Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Particulars in Particular Clothing', 'Theological and other works' and 'Attack Upon Christendom'

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4 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / B. Properties / 13. Tropes / a. Nature of tropes
18431 Internal relations combine some tropes into a nucleus, which bears the non-essential tropes [Simons, by Edwards]
     Full Idea: Simons's 'nuclear' option blends features of the substratum and bundle theories. First we have tropes collected by virtue of their internal relations, forming the essential kernel or nucleus. This nucleus then bears the non-essential tropes.
     From: report of Peter Simons (Particulars in Particular Clothing [1994], p.567) by Douglas Edwards - Properties 3.5
     A reaction: [compression of Edwards's summary] This strikes me as being a remarkably good theory. I am not sure of the ontological status of properties, such that they can (unaided) combine to make part of an object. What binds the non-essentials?
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 1. Powers
15312 We get the idea of power by abstracting from ropes, magnets and electric shocks [Priestley]
     Full Idea: A rope sustains weight, a magnet attracts iron, a charged electrical jar gives a shock, and from these and other similar observations, we get the idea of power, universally and abstractly considered.
     From: Joseph Priestley (Theological and other works [1790], p.191), quoted by Harré,R./Madden,E.H. - Causal Powers 9.II.B
     A reaction: I agree with this, in that we appear to be observing powers directly, and are not observing something which can then be reduced to non-powers. Nature just can't be a set of inert structures, with forces 'imposed' on them.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
16009 When we seek our own 'freedom' we are just trying to avoid responsibility [Kierkegaard]
     Full Idea: In all our own 'freedom' we actually seek one thing: to be able to live without responsibility.
     From: Sřren Kierkegaard (Attack Upon Christendom [1855], p.290)
     A reaction: That's the plan when I win the lottery. [SY]
27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 4. Standard Model / a. Concept of matter
15311 Attraction or repulsion are not imparted to matter, but actually constitute it [Priestley]
     Full Idea: Attraction or repulsion appear to me not to be properly what is imparted to matter, but what really makes it what it is, in so much that, without it, it would be nothing at all.
     From: Joseph Priestley (Theological and other works [1790], p.237), quoted by Harré,R./Madden,E.H. - Causal Powers 9.II.B
     A reaction: This is music to the ears of anyone who thinks that powers are the fundamentals of nature (like me).