Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Through the Looking Glass', 'The Science of Rights' and 'works'

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3 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / e. Being and nothing
I only wish I had such eyes as to see Nobody! It's as much as I can do to see real people. [Carroll,L]
     Full Idea: "I see nobody on the road," said Alice. - "I only wish I had such eyes," the King remarked. ..."To be able to see Nobody! ...Why, it's as much as I can do to see real people."
     From: Lewis Carroll (C.Dodgson) (Through the Looking Glass [1886], p.189), quoted by A.W. Moore - The Evolution of Modern Metaphysics 07.7
     A reaction: [Moore quotes this, inevitably, in a chapter on Hegel] This may be a better candidate for the birth of philosophy of language than Frege's Groundwork.
16. Persons / D. Continuity of the Self / 6. Body sustains Self
Effective individuals must posit a specific material body for themselves [Fichte]
     Full Idea: Rational beings cannot posit themselves as effective individuals without ascribing to themselves a material body and determining it in doing so.
     From: Johann Fichte (The Science of Rights [1797], p.87), quoted by Ludwig Siep - Fichte
     A reaction: To be free entails a belief that one is 'effective', and a body is our only concept for that. This seems to be a transcendental proof that the body must exist, which is a neat inverted move! The Self sustains the body, for Fichte.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 8. Socialism
The great interest of the human race is cordial unity and unlimited mutual aid [Owen]
     Full Idea: It is the one great and universal interest of the human race to be cordially united, and to aid each other to the full extent of their capacities.
     From: Robert Owen (works [1830]), quoted by John H. Muirhead - The Service of the State IV
     A reaction: [Inscribed on his tomb in Newport, Shropshire] In the middle of the early industrial revolution, Owen worked hard for the rights of the people who worked in his factory.