Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Instrospection' and 'Goodness and Choice'

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4 ideas

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 6. Constitution of an Object

6019	If someone squashed a horse to make a dog, something new would now exist [Mnesarchus]
	Full Idea: If, for the sake of argument, someone were to mould a horse, squash it, then make a dog, it would be reasonable for us on seeing this to say that this previously did not exist but now does exist.
	From: Mnesarchus (fragments/reports [c.120 BCE]), quoted by John Stobaeus - Anthology 179.11
	A reaction: Locke would say it is new, because the substance is the same, but a new life now exists. A sword could cease to exist and become a new ploughshare, I would think. Apply this to the Ship of Theseus. Is form more important than substance?

16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 1. Introspection

5692	Introspection is not perception, because there are no extra qualities apart from the mental events themselves [Rosenthal]
	Full Idea: Introspection cannot be a form of perceiving, since that invariably involves sensory qualities, and no qualities occur in introspection other than those of the sensations and perceptions we introspect; there are no additional qualities.
	From: David M. Rosenthal (Instrospection [1998])
	A reaction: This sounds pretty conclusive. Presumably introspection is best described as meta-thought rather than perception, which means that it involves beliefs and judgements, rather than new perceptual qualities. It has to be conceptual, and probably linguistic.

22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / b. Successful function

22381	Being a good father seems to depend on intentions, rather than actual abilities [Foot]
	Full Idea: Being a good father, or daughter, or friend seems to depend on one's intentions, rather than on such things as cleverness and strength.
	From: Philippa Foot (Goodness and Choice [1961], p.138)
	A reaction: Not sure about that. In wartime a good father might need to be actually brave, and in times of hardship be actually economically successful. 'He meant well, but he was a hopeless father'?

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 3. Natural Function

22380	Some words, such as 'knife', have a meaning which involves its function [Foot]
	Full Idea: The word 'knife' names an object in respect of its function. That is not to say (simply) that it names an object which has a function, but also that the function is involved in the meaning of the word.
	From: Philippa Foot (Goodness and Choice [1961], p.134)
	A reaction: It seems faintly possible that someone (a child, perhaps) could know the word and recognise the object, but not know what the object is for. Ditto with other things which have functional names.