Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'On the Ultimate Origination of Things', 'poems' and 'Pragmatism - eight lectures'

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28 ideas

1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 1. Nature of Wisdom
19336 Wisdom involves the desire to achieve perfection [Leibniz]
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 9. Rejecting Truth
18986 Truth is just a name for verification-processes [James]
3. Truth / C. Correspondence Truth / 3. Correspondence Truth critique
18983 In many cases there is no obvious way in which ideas can agree with their object [James]
3. Truth / D. Coherence Truth / 1. Coherence Truth
18972 Ideas are true in so far as they co-ordinate our experiences [James]
18973 New opinions count as 'true' if they are assimilated to an individual's current beliefs [James]
3. Truth / E. Pragmatic Truth / 1. Pragmatic Truth
18984 True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate and verify (and false otherwise) [James]
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 5. Reason for Existence
7696 Leibniz first asked 'why is there something rather than nothing?' [Leibniz, by Jacquette]
19341 There must be a straining towards existence in the essence of all possible things [Leibniz]
19428 Because something does exist, there must be a drive in possible things towards existence [Leibniz]
9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 6. Nihilism about Objects
18987 A 'thing' is simply carved out of reality for human purposes [James]
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / e. Substance critique
18981 'Substance' is just a word for groupings and structures in experience [James]
10. Modality / A. Necessity / 7. Natural Necessity
5047 The world is physically necessary, as its contrary would imply imperfection or moral absurdity [Leibniz]
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 5. Aiming at Truth
18974 Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief [James]
12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 3. Pragmatism
18989 Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences [James]
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 2. Aim of Science
18971 Theories are practical tools for progress, not answers to enigmas [James]
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 3. Instrumentalism
18985 True thoughts are just valuable instruments of action [James]
18982 Pragmatism says all theories are instrumental - that is, mental modes of adaptation to reality [James]
18. Thought / D. Concepts / 3. Ontology of Concepts / b. Concepts as abilities
18975 We return to experience with concepts, where they show us differences [James]
20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / a. Practical reason
19343 We follow the practical rule which always seeks maximum effect for minimum cost [Leibniz]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / j. Ethics by convention
6017 Nomos is king [Pindar]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 1. Nature
19429 The principle of determination in things obtains the greatest effect with the least effort [Leibniz]
28. God / A. Divine Nature / 3. Divine Perfections
18980 If there is a 'greatest knower', it doesn't follow that they know absolutely everything [James]
28. God / A. Divine Nature / 4. Divine Contradictions
18978 It is hard to grasp a cosmic mind which produces such a mixture of goods and evils [James]
28. God / B. Proving God / 1. Proof of God
18991 If the God hypothesis works well, then it is true [James]
28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / c. Teleological Proof critique
18977 The wonderful design of a woodpecker looks diabolical to its victims [James]
18979 Things with parts always have some structure, so they always appear to be designed [James]
28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / d. Religious Experience
18976 Private experience is the main evidence for God [James]
29. Religion / C. Spiritual Disciplines / 3. Buddhism
18990 Nirvana means safety from sense experience, and hindus and buddhists are just afraid of life [James]