Combining Texts

Ideas for 'The Discourses', 'Frege on Knowing the Foundations' and 'Rules for the Direction of the Mind'

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

display all the ideas for this combination of texts

---

2 ideas

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

23349	Asses are born to carry human burdens, not as ends in themselves [Epictetus]
	Full Idea: An ass is surely not born as an end in itself? No, but because we had need of a back that is able to carry burdens.
	From: Epictetus (The Discourses [c.56], 2.08.07)
	A reaction: This is the absurd human exceptionalism which plagues our thinking. It would be somewhat true of animals which are specifically bred for human work, such as large cart horses.

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 4. Mathematical Nature

24023	All the sciences searching for order and measure are related to mathematics [Descartes]
	Full Idea: I have discovered that all the sciences which have as their aim the search for order and measure are related to mathematics.
	From: René Descartes (Rules for the Direction of the Mind [1628], 04)
	A reaction: Note that he sound a more cautious note than Galileo's famous remark. It leaves room for biology to still be a science, even when it fails to be mathematical.