5 ideas
| 21959 | Metaphysics is the most general attempt to make sense of things [Moore,AW] |
| Full Idea: Metaphysics is the most general attempt to make sense of things. | |
| From: A.W. Moore (The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics [2012], Intro) | |
| A reaction: This is the first sentence of Moore's book, and a touchstone idea all the way through. It stands up well, because it says enough without committing to too much. I have to agree with it. It implies explanation as the key. I like generality too. |
| 21958 | Appearances are nothing beyond representations, which is transcendental ideality [Moore,AW] |
| Full Idea: Appearances in general are nothing outside our representations, which is just what we mean by transcendental ideality. | |
| From: A.W. Moore (The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics [2012], B535/A507) |
| 17613 | We should judge principles by the science, not science by some fixed principles [Zermelo] |
| Full Idea: Principles must be judged from the point of view of science, and not science from the point of view of principles fixed once and for all. Geometry existed before Euclid's 'Elements', just as arithmetic and set theory did before Peano's 'Formulaire'. | |
| From: Ernst Zermelo (New Proof of Possibility of Well-Ordering [1908], §2a) | |
| A reaction: This shows why the axiomatisation of set theory is an ongoing and much-debated activity. |
| 4051 | People will volunteer for euthanasia because they think other people want them dead [Kamisar] |
| Full Idea: In the process of voluntary euthanasia we will sweep up some who are not really tired of life, but think others are tired of them. | |
| From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.78) | |
| A reaction: We could permit such choices. Or set up systems to eliminate such cases. |
| 4050 | We only allow voluntary euthanasia to someone who is both sane and crazed by pain [Kamisar] |
| Full Idea: It seems that voluntary euthanasia can only be carried out by someone who is both sane, and crazed by pain. | |
| From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.77) | |
| A reaction: A fair point, despite its obvious exaggeration. How much pain must someone experience before we permit them to choose euthanasia? |