Combining Texts

Ideas for 'A Discourse on Method', 'Anarchy,State, and Utopia' and 'Eudemian Ethics'

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3 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 4. Aims of Reason
Methodical thinking is cautious, analytical, systematic, and panoramic [Descartes, by PG]
     Full Idea: Descartes' four principles for his method of thinking are: be cautious, analyse the problem, be systematic from simple to complex, and keep an overview of the problem
     From: report of René Descartes (A Discourse on Method [1637], §2.18) by PG - Db (ideas)
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 3. Non-Contradiction
Contrary statements can both be reasonable, if they are meant in two different ways [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: Contrary things can be reasonably held …because the contrary positions will stand if what is said is true in one way, but not true in another.
     From: Aristotle (Eudemian Ethics [c.333 BCE], 1235b17)
     A reaction: My strategy here is to clarify the unambiguous underlying propositions which are being expressed. There will then be either agreement, or flat contradiction.
2. Reason / F. Fallacies / 4. Circularity
Clear and distinct conceptions are true because a perfect God exists [Descartes]
     Full Idea: That the things we grasp very clearly and very distinctly are all true, is assured only because God is or exists, and because he is a perfect Being.
     From: René Descartes (A Discourse on Method [1637], §4.38)