Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism'' and 'Intro to I: Classical Logic'

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7 ideas

1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 3. Philosophy Defined

23367	Even pointing a finger should only be done for a reason [Epictetus]
	Full Idea: Philosophy says it is not right even to stretch out a finger without some reason.
	From: Epictetus (fragments/reports [c.57], 15)
	A reaction: The key point here is that philosophy concerns action, an idea on which Epictetus is very keen. He rather despise theory. This idea perfectly sums up the concept of the wholly rational life (which no rational person would actually want to live!).

5. Theory of Logic / A. Overview of Logic / 6. Classical Logic

9463	Classical logic is bivalent, has excluded middle, and only quantifies over existent objects [Jacquette]
	Full Idea: Classical logic (of Whitehead, Russell, Gödel, Church) is a two-valued system of propositional and predicate logic, in which all propositions are exclusively true or false, and quantification and predication are over existent objects only.
	From: Dale Jacquette (Intro to I: Classical Logic [2002], p.9)
	A reaction: All of these get challenged at some point, though the existence requirement is the one I find dubious.

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / a. Liberalism basics

22808	Liberalism is minimal government, or individual rights, or equality [Avineri/De-Shalit]
	Full Idea: Liberalism has been defended as a theory of minimal government, or as a theory of basic individual rights, or as an egalitarian philosophy.
	From: Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §5)
	A reaction: Minimal government tends towards anarchist liberalism, but then what grounds the right to be free of government? Presumably any sensible theory of rights has to be egalitarian. What could ground unequal rights?

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / g. Liberalism critique

22803	Can individualist theories justify an obligation to fight in a war? [Avineri/De-Shalit]
	Full Idea: How can an individualist theory justify an obligation to fight for the state in the case of war?
	From: Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §4)
	A reaction: The most dramatic example of obliging citizens to contribute to the state, the notable other case being taxes. Some imagined ancient 'social contract' doesn't seem sufficient for later generations. Does being naturally sociable create such obligations?

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 7. Communitarianism / a. Communitarianism

22804	Autonomy is better achieved within a community [Avineri/De-Shalit]
	Full Idea: Communitarians often argue that personal autonomy is better achieved within the community.
	From: Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §4)
	A reaction: Hegel is the source of this view. The simplest version of the point is that autonomy can only be asserted if a person has rights, which can be asserted and defended, and only a society can provide that. That is plausible.

22806	Communitarians avoid oppression for the common good, by means of small mediating communities [Avineri/De-Shalit]
	Full Idea: Because of the mediating structures of small communities, communitarians are less fearful [than liberals] of the emergence of an oppressive government as a result of the politics of the common good.
	From: Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §5)
	A reaction: A politics of the common good has an obvious implicit conservatism because the central consensus is always likely to disapprove of errant individuals, of all sorts. Only individual rights can block an oppressive government.

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 7. Communitarianism / b. Against communitarianism

22807	If our values are given to us by society then we have no grounds to criticise them [Avineri/De-Shalit]
	Full Idea: If communitarians are right that we are not free to choose, but rather that our values are determined by our community, the individualists say, then there is no reason to criticise the values of one's society.
	From: Avineri,S/De-Shalit,A (Intro to 'Communitarianism and Individualism' [1992], §5)
	A reaction: This is an obvious challenge, but if one's concept of community is a forum for free debate then it can be overcome. There is no avoiding the fact, though, that a good community always needs a high degree of consensus.