3 ideas
3663 | How can you contemplate Platonic entities without causal transactions with them? [Putnam] |
Full Idea: Platonism has the attendant problem of how we can succeed in thinking about and referring to entities we can have no causal transactions with. | |
From: Hilary Putnam (Phil of Mathematics: why nothing works [1979], Modalism) |
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? |
22395 | Moral judgements are hypothetical, because they depend on interests and desires [Foot] |
Full Idea: Moral judgements are hypothetical imperatives in the sense that they give reasons for acting only in conjunction with interests and desires. | |
From: Philippa Foot (Reply to Professor Frankena [1975], p.177) | |
A reaction: This is a splendid claim, which points to a more sensibly naturalistic ethics. There seem to be occasions for moral behaviour where I have no interests or desires, such as when a stranger asks me for a favour and I'm feeling tired. |