Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'A Résumé of Metaphysics', 'Ethical Studies' and 'Law, Pragmatism and Democracy'

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5 ideas

22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 2. Happiness / d. Routes to happiness

5655	Happiness is not satisfaction of desires, but fulfilment of values [Bradley, by Scruton]
	Full Idea: For Bradley, the happiness of the individual is not to be understood in terms of his desires and needs, but rather in terms of his values - which is to say, in terms of those of his desires which he incorporates into his self.
	From: report of F.H. Bradley (Ethical Studies [1876]) by Roger Scruton - Short History of Modern Philosophy Ch.16
	A reaction: Good. Bentham will reduce the values to a further set of desires, so that a value is a complex (second-level?) desire. I prefer to think of values as judgements, but I like Scruton's phrase of 'incorporating into his self'. Kant take note (Idea 1452).

22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / a. Nature of pleasure

5049	Intelligent pleasure is the perception of beauty, order and perfection [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: An intelligent being's pleasure is simply the perception of beauty, order and perfection.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (A Résumé of Metaphysics [1697], §18)
	A reaction: Leibniz seems to have inherited this from the Greeks, especially Pythagoras and Plato. Buried in Leibniz's remark I see the Christian fear of physical pleasure. He should have got out more. Must an intelligent being always be intelligent?

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / a. Nature of democracy

21131	Democracy is competition for support of the people, guided by self-interest on all sides [Posner]
	Full Idea: Democratic politics is a competition among self-interested politicians, constituting a ruling class, for the support of the people, also assumed to be self-interested, and none too interested or well informed about politics.
	From: Richard Posner (Law, Pragmatism and Democracy [2003], p.144), quoted by Andrew Shorten - Contemporary Political Theory 05
	A reaction: This articulates the 'competitive' view of democracy, as simply a technique for establishing legitimacy. Posner is also an economist, and they also assume that everyone is wholly self-interested, which may be why they are so frequently wrong.

28. God / A. Divine Nature / 3. Divine Perfections

5048	Perfection is simply quantity of reality [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: Perfection is simply quantity of reality.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (A Résumé of Metaphysics [1697], §11)
	A reaction: An interesting claim, but totally beyond my personal comprehension. I presume he inherited 'quantity of reality' from Plato, e.g. as you move up the Line from shadows to Forms you increase the degree of reality. I see 'real' as all-or-nothing.

29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / b. Human Evil

5050	Evil serves a greater good, and pain is necessary for higher pleasure [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: Evils themselves serve a greater good, and the fact that pains are found in minds is necessary if they are to reach greater pleasures.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (A Résumé of Metaphysics [1697], §23)
	A reaction: How much pain is needed to qualify for the 'greater pleasures'? Some people receive an awful lot. I am not sure exactly how an evil can 'serve' a greater good. Is he recommending evil?