Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Writing the Book of the World', 'Beauty: a very short introduction' and 'Reality and Representation'

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3 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 7. Status of Reason
Do aesthetic reasons count as reasons, if they are rejectable without contradiction? [Scruton]
     Full Idea: The judgement of beauty makes a claim about its object, and can be supported by reasons. But the reasons do not compel the judgement and can be rejected without contradiction. So are they reasons or aren't they?
     From: Roger Scruton (Beauty: a very short introduction [2011], 1)
     A reaction: I suspect that what he is really referring to is evidence rather than reasons.
2. Reason / D. Definition / 13. Against Definition
It seems possible for a correct definition to be factually incorrect, as in defining 'contact' [Sider]
     Full Idea: Arguably, 'there is absolutely no space between two objects in contact' is false, but definitional of 'contact'. ...We need a word for true definitional sentences. I propose: 'analytic'.
     From: Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 09.8)
Philosophical concepts are rarely defined, and are not understood by means of definitions [Sider]
     Full Idea: Philosophical concepts of interest are rarely reductively defined; still more rarely does our understanding of such concepts rest on definitions. ...(We generally understand concepts to the extent that we know what role they play in thinking).
     From: Theodore Sider (Writing the Book of the World [2011], 02.1)
     A reaction: I'm not sure that I agree with this. I suspect that Sider has the notion of definition in mind that is influenced by lexicography. Aristotle's concept of definition I take to be lengthy and expansive, and that is very relevant to philosophy.