Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Philosophical Explanations', 'De aequopollentia causae et effectus' and 'Against Euthanasia'

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5 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 1. Powers

12735	Everything has a fixed power, as required by God, and by the possibility of reasoning [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: It follows from the nature of God that there is a fixed power of a definite magnitude [non vagam] in anything whatsoever, otherwise there would be no reasonings about those things.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (De aequopollentia causae et effectus [1679], A6.4.1964), quoted by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 6
	A reaction: This is double-edged. On the one hand there is the grand claim that the principle derives from divine nature, but on the other it derives from our capacity to reason and explain. No one doubts that powers are 'fixed'.

11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / c. Aim of beliefs

3570	Maybe knowledge is belief which 'tracks' the truth [Nozick, by Williams,M]
	Full Idea: Nozick suggests that knowledge is just belief which 'tracks the truth' (hence leaving out justification).
	From: report of Robert Nozick (Philosophical Explanations [1981]) by Michael Williams - Problems of Knowledge Ch. 2

13. Knowledge Criteria / C. External Justification / 4. Tracking the Facts

2748	A true belief isn't knowledge if it would be believed even if false. It should 'track the truth' [Nozick, by Dancy,J]
	Full Idea: Nozick says Gettier cases aren't knowledge because the proposition would be believed even if false. Proper justification must be more sensitive to the truth ("track the truth").
	From: report of Robert Nozick (Philosophical Explanations [1981], 3.1) by Jonathan Dancy - Intro to Contemporary Epistemology 3.1
	A reaction: This is a bad idea. I see a genuine tree in my garden and believe it is there, so I know it. That I might have believed it if I was in virtually reality, or observing a mirror, won't alter that.

25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 2. Euthanasia

4051	People will volunteer for euthanasia because they think other people want them dead [Kamisar]
	Full Idea: In the process of voluntary euthanasia we will sweep up some who are not really tired of life, but think others are tired of them.
	From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.78)
	A reaction: We could permit such choices. Or set up systems to eliminate such cases.

4050	We only allow voluntary euthanasia to someone who is both sane and crazed by pain [Kamisar]
	Full Idea: It seems that voluntary euthanasia can only be carried out by someone who is both sane, and crazed by pain.
	From: Yale Kamisar (Against Euthanasia [1958], p.77)
	A reaction: A fair point, despite its obvious exaggeration. How much pain must someone experience before we permit them to choose euthanasia?