Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Analyzing Modality', 'The View from Nowhere' and 'On the Reality of Accidents'

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5 ideas

23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 1. Deontology
Something may be 'rational' either because it is required or because it is acceptable [Nagel]
     Full Idea: "Rational" may mean rationally required or rationally acceptable
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], X.4)
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 2. Duty
If cockroaches can't think about their actions, they have no duties [Nagel]
     Full Idea: If cockroaches cannot think about what they should do, there is nothing they should do.
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], VIII.3)
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 3. Universalisability
If we can decide how to live after stepping outside of ourselves, we have the basis of a moral theory [Nagel]
     Full Idea: If we can make judgements about how we should live even after stepping outside of ourselves, they will provide the material for moral theory.
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], VIII.1)
We should see others' viewpoints, but not lose touch with our own values [Nagel]
     Full Idea: One should occupy a position far enough outside your own life to reduce the importance of the difference between yourself and other people, yet not so far outside that all human values vanish in a nihilistic blackout (i.e.aim for a form of humility).
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], XI.2)
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 6. Motivation for Duty
We find new motives by discovering reasons for action different from our preexisting motives [Nagel]
     Full Idea: There are reasons for action, and we must discover them instead of deriving them from our preexisting motives - and in that way we can acquire new motives superior to the old.
     From: Thomas Nagel (The View from Nowhere [1986], VIII.1)