Combining Texts

Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'The Ethics' and 'A Completeness Theorem in Modal Logic'

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4 ideas

9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / b. Unifying aggregates
17188 A thing is unified if its parts produce a single effect [Spinoza]
     Full Idea: If a number of individuals so unite in one action that they are all simultaneously the cause of one effect, I consider them all, so far, as one individual thing.
     From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], II Def 7)
     A reaction: Interesting. If a mob burn down a town, is that one effect, making the mob one thing? If a ball breaks a window, is that one effect, or a multitude of knock-on effects? Spinoza's view is very coarse-grained.
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / b. Need for substance
5639 Spinoza implies that thought is impossible without the notion of substance [Spinoza, by Scruton]
     Full Idea: Without the notion of substance, according to Spinoza, thought itself becomes impossible.
     From: report of Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675]) by Roger Scruton - Short History of Modern Philosophy §5.2
     A reaction: Spinoza's strategy here looks like the right way to approach metaphysics. To what extent is it possible to change our conceptual scheme? Quine seems to imply that there is no limit; Davidson seems to imply that it is impossible.
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / d. Substance defined
21857 Substance is the power of self-actualisation [Spinoza, by Lord]
     Full Idea: For Spinoza a substance is not a 'thing', but the power of actualising its own existence.
     From: report of Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], I Pr 08) by Beth Lord - Spinoza's Ethics 1 P11
     A reaction: Does this say anything?
4813 Substance is that of which an independent conception can be formed [Spinoza]
     Full Idea: By substance I mean that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself; in other words, that of which a conception can be formed independently of any other conception.
     From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], I Def 3)
     A reaction: A striking blurring of epistemology and ontology. He eventually settles for it being a concept rather than a fact of nature. It still begs a thousand questions, but it probably leads to monads and logical atoms.