Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Mahaprajnaparamitashastra', 'Heidegger: an introduction' and 'talk'

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4 ideas

1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 3. Hermeneutics
Knowledge is not a static set of correct propositions, but a continuing search for better interpretations [Polt]
     Full Idea: Thanks to Heidegger, hermeneutics has gained wider acceptance - that knowledge is not a static set of correct propositions, but a continuing search for better interpretations.
     From: Richard Polt (Heidegger: an introduction [1999], 3.§7)
     A reaction: I am not sure if I understand the notion of a search that has a refusal to actually find anything as one of its basic principles.
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 9. Limits of Reason
A rational donkey would starve to death between two totally identical piles of hay [Buridan, by PG]
     Full Idea: A rational donkey faced with two totally identical piles of hay would be unable to decide which one to eat first, and would therefore starve to death
     From: report of Jean Buridan (talk [1338]) by PG - Db (ideas)
     A reaction: also De Caelo 295b32 (Idea 19740).
10. Modality / B. Possibility / 1. Possibility
When we consider possibilities, there must be something we are considering [Polt]
     Full Idea: We would hardly want to say that a possibility is nothing, since surely we are considering something when we consider possibilities.
     From: Richard Polt (Heidegger: an introduction [1999], 1)
     A reaction: A nice contribution to the issue of whether modality is a feature of actuality. I would prefer to say that we can self-evidently utter truths and falsehoods about what is or is not possible, in nature, in logic, and maybe in metaphysics.
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / a. Virtues
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').