Combining Texts

Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Theory of Science (Wissenschaftslehre, 4 vols)' and 'The Meditations (To Himself)'

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5 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 6. Criterion for Existence

5992	Chrysippus says action is the criterion for existence, which must be physical [Chrysippus, by Tieleman]
	Full Idea: Chrysippus regarded power to act and be acted upon as the criterion for existence or being - a test satisfied by bodies alone.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by Teun L. Tieleman - Chrysippus
	A reaction: This defines existence in terms of causation. Is he ruling out a priori a particle (say) which exists, but never interacts with anything? If so, he is inclining towards anti-realism.

7. Existence / B. Change in Existence / 1. Nature of Change

3072	Everything is changing, including yourself and the whole universe [Aurelius]
	Full Idea: All things are changing; and you yourself are in continuous mutation and in a manner in continuous destruction, and the whole universe too.
	From: Marcus Aurelius (The Meditations (To Himself) [c.170], 9.19)

7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 1. Grounding / c. Grounding and explanation

17265	Philosophical proofs in mathematics establish truths, and also show their grounds [Bolzano, by Correia/Schnieder]
	Full Idea: Mathematical proofs are philosophical in method if they do not only demonstrate that a certain mathematical truth holds but if they also disclose why it holds, that is, if they uncover its grounds.
	From: report of Bernard Bolzano (Theory of Science (Wissenschaftslehre, 4 vols) [1837]) by Correia,F/Schnieder,B - Grounding: an opinionated introduction 2.3
	A reaction: I aim to defend the role of explanation in mathematics, but this says that this is only if the proofs are 'philosophical', which may be of no interest to mathematicians. Oh well, that's their loss.

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 8. Facts / b. Types of fact

21673	There are simple and complex facts; the latter depend on further facts [Chrysippus, by Cicero]
	Full Idea: Chrysippus says there are two classes of facts, simple and complex. An instance of a simple fact is 'Socrates will die at a given date', ...but 'Milo will wrestle at Olympia' is a complex statement, because there can be no wrestling without an opponent.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by M. Tullius Cicero - On Fate ('De fato') 13.30
	A reaction: We might say that there are atomic and complex facts, but our atomic facts tend to be much simpler, usually just saying some object has some property.

7. Existence / E. Categories / 3. Proposed Categories

16652	Stoics categories are Substrate, Quality, Disposition, and Relation [Chrysippus, by Pasnau]
	Full Idea: The Stoics proposed a rather modest categorisation of Substrate, Quality, Disposition, and Relation.
	From: report of Chrysippus (fragments/reports [c.240 BCE]) by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 12.1