Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'works', 'works' and 'The Power of Words'

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6 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 6. Criterion for Existence

3534	To be is to have causal powers [Alexander,S]
	Full Idea: To be is to have causal powers.
	From: Samuel Alexander (works [1927], §4), quoted by Jaegwon Kim - Nonreductivist troubles with ment.causation
	A reaction: This is sometimes called Alexander's Principle. It is first found in Plato, and is popular with physicalists, but there are problem cases... A thing needs to exist in order to have causal powers. To exist is more than to be perceived.

17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 6. Epiphenomenalism

3398	Epiphenomenalism makes the mind totally pointless [Alexander,S]
	Full Idea: Epiphenomenalism supposes something to exist in nature which has nothing to do and no purpose to serve.
	From: Samuel Alexander (works [1927]), quoted by Jaegwon Kim - Philosophy of Mind p.129
	A reaction: An objection, but not, I think, a strong one. The fact, for example, that sweat is shiny is the result of good evolutionary reasons, but I cannot think of any purpose which it serves. All events which are purposeful are likely to have side-effects.

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / b. Defining ethics

5319	Avoid punishment, then get rewards, avoid rejection, avoid guilt, accept contracts, follow conscience [Kohlberg, by Wilson,EO]
	Full Idea: Kohlberg's six stages of ethical development are: 1) avoid punishment, 2) obtain rewards, 3) avoid rejection, 4) avoid censure and guilt, 5) recognise contracts, 6) individual conscience.
	From: report of Lawrence Kohlberg (works [1969]) by Edmund O. Wilson - On Human Nature p.166
	A reaction: This doesn't throw much light on philosophical problems, but the order of the six stages is interesting. Beware of oversimplification, because a situation can put pressure on any one of these six aspects of morality.

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 3. Conservatism

23829	National leaders want to preserve necessary order - but always the existing order [Weil]
	Full Idea: Those in command see their duty as defending order, without which no social life can survive; and the only order they conceive is the existing one.
	From: Simone Weil (The Power of Words [1934], p.249)
	A reaction: She sympathises with them, because a new order is such an unknown. But it always struck me as weird that traditions are preserved because they are traditions, and not because they are good. (My old school, for example!).

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 14. Nationalism

23828	National prestige consists of behaving as if you could beat the others in a war [Weil]
	Full Idea: What is called national prestige consists in behaving always in such a way as to demoralise other nations by giving them the impression that, if it comes to war, one would certainly defeat them.
	From: Simone Weil (The Power of Words [1934], p.244)
	A reaction: It's true. No nation gains prestige because of the happy lives of its citizens, or the creativity of its culture.

25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 1. War / a. Just wars

23827	Modern wars are fought in the name of empty words which are given capital letters [Weil]
	Full Idea: For our contemporaries the role of Helen in the Trojan War is is played by words with capital letters. …When empty words are given capital letters, then, on the slightest pretext, men will begin shedding blood for them and piling up ruin in their name.
	From: Simone Weil (The Power of Words [1934], p.241)
	A reaction: This seems particularly true of the 1930s, where specific dogmatic ideologies seemed to grip and divide people. Simple aggressive nationalism seems to be the cause of current wars, now the fear of Communism has diminished.