Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Against Euthanasia' and 'On Husserl'

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6 ideas

11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 4. Solipsism
The Cogito demands a bridge to the world, and ends in isolating the ego [Velarde-Mayol]
     Full Idea: All philosophies inspired in the Cogito have the problem of building a bridge from the starting point of consciousness to the external world. The result of this is the isolation and solitude of the very ego.
     From: Victor Velarde-Mayol (On Husserl [2000], 4.7.2)
     A reaction: This strikes me as a pretty good reason not to develop a philosophy which is inspired by the Cogito.
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 3. Representation
The representation may not be a likeness [Velarde-Mayol]
     Full Idea: Representationalism is the doctrine that maintains that the object is represented in consciousness by means of an image. ...One should not confuse an image with a likeness.
     From: Victor Velarde-Mayol (On Husserl [2000], 2.4.3)
     A reaction: Helpful reminder that sense-data or whatever may not be a likeness. But then how do they represent? Symbolic representation needs massive interpretation.
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?
25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 2. Euthanasia
We only allow voluntary euthanasia to someone who is both sane and crazed by pain [Kamisar]
     Full Idea: It seems that voluntary euthanasia can only be carried out by someone who is both sane, and crazed by pain.
     From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.77)
     A reaction: A fair point, despite its obvious exaggeration. How much pain must someone experience before we permit them to choose euthanasia?
People will volunteer for euthanasia because they think other people want them dead [Kamisar]
     Full Idea: In the process of voluntary euthanasia we will sweep up some who are not really tired of life, but think others are tired of them.
     From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.78)
     A reaction: We could permit such choices. Or set up systems to eliminate such cases.
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / d. Knowing essences
Find the essence by varying an object, to see what remains invariable [Velarde-Mayol]
     Full Idea: Eidetic Reduction consists of producing variations in the individual object until we see what is invariable in it. What is invariable is its essence or Eidos.
     From: Victor Velarde-Mayol (On Husserl [2000], 3.2.2)
     A reaction: This strikes me as an excellent idea. It more or less describes the method of science. Chemical atoms were thought to be unsplittable, until someone tried a new variation for dealing with them.