Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'How to be a Liberal' and 'Action, Intention and Reason'

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7 ideas

20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / c. Reasons as causes
20064 Actions are not mere effects of reasons, but are under their control [Audi,R]
     Full Idea: An action for a reason is one that is, in a special way, under the control of reason. It is a response to, not a mere effect of, a reason.
     From: Robert Audi (Action, Intention and Reason [1992], p.177), quoted by Rowland Stout - Action 6 'Alien'
     A reaction: This modifies Davidson's 'reasons are causes'. Audi has a deviant causal chain which causes trouble for his idea, but Stout says he is right to focus on causal 'processes' (an Aristotelian idea) rather than causal 'chains'.
21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 7. Art and Morality
468 Musical performance can reveal a range of virtues [Damon of Ath.]
     Full Idea: In singing and playing the lyre, a boy will be likely to reveal not only courage and moderation, but also justice.
     From: Damon (fragments/reports [c.460 BCE], B4), quoted by (who?) - where?
24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / d. General will
22594 In 1794 France all individual and legal rights were suppressed by the general will [Dunt]
     Full Idea: In the French Revolution the general will replaced democracy, the separation of powers, the rule of law, and individual rights.
     From: Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020], 03)
     A reaction: I had some sympathy with the idea of the general will, but Dunt has persuaded me otherwise. It is the embodiment of the democratic problem of the tyranny of the majority.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / a. Liberalism basics
22602 Over several centuries a set of eight main liberal values was established [Dunt]
     Full Idea: Over the centuries liberal values were established: freedom of the individual, reason, consent in government, individual rights, the separation of powers, protection of minorities, autonomy, and moderation.
     From: Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020], 13)
     A reaction: What's not to like? 'Moderation' might be a sticking point, for anyone who thinks that very large social changes are needed.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / d. Liberal freedom
22596 No government, or the whole nation, can control an individual beyond legitimate scope [Dunt]
     Full Idea: When a government of any sort puts a threatening hand on that part of individual life beyond its proper scope, …even if it were the whole nation, except for the man it is harassing, it would be no more legitimate for that.
     From: Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020]), quoted by Ian Dunt - How to be a Liberal 4
     A reaction: The obvious question is what counts as 'proper scope' - and who gets to define it? If the individual can define that, then criminals can appeal to this principle. The state must be persuaded of it, then asked to stick to it during conflicts.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / g. Liberalism critique
22603 Laissez-faire liberalism failed to give people the protections and freedoms needed for a good life [Dunt]
     Full Idea: Laissez-faire liberalism failed, because it did not offer people protections and real freedom - against discrimination, insecure work, educational disadvantage, lack of social respect, absence of representation. It was cold, distant, and ineffective.
     From: Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020], 13)
     A reaction: A very nice summary, which I take to be correct.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 14. Nationalism
22592 Nationalism pretends that we can only have a single identity [Dunt]
     Full Idea: Nationalism pretends that there is only one identity, that we cannot be more than one thing at once.
     From: Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020], Today)
     A reaction: Dunt is a defender of liberalism, which assumes a wide degree of pluralism. Could I be a British citizen, but love France more than Britain? I don’t see why not, but it is not an ideal situation.