22200
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If you eliminate the impossible, the truth will remain, even if it is weird [Conan Doyle]
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Full Idea:
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
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From:
Arthur Conan Doyle (The Sign of Four [1890], Ch. 6)
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A reaction:
A beautiful statement, by Sherlock Holmes, of Eliminative Induction. It is obviously not true, of course. Many options may still face you after you have eliminated what is actually impossible.
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7098
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There is a new sort of moral scepticism, about the possibility of moral theories [Statman]
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Full Idea:
Since the 1980s, ethics has witnessed a new sort of moral scepticism, this time about the possibility of moral theories.
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From:
Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §4)
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A reaction:
He cites McDowell, Williams, Nussbaum and Baier as the culprits. 'Particularism' (every situation is different, so there can't be rules) seems an essential part of virtue theory, but total absence of principles sounds to me like moral drift.
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7100
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Virtue theory isn't a genuine ethical theory, because it doesn't have universal application [Statman]
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Full Idea:
It can be claimed that universality is a necessary property of any ethical theory and therefore virtue theory, which fails in this respect, is not a theory, and hence poses no alternative to genuine ethical theories.
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From:
Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §5)
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A reaction:
Replies: a) totally universal morality is an idle dream (part of the 'Enlightenment Project' to prove everything) and we must settle for something more relative; b) virtues aren't totally universal, but they are truths about humanity. I prefer b).
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7104
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The ancients recognised imperfect duties, but we have added perfect duties like justice [Statman]
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Full Idea:
The advantage of modern thinkers over the ancient virtue ethicists is that in addition to imperfect duties (i.e. virtues) they also recognise the existence of perfect duties, or duties of justice, which are essential for the existence of society.
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From:
Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §7)
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A reaction:
Even the Greeks had laws (e.g. Idea 422), so they understood that a society needs rules, but many laws don't seem to be moral rules (e.g. car parking), and the Greeks thought morality was about human excellence, not avoiding traffic jams.
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7103
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Abortion issues focus on the mother's right over her body, and the status of the foetus [Statman]
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Full Idea:
Most of the debate on abortion focuses on two issues, the mother's assumed right over her body, and the status of the foetus.
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From:
Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §6)
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A reaction:
Personally I think society as a whole might have a say (if, perhaps, we are over- or under-populated, or we have a widely accepted state religion, or we are just very shocked). Mother's have virtues and duties as well as rights.
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5467
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Euler said nature is instrinsically passive, and minds cause change [Euler, by Ellis]
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Full Idea:
Euler thought the powers necessary for the maintenance of the changing universe would turn out to be just the passive ones of inertia and impenetrability. There are no active powers, he urged, other than those of God and living beings.
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From:
report of Leonhard Euler (Letters to a German Princess [1765]) by Brian Ellis - The Philosophy of Nature: new essentialism Ch.4
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A reaction:
Very significant, I think, for revealing the religious framework behind early theories of natural laws. If there is nothing external to impose powers and movements on nature, the source must be sought within - hence essentialism.
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