Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'works (all lost)', 'The Scientific Revolution 1500-1800' and 'The Wanderer and his Shadow'

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2 ideas

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / b. Limited purposes
The end need not be the goal, as in the playing of a melody (and yet it must be completed) [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Not every end is the goal; the end of a melody is not its goal; and yet: as long as the melody has not reached its end, it also hasn't reached its goal. A parable.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Wanderer and his Shadow [1880], §204)
     A reaction: A nice message for Aristotle, that there is no simple separation of ends and means.
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 11. Against Laws of Nature
The idea of laws of nature arose in the Middle Ages [Hall,AR, by Ellis]
     Full Idea: According to A.R. Hall, the idea that nature is governed by laws does not appear to have existed in the ancient Greek, Roman or Far Eastern traditions of science, but arose from religious, philosophical and legal ideas in medieval Europe.
     From: report of A.R. Hall (The Scientific Revolution 1500-1800 [1954]) by Brian Ellis - The Philosophy of Nature: new essentialism Ch.5
     A reaction: This is a very illuminating point, which gives good circumstantial support for questioning the existence of external laws which are imposed on a passive nature. Modern essentialism suggest the 'laws' are the intrinsic results of properties.