Combining Texts

Ideas for 'On the Question of Absolute Undecidability', 'works' and 'Fourfold Root of Princ of Sufficient Reason'

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5 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 1. On Reason
16897 Reason is the faculty for grasping apriori necessary truths [Leibniz, by Burge]
     Full Idea: Leibniz actually characterises reason as the faculty for apprehending priori, necessary truths.
     From: report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Tyler Burge - Frege on Apriority (with ps) 2
     A reaction: No wonder it is called the Age of Reason when the claims are this grandiose.
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 4. Aims of Reason
3346 For Leibniz rationality is based on non-contradiction and the principle of sufficient reason [Leibniz, by Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: Leibniz distinguished two fundamental principles of rationality - the principle of non-contradiction and the principle of sufficient reason.
     From: report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by José A. Benardete - Metaphysics: the logical approach Ch.18
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 2. Sufficient Reason
21918 Sufficient Reason can't be proved, because all proof presupposes it [Schopenhauer, by Lewis,PB]
     Full Idea: Schopenhauer said the principle of sufficient reason is not susceptible to proof for the simple reason that it is presupposed in any argument or proof.
     From: report of Arthur Schopenhauer (Fourfold Root of Princ of Sufficient Reason [1813], §14 p.32-3) by Peter B. Lewis - Schopenhauer 3
     A reaction: I would have thought it might be disproved by a counterexample, such as the Gödel sentence of his incompleteness proof, or quantum effects which seem to elude causation. Personally I believe the principle, which I see as the first axiom of philosophy.
3347 Leibniz said the principle of sufficient reason is synthetic a priori, since its denial is not illogical [Leibniz, by Benardete,JA]
     Full Idea: Leibniz assigns synthetic a priori status to the principle of sufficient reason, readily conceding that one can deny it without fear of inconsistency.
     From: report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by José A. Benardete - Metaphysics: the logical approach Ch.18
2. Reason / E. Argument / 6. Conclusive Proof
8627 Leibniz is inclined to regard all truths as provable [Leibniz, by Frege]
     Full Idea: Leibniz has an inclination to regard all truths as provable.
     From: report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Gottlob Frege - Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) §15
     A reaction: Leibniz sounds like the epitome of Enlightenment optimism about the powers of reason. Could God prove every truth? It's a nice thought.