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Ideas for 'works', 'Intro to 'The Reason's Proper Study'' and 'The Ethics'

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12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism
The eyes of the mind are proofs [Spinoza]
     Full Idea: The eyes of the mind … are none other than proofs.
     From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], V Pr 23)
     A reaction: A wonderful slogan for rationalists! Technically it sounds a bit dodgy, as steps seem to be required for a proof, whereas the eyes of the mind presumably offer a priori intuitions, or clear and distinct conceptions. In essence, he is right.
Aristotle is a rationalist, but reason is slowly acquired through perception and experience [Aristotle, by Frede,M]
     Full Idea: Aristotle is a rationalist …but reason for him is a disposition which we only acquire over time. Its acquisition is made possible primarily by perception and experience.
     From: report of Aristotle (works [c.330 BCE]) by Michael Frede - Aristotle's Rationalism p.173
     A reaction: I would describe this process as the gradual acquisition of the skill of objectivity, which needs the right knowledge and concepts to evaluate new experiences.