Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'That Politics may be reduced to a Science', 'Chapters on Scepticism' and 'On 'Physics''

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7 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 2. Types of Existence

16664	Everything that exists is either a substance or an accident [Albert of Saxony]
	Full Idea: Everything that exists is either a substance or an accident.
	From: Albert of Saxony (On 'Physics' [1357], I.18), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 13.2
	A reaction: This seems to be the view of those who base their ontology on first-order classical logic. The more austere reading of that makes the accidents into sets of substances, so it's just substances. All the non-substance stuff cries out for recognition.

9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 6. Successive Things

16703	God could make a successive thing so that previous parts cease to exist [Albert of Saxony]
	Full Idea: Something can be conceived of as successive simpliciter, with respect to both its substance and its state. For example, if Socrates were continually made and made again by the First Cause, as the Seine flow, so nothing of what preexists remains.
	From: Albert of Saxony (On 'Physics' [1357], III.3), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 18.4
	A reaction: This is precisely the problem that modern stage theory faces, of knowing how to connect the stages together.

16699	Successive entities just need parts to succeed one another, without their existence [Albert of Saxony]
	Full Idea: For existence to hold of completely successive entities it is not required that their parts exist, but that one part succeed another, as a future part succeeds a past part.
	From: Albert of Saxony (On 'Physics' [1357], III.3 ad 2), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 18.3
	A reaction: A nice move, but it doesn't quite solve it. How can non-existent things 'succeed one another'? It is worrying for metaphysics that some things have entirely different concepts of persistence from other things.

15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / b. Scepticism of other minds

1799	If we can't know minds, we can't know if Pyrrho was a sceptic [Theodosius, by Diog. Laertius]
	Full Idea: We can't say the school of Pyrrho is sceptical, because the motion of the mind in each individual is incomprehensible to others, so we don't know Pyrrho's disposition.
	From: report of Theodosius (Chapters on Scepticism [c.100 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 09.Py.8

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 4. External Goods / d. Friendship

21093	Friendship without community spirit misses out on the main part of virtue [Hume]
	Full Idea: A man who is only susceptible of friendship, without public spirit or a regard to the community, is deficient in the most material part of virtue.
	From: David Hume (That Politics may be reduced to a Science [1750], p.21)
	A reaction: I think this is aimed at the epicureans. If the highest virtues are focused on one's friends that can easily lead to injustice, because it can tolerate prejudice against people who are very unlike one's friends.

24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 3. Constitutions

21091	It would be absurd if even a free constitution did not impose restraints, for the public good [Hume]
	Full Idea: A republican and free form of government would be an obvious absurdity, if the particular checks and controls, provided by the constitution, had really no influence, and made it not the interest, even of bad men, to act for the public good.
	From: David Hume (That Politics may be reduced to a Science [1750], p.14)
	A reaction: Presumably if you attain absolute power you can write any old constitution you like (Clause 1: the presidency is for life). But there does seem much point in doing it - unless it is to facilitate the use of the law for persecutions.

24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites

21092	Nobility either share in the power of the whole, or they compose the power of the whole [Hume]
	Full Idea: A nobility may possess power in two different ways. Either every nobleman shares the power as part of the whole body, or the whole body enjoys the power as composed of parts, which each have a distinct power and authority.
	From: David Hume (That Politics may be reduced to a Science [1750], p.15)
	A reaction: He says the first type is found in Venice, and is preferable to the second type, which is found in Poland. Presumably in the shared version there is some restraint on depraved nobles. The danger is each noble being an autocrat.