Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Introduction to 'Language Truth and Logic'' and 'Authority and the Individual'

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27 ideas

13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / c. Empirical foundations
Basic propositions refer to a single experience, are incorrigible, and conclusively verifiable [Ayer]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / c. Knowing other minds
The argument from analogy fails, so the best account of other minds is behaviouristic [Ayer]
19. Language / A. Nature of Meaning / 5. Meaning as Verification
A statement is meaningful if observation statements can be deduced from it [Ayer]
Directly verifiable statements must entail at least one new observation statement [Ayer]
The principle of verification is not an empirical hypothesis, but a definition [Ayer]
19. Language / D. Propositions / 1. Propositions
Sentences only express propositions if they are meaningful; otherwise they are 'statements' [Ayer]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / e. Human nature
We divide mankind into friend and foe, and cooperate with one and compete with the other [Russell]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / i. Prescriptivism
Moral approval and disapproval concerns classes of actions, rather than particular actions [Ayer]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / e. Character
Virtue comes more from habit than character [Critias]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / c. A unified people
Gradually loyalty to a creed increased, which could even outweigh nationality [Russell]
Increasingly war expands communities, and unifies them through fear [Russell]
In early societies the leaders needed cohesion, but the rest just had to obey [Russell]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 2. Population / b. State population
The economic and political advantages of great size seem to have no upper limit [Russell]
24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State
Government has a negative purpose, to prevent trouble, and a positive aim of realising our desires [Russell]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / b. Monarchy
A monarch is known to everyone in the group, and can thus unite large groups [Russell]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / b. Devolution
Power should be with smaller bodies, as long as it doesn't restrict central powers [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism
In an anarchy universities, research, books, and even seaside holidays, would be impossible [Russell]
A state is essential, to control greedy or predatory impulses [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / f. Against democracy
In democracy we are more aware of being governed than of our tiny share in government [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 8. Socialism
Managers are just as remote from workers under nationalisation as under capitalism [Russell]
Socialists say economic justice needs some state control of industries, and of foreign trade [Russell]
Being a slave of society is hardly better than being a slave of a despot [Russell]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
Slavery began the divorce between the work and the purposes of the worker [Russell]
25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 1. Grounds of equality
Slaves can be just as equal as free people [Russell]
25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality
Scarce goods may be denied entirely, to avoid their unequal distribution [Russell]
25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 1. Basis of justice
Modern justice is seen as equality, apart from modest extra rewards for exceptional desert [Russell]
28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 5. Atheism
Fear of the gods was invented to discourage secret sin [Critias]