Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Mahaprajnaparamitashastra', 'Response to David Armstrong' and 'Against Method'

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4 ideas

1. Philosophy / G. Scientific Philosophy / 1. Aims of Science
6601 Science rules the globe because of colonising power, not inherent rationality [Feyerabend]
     Full Idea: Science now reigns supreme all over the globe; but the reason was not insight in its 'inherent rationality' but power play (the colonising nations imposed their way of living) and the need for weapons.
     From: Paul Feyerabend (Against Method [1975], 3), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.5
     A reaction: A nice clear statement of ridiculous relativism about science. What gave the colonisers their power if it was not more accurate knowledge of how to manipulate nature?
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 1. Powers
18398 Space, time, and some other basics, are not causal powers [Ellis]
     Full Idea: Spatial, temporal, and other primary properties and relationships are not causal powers.
     From: Brian Ellis (Response to David Armstrong [1999], p.42), quoted by David M. Armstrong - Truth and Truthmakers 10.4
     A reaction: It is hard to see how time and space could actually be powers, but future results in physics (or even current results about 'fields') might change that.
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 6. Theory Holism
2561 For Feyerabend the meaning of a term depends on a whole theory [Feyerabend, by Rorty]
     Full Idea: For Feyerabend the meaning of a term depends on a whole theory containing the term.
     From: report of Paul Feyerabend (Against Method [1975]) by Richard Rorty - Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature 6.3
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').