Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Reply to Fourth Objections', 'The Foundations of Mathematics' and 'Confessio naturae contra atheistas'

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3 ideas

5. Theory of Logic / D. Assumptions for Logic / 2. Excluded Middle

18844	You would cripple mathematics if you denied Excluded Middle [Hilbert]
	Full Idea: Taking the principle of Excluded Middle away from the mathematician would be the same, say, as prohibiting the astronomer from using the telescope or the boxer from using his fists.
	From: David Hilbert (The Foundations of Mathematics [1927], p.476), quoted by Ian Rumfitt - The Boundary Stones of Thought 9.4
	A reaction: [p.476 in Van Heijenoort]

9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / c. Individuation by location

12693	A body is that which exists in space [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: A body is defined as that which exists in space.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (Confessio naturae contra atheistas [1669], A6.1.490), quoted by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 1
	A reaction: A very early view. Leibniz notes that this tells you nothing about shape and motion.

17. Mind and Body / E. Mind as Physical / 6. Conceptual Dualism

3643	The concept of mind excludes body, and vice versa [Descartes]
	Full Idea: The concept of body includes nothing at all which belongs to the mind, and the concept of mind includes nothing at all which belongs to the body.
	From: René Descartes (Reply to Fourth Objections [1641], 225)
	A reaction: A headache? Hunger? The mistake, I think, is to regard the mind as entirely conscious, thus creating a sharp boundary between two aspects of our lives. As shown by blindsight, I take many of my central mental operations to be pre- or non-conscious.