Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Seven Quodlibets' and 'Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers'

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12 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 1. Nature of Relations

18529	Relations are expressed either as absolute facts, or by a relational concept [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: Socrates and Plato are similar if they are both white. Yet the mind can express this either by an 'absolute concept' (as 'Socrates is white' and 'Plato is white'), or by a 'relative concept', as 'Socrates is similar to Plato with respect to whiteness.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], VI q.25), quoted by John Heil - The Universe as We Find It 7
	A reaction: Presumably he takes the facts of the matter to be the absolute concept, and the relative concept to be a contribution of the intellect.

9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / c. Types of substance

16779	Cut wood doesn't make a new substance, but seems to make separate subjects [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: When a piece of wood is divided in two halves, no new substance is generated. But there are now two substances, or the accidents of the two halves would be without a subject. They existed before hand, and were one piece of wood, but not in the same place.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], IV.19), quoted by Richard S. Westfall - Never at Rest: a biography of Isaac Newton 26.2
	A reaction: A nice example, demonstrating that there are substances within substances, contrary to the view of Duns Scotus. If a substance is just a subject for properties, it is hard to know what to make of this case.

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / a. Hylomorphism

16757	Hot water naturally cools down, which is due to the substantial form of the water [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: It is clear to the senses that hot water, if left to its own nature, reverts to coldness; this coldness cannot be caused by anything other than the substantial form of the water.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], III.6), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 24.4
	A reaction: Unfortunately this is very bad science (even for its time), but it shows how many scholastics treated hylomorphism as a very physical and causal theory.

15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 3. Abstraction by mind

9102	If an animal approached from a distance, we might abstract 'animal' from one instance [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: It seems possible that the concept of a genus could be abstracted from one individual, let us say, the concept 'animal', as in the case of one approaching from a distance, when I see enough to judge that I am seeing an animal.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], I Q xiii)
	A reaction: This is a rather individualistic view of abstraction, ignoring the shared language and culture. It is hard to imagine a truly virgin mind coming up with the concept after one encounter. The concept 'mind-boggling' seems more likely.

17. Mind and Body / D. Property Dualism / 6. Mysterianism

9114	There are no secure foundations to prove the separate existence of mind, in reason or experience [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: The existence of an immaterial 'intellective soul' ..cannot be demonstrated; for every reason by which we try to prove it assumes something that is doubtful for a man who follows only his natural reason. Neither can it be proved by experience.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], I Q x)
	A reaction: This is splendid honesty from a medieval monk. How would such a clear thinker have responded to modern brain research? Colin McGinn still maintains William's view, despite modern knowledge. Our ignorance produced conceptual dualism.

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 / D. Ideologies / 11. Capitalism

24073	Capitalists use their exceptional power to impose their own rules, and make the state their ally [Davies,W]
	Full Idea: Capitalists exploit their unrivalled control over time and space in order to impose their rules on everyone else. …It triumphed late, only becoming dominant in the 19th century, when it had conscripted the state as its ally.
	From: William Davies (Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers [2024], 24-04-04)
	A reaction: This so very much makes sense of the modern world. Nowadays capitalists are so wealthy that the state has largely become their pawn, rather than their ally. Populist leaders are their puppets (and are well rewarded).

24070	Economies have material, economic and capitalist layers [Davies,W]
	Full Idea: Braudel's economic history has three layers. At the bottom is material life of consumption, production, reproduction. Next is economic life of markets, of equals in exchange and competition. Top is capitalism, of opacity, monopoly, power, high profits.
	From: William Davies (Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers [2024], 24-04-04)
	A reaction: The point Davies emphasises here is the sharp distinction between the market economy and capitalism.

24074	Capitalism must mainly rely either on the labour market, or on the financial markets [Davies,W]
	Full Idea: According to Marxists, the one market capitalism cannot do without is the labour market, which creates saleable things. Others, influenced by Keynes, emphasise financial markets, where pieces of paper change hands on expectation of their value.
	From: William Davies (Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers [2024], 24-04-04)
	A reaction: Modern Britain fits the Keynesian account much better, given its low production, and very active (until recently) London financial market.

24072	Capitalism is the anti-market, with opacity, monopolies, powers, exceptional profits and wealth [Davies,W]
	Full Idea: Braudel sees capitalism as the 'anti-market': a world of opacity, monopoly, concentration of power and wealth, and the exceptional profits that can be achieved only by escaping the norms of 'economic life'.
	From: William Davies (Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers [2024], 24-04-04)
	A reaction: Given all the talk about the wonders of the 'free market' from right-wingers, this passage came as a revelation to me. Capitalists all dream of a monopoly, which is precisely the destruction of a market.

24071	Markets are transparent, with known prices and activity, and minimal profits [Davies,W]
	Full Idea: Markets are characterised by transparency. Prices are public, and all relevant activity is visible to everyone. And because of competition, profits are minimal, little more than a 'wage' for the seller.
	From: William Davies (Review of 'The Price is Wrong' by B.Christophers [2024], 24-04-04)
	A reaction: This account, from Braudel, is to distinguish markets from capitalism.

29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 4. Christianity / a. Christianity

9115	To love God means to love whatever God wills to be loved [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: To love God above all means to love whatever God wills to be loved.
	From: William of Ockham (Seven Quodlibets [1332], III Q xiii)
	A reaction: A striking thought, which could be meaningful to the non-religious. Is it possible to form an image of what a perfect and ideal mind would love most? This might generate a set of universal values. It is tricky to find out what an actual God loves.