Combining Texts

Ideas for 'works', 'Nicomachean Ethics' and 'Necessity, Essence and Individuation'

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3 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / d. Forms critiques
How will a vision of pure goodness make someone a better doctor? [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: How will one who has had a vision of the Idea itself become thereby a better doctor or general?
     From: Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics [c.334 BCE], 1097a12)
     A reaction: Plato might reply that it would motivate them. Why would a doctor learn of the skills of their craft if they didn't care about the end result?
Eternal white is no whiter than temporary white, and it is the same with goodness [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: Nor will the Good be any more good by being eternal, if a long-lasting white thing is no whiter than an ephemeral one.
     From: Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics [c.334 BCE], 1096b05)
     A reaction: A powerful point, made with a hint of sarcasm. You can't add extra Form of White to increase the whiteness of your paint. And the paint is no whiter because it endures for years.
It is meaningless to speak of 'man-himself', because it has the same definition as plain 'man' [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: One might ask: what on earth do you mean by speaking of the thing-itself? - assuming the definition of man is one and the same both in man and in man-himself; for qua man they will not differ at all.
     From: Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics [c.334 BCE], 1096a32)
     A reaction: Effectively applies Ockham's Razor to the Forms. Do they add anything to our ability to explain? A particular man will have red hair, but a definition of man will mention properties shared by all men. But doesn't man-himself indicate what is essential?