Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Against 'Ostrich Nominalism'', 'Reflections on Liberty and Social Oppression' and 'Shame and Necessity'

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23 ideas

7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
8507 Some think of reality as made of things; I prefer facts or states of affairs [Armstrong]
8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 1. Universals
8506 Particulars and properties are distinguishable, but too close to speak of a relation [Armstrong]
8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / a. Nominalism
8505 Refusal to explain why different tokens are of the same type is to be an ostrich [Armstrong]
16. Persons / F. Free Will / 5. Against Free Will
2181 It is an absurd Kantian idea that at the limit rationality and freedom coincide [Williams,B]
2176 There is only a problem of free will if you think the notion of 'voluntary' can be metaphysically deepened [Williams,B]
20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / d. Weakness of will
4317 We judge weakness of will by an assessment after the event is concluded [Williams,B, by Cottingham]
20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 4. Responsibility for Actions
2174 Responsibility involves cause, intention, state of mind, and response after the event [Williams,B]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / g. Moral responsibility
2178 In bad actions, guilt points towards victims, and shame to the agent [Williams,B]
23. Ethics / A. Egoism / 1. Ethical Egoism
23865 Morality would improve if people could pursue private interests [Weil]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 1. Virtue Theory / a. Nature of virtue
2169 Greek moral progress came when 'virtue' was freed from social status [Williams,B]
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 2. Duty
2172 The modern idea of duty is unknown in archaic Greece [Williams,B]
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 6. Motivation for Duty
2179 If the moral self is seen as characterless, then other people have a very limited role in our moral lives [Williams,B]
2180 If reason cannot lead people to good, we must hope they have an internal voice [Williams,B]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 1. Social Power
23866 In oppressive societies the scope of actual control is extended by a religion of power [Weil]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / a. Centralisation
23871 No central authority can initiate decentralisation [Weil]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / c. Revolution
23867 After a bloody revolution the group which already had the power comes to the fore [Weil]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism
23870 Decentralisation is only possible by co-operation between strong and weak - which is absurd [Weil]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / b. Liberal individualism
23863 Only individual people of good will can achieve social progress [Weil]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / d. Liberal freedom
23869 In the least evil societies people can think, control community life, and be autonomous [Weil]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 11. Capitalism
23861 Marx showed that capitalist oppression, because of competition, is unstoppable [Weil]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
23868 The pleasure of completing tasks motivates just as well as the whip of slavery [Weil]
25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 4. Economic equality
23864 Inequality could easily be mitigated, if it were not for the struggle for power [Weil]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / a. Problem of Evil
2175 There is a problem of evil only if you expect the world to be good [Williams,B]