134 ideas
11461 | 323 (roughly): Euclid wrote 'Elements', summarising all of geometry [PG] |
Full Idea: Euclid: In around 323 BCE Euclid wrote his 'Elements', summarising all of known geometry. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030]) |
11390 | 1000 (roughly): Upanishads written (in Sanskrit); religious and philosophical texts [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1000 BCE the Upanishads were written, the most philosophical of ancient Hindu texts | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0001) |
11391 | 750 (roughly): the Book of Genesis written by Hebrew writers [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 750 BCE the Book of Genesis was written by an anonymous jewish writer | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0250) |
11392 | 586: eclipse of the sun on the coast of modern Turkey was predicted by Thales of Miletus [PG] |
Full Idea: In 585 BCE there was an eclipse of the sun, which Thales of Miletus is said to have predicted | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0415) |
11395 | 570: Anaximander flourished in Miletus [PG] |
Full Idea: Anaximander: In around 570 BCE the philosopher and astronomer Anaximander flourished in Miletus | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0430) |
11396 | 563: the Buddha born in northern India [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 563 BCE Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born in northern India | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0437) |
11398 | 540: Lao Tzu wrote 'Tao Te Ching', the basis of Taoism [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 540 BCE Lao Tzu wrote the 'Tao Te Ching', the basis of Taoism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0460) |
11400 | 529: Pythagoras created his secretive community at Croton in Sicily [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 529 BCE Pythagoras set up a community in Croton, with strict and secret rules and teachings | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0471) |
11403 | 500: Heraclitus flourishes at Ephesus, in modern Turkey [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 500 BCE Heraclitus flourished in the city of Ephesus in Ionia | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0500) |
11404 | 496: Confucius travels widely, persuading rulers to be more moral [PG] |
Full Idea: In 496 BCE Confucius began a period of wandering, to persuade rulers to be more moral | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0504) |
11408 | 472: Empedocles persuades his city (Acragas in Sicily) to become a democracy [PG] |
Full Idea: In 472 BCE Empedocles helped his city of Acragas change to democracy | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0528) |
11412 | 450 (roughly): Parmenides and Zeno visit Athens from Italy [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 450 BCE Parmenides and Zeno visited the festival in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0550) |
11414 | 445: Protagoras helps write laws for the new colony of Thurii [PG] |
Full Idea: In 443 BCE Protagoras helped write the laws for the new colony of Thurii | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0557) |
11417 | 436 (roughly): Anaxagoras is tried for impiety, and expelled from Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 436 BCE Anaxagoras was tried on a charge of impiety and expelled from Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0564) |
11421 | 427: Gorgias visited Athens as ambassador for Leontini [PG] |
Full Idea: In 427 BCE Gorgias of Leontini visited Athens as an ambassador for his city | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0573) |
11425 | 399: Socrates executed (with Plato absent through ill health) [PG] |
Full Idea: In 399 BCE Plato was unwell, and was not present at the death of Socrates | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0601) |
11432 | 387 (roughly): Plato returned to Athens, and founded the Academy [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 387 BCE Plato returned to Athens and founded his new school at the Academy | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0613) |
11433 | 387 (roughly): Aristippus the Elder founder a hedonist school at Cyrene [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 387 BCE a new school was founded at Cyrene by Aristippus the elder | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0613) |
11440 | 367: the teenaged Aristotle came to study at the Academy [PG] |
Full Idea: In 367 BCE the seventeen-year-old Aristotle came south to study at the Academy | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0633) |
11443 | 360 (roughly): Diogenes of Sinope lives in a barrel in central Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 360 BCE Diogenes of Sinope was living in a barrel in the Agora in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0640) |
11445 | 347: death of Plato [PG] |
Full Idea: In 347 BCE Plato died | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0653) |
11454 | 343: Aristotle becomes tutor to 13 year old Alexander (the Great) [PG] |
Full Idea: In 343 BCE at Stagira Aristotle became personal tutor to the thirteen-year-old Alexander (the Great) | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0657) |
11456 | 335: Arisotle founded his school at the Lyceum in Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In 335 BCE Aristotle founded the Lyceum in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0665) |
11459 | 330 (roughly): Chuang Tzu wrote his Taoist book [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 330 BCE Chuang Tzu wrote a key work in the Taoist tradition | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0670) |
11465 | 322: Aristotle retired to Chalcis, and died there [PG] |
Full Idea: In 322 BCE Aristotle retired to Chalcis in Euboea, where he died | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0678) |
11468 | 307 (roughly): Epicurus founded his school at the Garden in Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 307 BCE Epicurus founded his school at the Garden in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0693) |
11470 | 301 (roughly): Zeno of Citium founded Stoicism at the Stoa Poikile in Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 301 BCE the Stoic school was founded by Zeno of Citium in the Stoa Poikile in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0699) |
11483 | 261: Cleanthes replaced Zeno as head of the Stoa [PG] |
Full Idea: In 261 BCE Cleanthes took over from Zeno as head of the Stoa. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0739) |
11486 | 229 (roughly): Chrysippus replaced Cleanthes has head of the Stoa [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 229 BCE Chrysippus took over from Cleanthes as the head of the Stoic school | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0771) |
11492 | 157 (roughly): Carneades became head of the Academy [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 157 BCE Carneades took over as head of the Academy from Hegesinus | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0843) |
11509 | 85: most philosophical activity moves to Alexandria [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 85 BCE Athens went into philosophical decline, and leadership moved to Alexandria | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0915) |
11513 | 78: Cicero visited the stoic school on Rhodes [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 78 BCE Cicero visited the school of Posidonius in Rhodes. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0922) |
11516 | 60 (roughly): Lucretius wrote his Latin poem on epicureanism [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 60 BCE Lucretius wrote his Latin poem on Epicureanism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 0940) |
11528 | 65: Seneca forced to commit suicide by Nero [PG] |
Full Idea: In 65 CE Seneca was forced to commit suicide by the Emperor Nero. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1065) |
11531 | 80: the discourses of the stoic Epictetus are written down [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 80 CE the 'Discourses' of the freed slave Epictetus were written down in Rome. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1080) |
11535 | 170 (roughly): Marcus Aurelius wrote his private stoic meditations [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 170 CE the Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his 'Meditations' for private reading. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1170) |
11537 | -200 (roughly): Sextus Empiricus wrote a series of books on scepticism [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 200 CE Sextus Empiricus wrote a series of books (which survive) defending scepticism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1200) |
11541 | 263: Porphyry began to study with Plotinus in Rome [PG] |
Full Idea: In 263 CE Porphyry joined Plotinus' classes in Rome | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1263) |
11545 | 310: Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire [PG] |
Full Idea: In 310 CE Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1310) |
11549 | 387: Ambrose converts Augustine to Christianity [PG] |
Full Idea: In 387 CE Augustine converted to Christianity in Milan, guided by St Ambrose | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1387) |
11555 | 523: Boethius imprisoned at Pavia, and begins to write [PG] |
Full Idea: In 523 CE Boethius was imprisoned in exile at Pavia, and wrote 'Consolations of Philosophy' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1523) |
11557 | 529: the emperor Justinian closes all the philosophy schools in Athens [PG] |
Full Idea: In 529 CE the Emperor Justinian closed all the philosophy schools in Athens | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1529) |
11558 | 622 (roughly): Mohammed writes the Koran [PG] |
Full Idea: Mohammed: In about 622 CE Muhammed wrote the basic text of Islam, the Koran. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1622) |
11559 | 642: Arabs close the philosophy schools in Alexandria [PG] |
Full Idea: In 642 CE Alexandria was captured by the Arabs, and the philosophy schools were closed | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1642) |
11560 | 910 (roughly): Al-Farabi wrote Arabic commentaries on Aristotle [PG] |
Full Idea: Alfarabi: In around 910 CE Al-Farabi explained and expanded Aristotle for the Islamic world. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 1910) |
11562 | 1015 (roughly): Ibn Sina (Avicenna) writes a book on Aristotle [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1015 Avicenna produced his Platonised version of Aristotle in 'The Healing' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2015) |
11564 | 1090: Anselm publishes his proof of the existence of God [PG] |
Full Idea: Anselm: In about 1090 St Anselm of Canterbury publishes his Ontological Proof of God's existence | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2090) |
11566 | 1115: Abelard is the chief logic teacher in Paris [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1115 Abelard became established as the chief logic teacher in Paris | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2115) |
11573 | 1166: Ibn Rushd (Averroes) wrote extensive commentaries on Aristotle [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1166 Averroes (Ibn Rushd), in Seville, wrote extensive commentaries on Aristotle | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2166) |
11581 | 1266: Aquinas began writing 'Summa Theologica' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1266 Aquinas began writing his great theological work, the 'Summa Theologica' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2266) |
11586 | 1280: after his death, the teaching of Aquinas becomes official Dominican doctrine [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1280 Aquinas's teaching became the official theology of the Dominican order | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2280) |
11591 | 1328: William of Ockham decides the Pope is a heretic, and moves to Munich [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1328 William of Ockham decided the Pope was a heretic, and moved to Munich | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2328) |
17916 | 1347: the Church persecutes philosophical heresies [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1347 the Church began extensive persecution of unorthodox philosophical thought | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2347) |
11593 | 1470: Marsilio Ficino founds a Platonic Academy in Florence [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1470 Marsilio Ficino founded a Platonic Academy in Florence | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2470) |
11596 | 1513: Machiavelli wrote 'The Prince' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1513 Machiavelli wrote 'The Prince', a tough view of political theory. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2513) |
11599 | 1543: Copernicus publishes his heliocentric view of the solar system [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1543 Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish monk, publishes his new theory of the solar system. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2543) |
11601 | 1580: Montaigne publishes his essays [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1580 Montaigne published a volume of his 'Essays' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2580) |
11607 | 1600: Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake in Rome [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1600 Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake in Rome, largely for endorsing Copernicus | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2600) |
11613 | 1619: Descartes's famous day of meditation inside a stove [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1619 Descartes had a famous day of meditation in a heated stove at Ulm | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2619) |
11614 | 1620: Bacon publishes 'Novum Organum' [PG] |
Full Idea: Francis Bacon: In 1620 Bacon published his 'Novum Organon', urging the rise of experimental science | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2620) |
11619 | 1633: Galileo convicted of heresy by the Inquisition [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1633 Galileo was condemned to life emprisonment for contradicting church teachings. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2633) |
11623 | 1641: Descartes publishes his 'Meditations' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1641 Descartes published his well-known 'Meditations', complete with Objections and Replies | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2641) |
11626 | 1650: death of Descartes, in Stockholm [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1650 Descartes died in Stockholm, after stressful work for Queen Christina | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2650) |
11627 | 1651: Hobbes publishes 'Leviathan' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1651 Hobbes published his great work on politics and contract morality, 'Leviathan' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2651) |
11633 | 1662: the Port Royal Logic is published [PG] |
Full Idea: Antoine Arnauld: In 1662 Arnauld and Nicole published their famous text, the 'Port-Royal Logic' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2662) |
11634 | 1665: Spinoza writes his 'Ethics' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1665 the first draft of Spinoza's 'Ethics', his major work, was finished, and published posthumously | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2665) |
11643 | 1676: Leibniz settled as librarian to the Duke of Brunswick [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1676 Leibniz became librarian to the Duke of Brunswick, staying for the rest of his life | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2676) |
11649 | 1687: Newton publishes his 'Principia Mathematica' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1687 Newton published his 'Principia', containing his theory of gravity. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2687) |
11652 | 1690: Locke publishes his 'Essay' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1690 Locke published his 'Essay', his major work on empiricism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2690) |
11654 | 1697: Bayle publishes his 'Dictionary' [PG] |
Full Idea: Pierre Bayle: In about 1697 Pierre Bayle published his 'Historical and Critical Dictionary' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2697) |
11659 | 1713: Berkeley publishes his 'Three Dialogues' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1713 Berkeley published a popular account of his empiricist idealism in 'Three Dialogues' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2713) |
11666 | 1734: Voltaire publishes his 'Philosophical Letters' [PG] |
Full Idea: Francois-Marie Voltaire: In 1734 Voltaire's 'Lettres Philosophiques' praised liberalism and empiricism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2734) |
11667 | 1739: Hume publishes his 'Treatise' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1739 Hume returned to Edinburgh and published his 'Treatise', but it sold very few copies | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2739) |
11675 | 1762: Rousseau publishes his 'Social Contract' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1762 Rousseau published his 'Social Contract', basing politics on the popular will | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2762) |
11682 | 1781: Kant publishes his 'Critique of Pure Reason' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1781 Kant published his first great work, the 'Critique of Pure Reason' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2781) |
11683 | 1785: Reid publishes his essays defending common sense [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1785 Thomas Reid, based in Glasgow, published essays defending common sense. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2785) |
11687 | 1798: the French Revolution [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1789 the French Revolution gave strong impetus to the anti-rational 'Romantic' movement | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2789) |
11694 | 1807: Hegel publishes his 'Phenomenology of Spirit' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1807 Hegel published his first major work, the 'Phenomenology of Spirit' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2807) |
11701 | 1818: Schopenhauer publishes his 'World as Will and Idea' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1818 Schopenhauer published 'The World as Will and Idea', his major work | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2818) |
11710 | 1840: Kierkegaard is writing extensively in Copenhagen [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1840 Kierkegaard lived a quiet life as a writer in Copenhagen | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2840) |
11713 | 1843: Mill publishes his 'System of Logic' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1843 Mill published his 'System of Logic' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2843) |
11715 | 1848: Marx and Engels publis the Communist Manifesto [PG] |
Full Idea: Karl Marx: In 1848 Marx and Engels published their 'Communist Manifesto' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2848) |
11717 | 1859: Darwin publishes his 'Origin of the Species' [PG] |
Full Idea: Charles Darwin: In 1859 Charles Darwin published his theory of natural selection in 'Origin of the Species'. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2859) |
11721 | 1861: Mill publishes 'Utilitarianism' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1861 Mill published his book 'Utilitarianism' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2861) |
11724 | 1867: Marx begins publishing 'Das Kapital' [PG] |
Full Idea: Karl Marx: In 1867 Karl Marx began publishing his political work 'Das Kapital' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2867) |
11733 | 1879: Peirce taught for five years at Johns Hopkins University [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1879 Peirce began five years of teaching at Johns Hopkins University | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2879) |
17907 | 1879: Frege invents predicate logic [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1879 Frege published his 'Concept Script', which created predicate logic | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2879) |
17909 | 1892: Frege's essay 'Sense and Reference' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1892 Frege published his famous essay 'Sense and Reference' (Sinn und Bedeutung) | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2882) |
17908 | 1884: Frege publishes his 'Foundations of Arithmetic' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1884 Frege published his 'Foundations of Arithmetic', the beginning of logicism | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2884) |
11735 | 1885: Nietzsche completed 'Thus Spake Zarathustra' [PG] |
Full Idea: In about 1885 Nietzsche completed his book 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2885) |
17911 | 1888: Dedekind publishes axioms for arithmetic [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1888 Dedekind created simple axioms for arithmetic (the Peano Axioms) | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2888) |
11740 | 1890: James published 'Principles of Psychology' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1890 James published his 'Principles of Psychology' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2890) |
11742 | 1895 (roughly): Freud developed theories of the unconscious [PG] |
Full Idea: In around 1895 Sigmund Freud developed his theories of the unconscious mind | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2895) |
11745 | 1900: Husserl began developing Phenomenology [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1900 Edmund Husserl began presenting his new philosophy of Phenomenology | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2900) |
11746 | 1903: Moore published 'Principia Ethica' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1903 G.E. Moore published his 'Principia Ethica', attacking naturalistic ethics. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2903) |
11747 | 1904: Dewey became professor at Columbia University [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1904 Dewey moved to Columbia University in New York. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2904) |
17910 | 1908: Zermelo publishes axioms for set theory [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1908 Zermelo published an axiomatisation of the new set theory | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2908) |
11752 | 1910: Russell and Whitehead begin publishing 'Principia Mathematica' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1910 Russell began publication of 'Principia Mathematica', with Whitehead | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2910) |
11756 | 1912: Russell meets Wittgenstein in Cambridge [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1912 Russell met Wittgenstein at Cambridge | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2912) |
11762 | 1921: Wittgenstein's 'Tractatus' published [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1921 Wittgenstein's 'Tractatus' was published | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2921) |
11765 | 1927: Heidegger's 'Being and Time' published [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1927 Heidegger's major work, 'Being and Time', was published | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2927) |
11768 | 1930: Frank Ramsey dies at 27 [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1930 Frank Ramsey died at the age of 27. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2930) |
11770 | 1931: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems [PG] |
Full Idea: Kurt Gödel: In 1931 the mathematician Kurt Gödel publishes his Incompleteness Theorems. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2931) |
11773 | 1933: Tarski's theory of truth [PG] |
Full Idea: Alfred Tarski: In 1933 Alfred Tarski wrote a famous paper presenting a semantic theory of truth. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2933) |
11783 | 1942: Camus published 'The Myth of Sisyphus' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1942 Camus published 'The Myth of Sisyphus', exploring suicide and the absurd | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2942) |
11784 | 1943: Sartre's 'Being and Nothingness' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1943 Jean-Paul Sartre published his major work, 'Being and Nothingness' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2943) |
11787 | 1945: Merleau-Ponty's 'Phenomenology of Perception' [PG] |
Full Idea: Maurice Merleau-Ponty: In 1945 Maurice Merleau-Pont published 'The Phenomenology of Perception' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2945) |
17918 | 1947: Carnap published 'Meaning and Necessity' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1947 Carnap published 'Meaning and Necessity' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2947) |
11794 | 1950: Quine's essay 'Two Dogmas of Empiricism' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1950 Willard Quine published 'Two Dogmas of Empiricism', attacking analytic truth | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2950) |
17917 | 1953: Wittgenstein's 'Philosophical Investigations' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1953 Wittgenstein's posthumous work 'Philosophical Investigations' is published | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2953) |
17919 | 1956: Place proposed mind-brain identity [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1956 U.T. Place proposed that the mind is identical to the brain | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2956) |
11804 | 1962: Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1962 Thomas Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions' questioned the authority of science | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2962) |
17921 | 1967: Putnam proposed functionalism of the mind [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1967 Putname proposed the functionalist view of the mind | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2967) |
11808 | 1971: Rawls's 'A Theory of Justice' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1971 John Rawls published his famous defence of liberalism in 'A Theory of Justice' | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2971) |
11810 | 1972: Kripke publishes 'Naming and Necessity' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1972 Saul Kripke's 'Naming and Necessity' revised theories about language and reality | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2972) |
11813 | 1975: Singer publishes 'Animal Rights' [PG] |
Full Idea: Peter Singer: In 1975 Peter Singer's 'Animal Rights' turned the attention of philosophers to applied ethics. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2975) |
17920 | 1975: Putnam published his Twin Earth example [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1975 Putnam published 'The Meaning of 'Meaning'', containing his Twin Earth example | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2975) |
11820 | 1986: David Lewis publishes 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [PG] |
Full Idea: In 1986 David Lewis published 'On the Plurality of Worlds', about possible worlds. | |
From: PG (Db (chronology) [2030], 2986) |
18806 | Frege thought traditional categories had psychological and linguistic impurities [Frege, by Rumfitt] |
Full Idea: Frege rejected the traditional categories as importing psychological and linguistic impurities into logic. | |
From: report of Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by Ian Rumfitt - The Boundary Stones of Thought 1.2 | |
A reaction: Resisting such impurities is the main motivation for making logic entirely symbolic, but it doesn't follow that the traditional categories have to be dropped. |
8490 | First-level functions have objects as arguments; second-level functions take functions as arguments [Frege] |
Full Idea: Just as functions are fundamentally different from objects, so also functions whose arguments are and must be functions are fundamentally different from functions whose arguments are objects. The latter are first-level, the former second-level, functions. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.38) | |
A reaction: In 1884 he called it 'second-order'. This is the standard distinction between first- and second-order logic. The first quantifies over objects, the second over intensional entities such as properties and propositions. |
8492 | Relations are functions with two arguments [Frege] |
Full Idea: Functions of one argument are concepts; functions of two arguments are relations. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.39) | |
A reaction: Nowadays we would say 'two or more'. Another interesting move in the aim of analytic philosophy to reduce the puzzling features of the world to mathematical logic. There is, of course, rather more to some relations than being two-argument functions. |
8487 | Arithmetic is a development of logic, so arithmetical symbolism must expand into logical symbolism [Frege] |
Full Idea: I am of the opinion that arithmetic is a further development of logic, which leads to the requirement that the symbolic language of arithmetic must be expanded into a logical symbolism. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.30) | |
A reaction: This may the the one key idea at the heart of modern analytic philosophy (even though logicism may be a total mistake!). Logic and arithmetical foundations become the master of ontology, instead of the servant. The jury is out on the whole enterprise. |
18899 | Frege takes the existence of horses to be part of their concept [Frege, by Sommers] |
Full Idea: Frege regarded the existence of horses as a property of the concept 'horse'. | |
From: report of Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by Fred Sommers - Intellectual Autobiography 'Realism' |
4028 | Frege allows either too few properties (as extensions) or too many (as predicates) [Mellor/Oliver on Frege] |
Full Idea: Frege's theory of properties (which he calls 'concepts') yields too few properties, by identifying coextensive properties, and also too many, by letting every predicate express a property. | |
From: comment on Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by DH Mellor / A Oliver - Introduction to 'Properties' §2 | |
A reaction: Seems right; one extension may have two properties (have heart/kidneys), two predicates might express the same property. 'Cutting nature at the joints' covers properties as well as objects. |
8508 | A 'trope' is an abstract particular, the occurrence of an essence [Williams,DC] |
Full Idea: I shall divert the word 'trope' to stand for the abstract particular which is, so to speak, the occurrence of an essence. | |
From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.115) | |
A reaction: Thus tropes entered philosophical discussion. Presumably the precedent for an 'abstract particular' would be a particular occurrence of the number 7. |
8509 | A world is completely constituted by its tropes and their connections [Williams,DC] |
Full Idea: Any possible world, and hence, of course, this one, is completely constituted by its tropes and connections of location and similarity. | |
From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.116) | |
A reaction: Note that Williams regularly referred to possible worlds in 1953. This is a full-blooded trope theory, which asserts that objects are bundles of tropes, so that both particulars and universals are ontologically taken care of. |
8510 | 'Socrates is wise' means a concurrence sum contains a member of a similarity set [Williams,DC] |
Full Idea: 'Socrates is wise' means that the concurrence sum (Socrates) includes a trope which is a member of the similarity set (Wisdom). | |
From: Donald C. Williams (On the Elements of Being: I [1953], p.119) | |
A reaction: Resemblance has to be taken as a basic (and presumably unanalysable) concept, which invites Russell's objection (Idea 4441). |
8489 | The concept 'object' is too simple for analysis; unlike a function, it is an expression with no empty place [Frege] |
Full Idea: I regard a regular definition of 'object' as impossible, since it is too simple to admit of logical analysis. Briefly: an object is anything that is not a function, so that an expression for it does not contain any empty place. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.32) | |
A reaction: Here is the core of the programme for deriving our ontology from our logic and language, followed through by Russell and Quine. Once we extend objects beyond the physical, it becomes incredibly hard to individuate them. |
9947 | Concepts are the ontological counterparts of predicative expressions [Frege, by George/Velleman] |
Full Idea: Concepts, for Frege, are the ontological counterparts of predicative expressions. | |
From: report of Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by A.George / D.J.Velleman - Philosophies of Mathematics Ch.2 | |
A reaction: That sounds awfully like what many philosophers call 'universals'. Frege, as a platonist (at least about numbers), I would take to be in sympathy with that. At least we can say that concepts seem to be properties. |
10319 | An assertion about the concept 'horse' must indirectly speak of an object [Frege, by Hale] |
Full Idea: Frege had a notorious difficulty over the concept 'horse', when he suggests that if we wish to assert something about a concept, we are obliged to proceed indirectly by speaking of an object that represents it. | |
From: report of Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], Ch.2.II) by Bob Hale - Abstract Objects | |
A reaction: This sounds like the thin end of a wedge. The great champion of objects is forced to accept them here as a façon de parler, when elsewhere they have ontological status. |
8488 | A concept is a function whose value is always a truth-value [Frege] |
Full Idea: A concept in logic is closely connected with what we call a function. Indeed, we may say at once: a concept is a function whose value is always a truth-value. ..I give the name 'function' to what is meant by the 'unsaturated' part. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.30) | |
A reaction: So a function becomes a concept when the variable takes a value. Problems arise when the value is vague, or the truth-value is indeterminable. |
9948 | Unlike objects, concepts are inherently incomplete [Frege, by George/Velleman] |
Full Idea: For Frege, concepts differ from objects in being inherently incomplete in nature. | |
From: report of Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891]) by A.George / D.J.Velleman - Philosophies of Mathematics Ch.2 | |
A reaction: This is because they are 'unsaturated', needing a quantified variable to complete the sentence. This could be a pointer towards Quine's view of properties, as simply an intrinsic feature of predication about objects, with no separate identity. |
4972 | I may regard a thought about Phosphorus as true, and the same thought about Hesperus as false [Frege] |
Full Idea: From sameness of meaning there does not follow sameness of thought expressed. A fact about the Morning Star may express something different from a fact about the Evening Star, as someone may regard one as true and the other false. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.14) | |
A reaction: This all gets clearer if we distinguish internalist and externalist theories of content. Why take sides on this? Why not just ask 'what is in the speaker's head?', 'what does the sentence mean in the community?', and 'what is the corresponding situation?' |
8491 | The Ontological Argument fallaciously treats existence as a first-level concept [Frege] |
Full Idea: The ontological proof of God's existence suffers from the fallacy of treating existence as a first-level concept. | |
From: Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.38 n) | |
A reaction: [See Idea 8490 for first- and second-order functions] This is usually summarised as the idea that existence is a quantifier rather than a predicate. |