10 ideas
12036 | Xenophanes began the concern with knowledge [Annas] |
Full Idea: Xenophanes begins a long concern with knowledge and its grounds. | |
From: Julia Annas (Ancient Philosophy: very short introduction [2000], Intro) | |
A reaction: Having that on his cv ought to make Xenophanes more famous than he is. |
12046 | Plato was the first philosopher who was concerned to systematize his ideas [Annas] |
Full Idea: In the ancient world Plato was seen as a pivotal figure, the first philosopher who was concerned to systematize his ideas. | |
From: Julia Annas (Ancient Philosophy: very short introduction [2000], Ch.6) |
6021 | It is only when we say a proposition that we speak truly or falsely [Sext.Empiricus] |
Full Idea: It is only when we say a proposition that we speak truly or falsely. | |
From: Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 8.74) | |
A reaction: This makes assertions truth-bearers, rather than propositions. But a proposition can be true or false if it is stamped with a date and/or place. "Shakespeare was born in Stratford on 23rd April 1664". No one needs to assert that. |
6020 | 'Man is a rational mortal animal' is equivalent to 'if something is a man, that thing is a rational mortal animal' [Sext.Empiricus] |
Full Idea: Definitions are identical to universal propositions in meaning, and only differ in syntax, for whoever says 'Man is a rational mortal animal' says the same thing in meaning as whoever says 'If something is a man, that thing is a rational mortal animal'. | |
From: Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 11.8) | |
A reaction: How strikingly like Bertrand Russell's interest and solutions. Sextus shows a straightforward interest in logical form, of a kind we associate with the twentieth century. Did Sextus Empiricus invent quantification? |
6026 | How can you investigate without some preconception of your object? [Sext.Empiricus] |
Full Idea: A preconception and conception must precede every object of investigation, for how can anyone even investigate without some conception of the object of investigation? | |
From: Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 8.331a) | |
A reaction: The Duhem-Quine thesis about the 'theory-ladenness of observation' is just a revival of some routine ancient scepticism. As well as a conceptual scheme to accommodate the observation, there must also be some motivation for the investigation. |
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? |
12037 | Euripides's Medea is a key case of reason versus the passions [Annas] |
Full Idea: Euripides's Medea has remained a key case for discussion of reason and the passions. | |
From: Julia Annas (Ancient Philosophy: very short introduction [2000], Ch.1) |
6032 | Right actions, once done, are those with a reasonable justification [Sext.Empiricus] |
Full Idea: Right action is whatever, once it has been done, has a reasonable justification. | |
From: Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 7.158) | |
A reaction: Why does he add 'once it has been done'? Wouldn't a proposed action be right if it had a reasonable justification? This grows out of the classical and Stoic emphasis on reason in ethics, and leads towards Scanlon's Contractualism. |
12040 | Virtue is a kind of understanding of moral value [Annas] |
Full Idea: There is a widespread view in ancient ethics that virtue is a kind of understanding of moral value. | |
From: Julia Annas (Ancient Philosophy: very short introduction [2000], Ch.3) | |
A reaction: In Aristotle's case, this coincides with his apparent view that 'understanding' is the aim of all areas of human thought. See Idea 12038. |
1517 | The tektraktys (1+2+3+4=10) is the 'fount of ever-flowing nature' [Sext.Empiricus] |
Full Idea: The tektraktys (1+2+3+4=10) is the 'fount of ever-flowing nature', because nature is a harmony of three concords (4th,5th and octave), and these ratios (4:3, 3:2, and 2:1) are found in the tektraktys. | |
From: Sextus Empiricus (Against the Professors (six books) [c.180], 7.95) |