Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Letters to a Young Clergyman' and '02: Gospel of St Mark'

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3 ideas

2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 9. Limits of Reason
You can't reason someone out of an irrational opinion [Swift]
     Full Idea: Reasoning will never make a man correct an ill opinion, which by reasoning he never acquired.
     From: Jonathan Swift (Letters to a Young Clergyman [1720])
     A reaction: It would be hard to prove this, and someone full of irrational beliefs may have their rationality awakened by a sound argument. Nice remark, but too pessimistic.
21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 7. Art and Morality
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?
28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / e. Miracles
False prophets will perform wonders to deceive even the elect [Mark]
     Full Idea: For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
     From: St Mark (02: Gospel of St Mark [c.66], 13:22), quoted by Brian Davies - Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion
     A reaction: This casts a rather different light on the miracles of Jesus, since they were performed in a context in which even Jesus believed that lots of people (and not just the son of God) could perform miracles. Undermines any Argument from Miracles.