Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Works of Love', 'Substance' and 'talk'

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4 ideas

9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / d. Substance defined

15391	A substance is, roughly, a basic being or subject at the foundation of reality [Robb]
	Full Idea: A substance is a basic being, something at reality's foundation. What exactly this means is a matter of some controversy. Some philosophers think of substance as an ultimate subject, something that has properties but isn't a property.
	From: David Robb (Substance [2009], 'Intro')
	A reaction: This seems to capture the place of 'substance' in contemporary metaphysics. I think of 'substance' as a placeholder for some threatened account, even in Aristotle.

9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 8. Parts of Objects / c. Wholes from parts

15392	If an object survives the loss of a part, complex objects can have autonomy over their parts [Robb]
	Full Idea: Sometimes a whole can survive a loss of parts: the chair would still exist if it lost one of its legs. This seems to give complex objects a sort of autonomy over their parts.
	From: David Robb (Substance [2009], 'Ident')
	A reaction: There is then a puzzle as to how much loss of parts the whole can survive, and why. The loss of a major part could be devastating, so why do all wholes not exhibit this relation to all their parts? I demand rules, now!

15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 2. Imagination

6901	Understanding is needed for imagination, just as much as the other way around [Betteridge]
	Full Idea: Although it might be right to say that imagination is required in order to make reasoning and understanding possible, this also works the other way, as imagination cannot occur without some prior understanding.
	From: Alex Betteridge (talk [2005]), quoted by PG - Db (ideas)
	A reaction: This strikes me as a very illuminating remark, particularly for anyone who aspires to draw a simplified flowdiagram of the mind showing logical priority between its various parts. In fact, the parts are interdependent. Maybe imagination is understanding.

22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / g. Love

15998	Perfect love is not in spite of imperfections; the imperfections must be loved as well [Kierkegaard]
	Full Idea: To love another in spite of his weaknesses and errors and imperfections is not perfect love. No, to love is to find him lovable in spite of, and together with, his weaknesses and errors and imperfections.
	From: Søren Kierkegaard (Works of Love [1847], p.158)
	A reaction: A true romantic at heart, Kierkegaard ideally posits perfect love as unconditional love, and not just of good attributes, predicates and conditions. However, the real question for both me and Kierkegaard is, is perfect love desirable or even possible?[SY]