Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'works', 'works' and 'Commentary on 'Posterior Analytics''

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4 ideas

9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / b. Need for substance

16629	By comparing qualities and features, reason can gradually infer the nature of substance [Grosseteste]
	Full Idea: Awakened reason distinguishes color from size and shape from body and then shape and size from the substance of body, and so by drawing distinctions and abstracting, it arrives at a grasp of the substance of body, which supports size, shape and color.
	From: Robert Grosseteste (Commentary on 'Posterior Analytics' [1226], I.14), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 07.4
	A reaction: This optimistic view influenced Aquinas, and is called 'incrementalism' by Pasnau. It is the spirit of scientific essentialism, and a nice instance of inference to the best explanation (though 'substance' in itself explains virtually nothing).

9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 5. Essence as Kind

13074	Only natural kinds and their members have real essences [Suárez, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
	Full Idea: On Suarez's account, only natural kinds and their members have real essences.
	From: report of Francisco Suárez (works [1588]) by Cover,J/O'Leary-Hawthorne,J - Substance and Individuation in Leibniz 1.3.1 n21
	A reaction: Interesting. Rather than say that everything is a member of some kind, we leave quirky individuals out, with no essence at all. What is the status of the very first exemplar of a given kind?

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / e. Human nature

22086	The most important aspect of a human being is not reason, but passion [Kierkegaard, by Carlisle]
	Full Idea: Kierkegaard insisted that the most important aspect of a human being is not reason, but passion.
	From: report of Søren Kierkegaard (works [1845]) by Clare Carlisle - Kierkegaard: a guide for the perplexed Intro
	A reaction: Hume comes to mind for a similar view, but in character Hume was far more rational than Kierkegaard.

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 4. Naturalised causation

7563	The old 'influx' view of causation says it is a flow of accidental properties from A to B [Suárez, by Jolley]
	Full Idea: The 'influx' model of causation says that causes involve a process of contagion, as it were; when the kettle boils, the gas infects the water inside the kettle with its own 'individual accident' of heat, which literally flows from one to the other.
	From: report of Francisco Suárez (works [1588]) by Nicholas Jolley - Leibniz Ch.2
	A reaction: This nicely captures the scholastic target of Hume's sceptical thinking on the subject. However, see Idea 2542, where the idea of influx has had a revival. It is hard to see how the water could change if it didn't 'catch' something from the gas.