Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Meaning and Reference', 'On the Ultimate Origination of Things' and 'On the Heavens'

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26 ideas

1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 1. Nature of Wisdom
19336 Wisdom involves the desire to achieve perfection [Leibniz]
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 9. Limits of Reason
19740 A very hungry man cannot choose between equidistant piles of food [Aristotle]
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]
10. Modality / A. Necessity / 7. Natural Necessity
5047 The world is physically necessary, as its contrary would imply imperfection or moral absurdity [Leibniz]
10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 1. A Priori Necessary
9169 A statement can be metaphysically necessary and epistemologically contingent [Putnam]
10. Modality / D. Knowledge of Modality / 4. Conceivable as Possible / a. Conceivable as possible
5819 Conceivability is no proof of possibility [Putnam]
18. Thought / C. Content / 6. Broad Content
9168 I can't distinguish elm trees, but I mean by 'elm' the same set of trees as everybody else [Putnam]
5820 'Water' has an unnoticed indexical component, referring to stuff around here [Putnam]
19. Language / B. Reference / 3. Direct Reference / c. Social reference
9170 We need to recognise the contribution of society and of the world in determining reference [Putnam]
19. Language / F. Communication / 4. Private Language
5817 Language is more like a cooperative steamship than an individual hammer [Putnam]
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 / B. Value / 2. Values / b. Successful function
398 Each thing that has a function is for the sake of that function [Aristotle]
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]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 2. Natural Purpose / a. Final purpose
394 An unworn sandal is in vain, but nothing in nature is in vain [Aristotle]
396 There has to be some goal, and not just movement to infinity [Aristotle]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / f. Ancient elements
16102 Aether moves in circles and is imperishable; the four elements perish, and move in straight lines [Aristotle, by Gill,ML]
17463 An element is what bodies are analysed into, and won't itself divide into something else [Aristotle]
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 8. Scientific Essentialism / b. Scientific necessity
5818 If water is H2O in the actual world, there is no possible world where it isn't H2O [Putnam]
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement
399 If the more you raise some earth the faster it moves, why does the whole earth not move? [Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 1. Void
20918 Void is a kind of place, so it can't explain place [Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 1. Cosmology
403 The earth must be round and of limited size, because moving north or south makes different stars visible [Aristotle]
402 The Earth must be spherical, because it casts a convex shadow on the moon [Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 3. The Beginning
1498 Everyone agrees that the world had a beginning, but thinkers disagree over whether it will end [Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 10. Multiverse
395 It seems possible that there exists a limited number of other worlds apart from this one [Aristotle]