Combining Texts

Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad' and 'Physics and Philosophy'

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these texts

display all the ideas for this combination of texts

---

6 ideas

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / a. Final purpose

20812	Covers are for shields, and sheaths for swords; likewise, all in the cosmos is for some other thing [Chrysippus]
	Full Idea: Just as the cover was made for the sake of the shield, and the sheath for the sword, in the same way everything else except the cosmos was made for the sake of other things.
	From: Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]), quoted by M. Tullius Cicero - On the Nature of the Gods ('De natura deorum') 2.37
	A reaction: Chrysippus was wise to stop at the cosmos. Similarly, religious teleology had better not ask about the purpose of God. What does he think pebbles are for? Nature is the source of stoic value, so it needs to be purposeful.

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / f. Ancient elements

21403	The later Stoics identified the logos with an air-fire compound, called 'pneuma' [Chrysippus, by Long]
	Full Idea: From Chrysippus onwards, the Stoics identified the logos throughout each world-cycle not with pure fire, but with a compound of fire and air, 'pneuma'.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by A.A. Long - Hellenistic Philosophy 4.4.2
	A reaction: I suspect this was because breath is so vital to the human body.

20828	Fire is a separate element, not formed with others (as was previously believed) [Chrysippus, by Stobaeus]
	Full Idea: In his theory fire is said independently to be an element, since it is not formed together with another one, whereas according to the earlier theory fire is formed with other elements.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by John Stobaeus - Anthology 1.10.16c
	A reaction: The point is that fire precedes the other elements, and is superior to them.

5975	Stoics say earth, air, fire and water are the primary elements [Chrysippus, by Plutarch]
	Full Idea: The Stoics call the four bodies - earth and water and air and fire - primary elements.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE], fr 444) by Plutarch - 72: Against Stoics on common Conceptions 1085c
	A reaction: Elsewhere (fr 413) Chrysippus denies that they are all 'primary'. Essentially, though, he seems to be adopting the doctrine of Empedocles and Aristotle, in specific opposition to Epicurus' atomism.

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / g. Atomism

12705	Epicurean atoms are distinguished by their extreme hardness [Garber]
	Full Idea: In Epicurean atomism (of Cordemoy, for example) there is a world of basic things distinguished by virtue of their extreme hardness.
	From: Daniel Garber (Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad [2009], 2)
	A reaction: Garber says that Leibniz espouses 'substantial atomism', which is different from this. Leibniz's atoms have active power, where these atoms just embody total resistance.

26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws

17549	Seven theories in science: mechanics, heat, electricity, quantum, particles, relativity, life [Heisenberg, by PG]
	Full Idea: Science has seven closed systems of concepts and axioms: Newtonian mechanics; the theory of heat; electricity and magnetism; quantum theory; the theory of elementary particles; general relativity; and the theory of organic life.
	From: report of Werner Heisenberg (Physics and Philosophy [1958], 06) by PG - Db (ideas)
	A reaction: [my summary of pp.86-88 and 92] It is interesting to have spelled out that there are number of 'closed' theories, which are only loosely connected to one another. New discoveries launch whole new theories, instead of being subsumed.