason
Because there is only one human reason, there can only be one true philosophy from principles [Kant]
     Full Idea: Considered objectively, there can only be one human reason, there cannot be many philosophies; in other words, there can only be one true philosophy from principles, in however many conflicting ways men have philosophised about the same proposition.
     From: Immanuel Kant (Metaphysics of Morals I: Doctrine of Right [1797], Pref)
     A reaction: An idea that embodies the Enlightenment ideal. I like the idea that there is one true philosophy, because there is only one world. Kant is talking of philosophy 'from principles', which means his transendental idealism.