Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Mahaprajnaparamitashastra', 'Papers of 1913' and 'No Understanding without Explanation'

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5 ideas

10. Modality / B. Possibility / 1. Possibility

22308	Only the actual exists, so possibilities always reduce to actuality after full analysis [Russell]
	Full Idea: Possibility always marks insufficient analysis: when analysis is completed, only the actual can be relevant, for the simple reason that there is only the actual, and that the mere possibility is nothing.
	From: Bertrand Russell (Papers of 1913 [1913], VII.26), quoted by Michael Potter - The Rise of Analytic Philosophy 1879-1930 42 'Logic'
	A reaction: Quine agreed with Russell on this. You won't get far in life if you deny possibilities. The answer is to recognise that the actual is dynamic, and not passive.

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding

14365	Scientific understanding is always the grasping of a correct explanation [Strevens]
	Full Idea: I defend what I call the 'simple view', that scientific understanding is that state produced, and only produced, by grasping a correct explanation.
	From: Michael Strevens (No Understanding without Explanation [2011], Intro)
	A reaction: I like this because it clearly states what I take to be the view of Aristotle, and the key to understanding the whole of that philosopher's system. I take the view to be correct.

14368	We may 'understand that' the cat is on the mat, but not at all 'understand why' it is there [Strevens]
	Full Idea: 'Understanding why' is quite separate from 'understanding that': you might be exquisitely, incandescently aware of the cat's being on the mat without having the slightest clue how it got there. My topic is understanding why.
	From: Michael Strevens (No Understanding without Explanation [2011], 2)
	A reaction: Can't we separate 'understand how' from 'understand why'? I may know that someone dropped a cat through my letterbox, but more understanding would still be required. (He later adds understanding 'with' a theory).

14369	Understanding is a precondition, comes in degrees, is active, and holistic - unlike explanation [Strevens]
	Full Idea: Objectors to the idea that understanding requires explanation say that understanding is a precondition for explanation, that understanding comes in degrees, that understanding is active, and that it is holistic - all unlike explanations.
	From: Michael Strevens (No Understanding without Explanation [2011], 4)
	A reaction: He works through these four objections and replies to them, in defence of the thesis in Idea 14365. I agree with Strevens on this.

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / a. Virtues

7903	The six perfections are giving, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom [Nagarjuna]
	Full Idea: The six perfections are of giving, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, and wisdom.
	From: Nagarjuna (Mahaprajnaparamitashastra [c.120], 88)
	A reaction: What is 'morality', if giving is not part of it? I like patience and vigour being two of the virtues, which immediately implies an Aristotelian mean (which is always what is 'appropriate').