158 ideas
2845 | Free and great-souled men do not keep asking "what is the use of it?" [Aristotle] |
20962 | Habermas seems to make philosophy more democratic [Habermas, by Bowie] |
15670 | The aim of 'post-metaphysical' philosophy is to interpret the sciences [Habermas, by Finlayson] |
22521 | Our method of inquiry is to examine the smallest parts that make up the whole [Aristotle] |
15665 | We can do social philosophy by studying coordinated action through language use [Habermas, by Finlayson] |
1570 | Human beings, alone of the animals, have logos [Aristotle] |
1574 | Reasoning distinguishes what is beneficial, and hence what is right [Aristotle] |
20573 | Rather than instrumental reason, Habermas emphasises its communicative role [Habermas, by Oksala] |
23966 | The personal view can still be objective, so I call sciences 'impersonal', rather than objective [Goldie] |
2801 | Intelligence which looks ahead is a natural master, while bodily strength is a natural slave [Aristotle] |
22529 | Men are natural leaders (apart from the unnatural ones) [Aristotle] |
22571 | 'If each is small, so too are all' is in one way false, for the whole composed of all is not small [Aristotle] |
22525 | The whole is prior to its parts, because parts are defined by their role [Aristotle] |
22587 | Understanding is the aim of our nature [Aristotle] |
20961 | What is considered a priori changes as language changes [Habermas, by Bowie] |
22522 | To grasp something, trace it back to its natural origins [Aristotle] |
22524 | The nature of each thing is its mature state [Aristotle] |
24005 | We know other's emotions by explanation, contagion, empathy, imagination, or sympathy [Goldie] |
24006 | Empathy and imagining don't ensure sympathy, and sympathy doesn't need them [Goldie] |
22528 | The nature of all animate things is to have one part which rules it [Aristotle] |
23978 | 'Having an emotion' differs from 'being emotional' [Goldie] |
23973 | Unlike moods, emotions have specific objects, though the difference is a matter of degree [Goldie] |
23974 | Emotional intentionality as belief and desire misses out the necessity of feelings [Goldie] |
23972 | A long lasting and evolving emotion is still seen as a single emotion, such as love [Goldie] |
23992 | Some Aborigines have fifteen different words for types of fear [Goldie] |
23979 | Emotional responses can reveal to us our values, which might otherwise remain hidden [Goldie] |
23976 | If we have a 'feeling towards' an object, that gives the recognition a different content [Goldie] |
23977 | When actions are performed 'out of' emotion, they appear to be quite different [Goldie] |
23980 | It is best to see emotions holistically, as embedded in a person's life narrative [Goldie] |
23982 | If emotions are 'towards' things, they can't be bodily feelings, which lack aboutness [Goldie] |
24001 | Moods can focus as emotions, and emotions can blur into moods [Goldie] |
23968 | If reasons are seen impersonally (as just causal), then feelings are an irrelevant extra [Goldie] |
23969 | We have feelings of which we are hardly aware towards things in the world [Goldie] |
23984 | An emotion needs episodes of feeling, but not continuously [Goldie] |
23970 | Emotions are not avocado pears, with a rigid core and changeable surface [Goldie] |
23985 | A basic emotion is the foundation of a hierarchy, such as anger for types of annoyance [Goldie] |
23986 | Early Chinese basic emotions: joy, anger, sadness, fear, love, disliking, and liking [Goldie] |
23991 | Cross-cultural studies of facial expressions suggests seven basic emotions [Goldie] |
23967 | Some emotions are direct responses, and neither rational nor irrational [Goldie] |
23971 | Emotional thought is not rational, but it can be intelligible [Goldie] |
23975 | Learning an evaluative property like 'dangerous' is also learning an emotion [Goldie] |
23983 | We call emotions 'passions' because they are not as controlled as we would like [Goldie] |
23999 | Emotional control is hard, but we are responsible for our emotions over long time periods [Goldie] |
23994 | Emotions are not easily changed, as new knowledge makes little difference, and akrasia is possible [Goldie] |
23998 | Emotional control is less concerned with emotional incidents, and more with emotional tendencies [Goldie] |
15667 | To understand a statement is to know what would make it acceptable [Habermas] |
15668 | Meaning is not fixed by a relation to the external world, but a relation to other speakers [Habermas, by Finlayson] |
22570 | Rhetoric now enables good speakers to become popular leaders [Aristotle] |
22574 | A community can lack self-control [Aristotle] |
23995 | Akrasia can be either overruling our deliberation, or failing to deliberate [Goldie] |
24000 | Justifying reasons say you were right; excusing reasons say your act was explicable [Goldie] |
2837 | Nothing contrary to nature is beautiful [Aristotle] |
2824 | The collective judgement of many people on art is better than that of an individual [Aristotle] |
2846 | Music can mould the character to be virtuous (just as gymnastics trains the body) [Aristotle] |
2807 | Some say slavery is unnatural and created by convention, and is therefore forced, and unjust [Aristotle] |
22582 | Spirit [thumos] is the capacity by which we love [Aristotle] |
2810 | Selfishness is wrong not because it is self-love, but because it is excessive [Aristotle] |
22555 | The function of good men is to confer benefits [Aristotle] |
22557 | Virtuous people are like the citizens of the best city [Aristotle] |
2841 | People become good because of nature, habit and reason [Aristotle] |
24003 | Character traits are both possession of and lack of dispositions [Goldie] |
24002 | We over-estimate the role of character traits when explaining behaviour [Goldie] |
24004 | Psychologists suggest we are muddled about traits, and maybe they should be abandoned [Goldie] |
2829 | The law is the mean [Aristotle] |
22590 | Virtue is concerned with correct feelings [Aristotle] |
2813 | It is quite possible to live a moderate life and yet be miserable [Aristotle] |
22553 | Justice is a virtue of communities [Aristotle] |
22561 | The rich are seen as noble, because they don't need to commit crimes [Aristotle] |
2808 | Master and slave can have friendship through common interests [Aristotle] |
2803 | Man is by nature a political animal [Aristotle] |
2820 | People want to live together, even when they don't want mutual help [Aristotle] |
22586 | Only humans have reason [Aristotle] |
22523 | The community (of villages) becomes a city when it is totally self-sufficient [Aristotle] |
2805 | A community must share a common view of good and justice [Aristotle] |
22526 | People who are anti-social or wholly self-sufficient are no part of a city [Aristotle] |
22535 | Friendship is the best good for cities, because it reduces factions [Aristotle] |
22532 | A city can't become entirely one, because its very nature is to be a multitude [Aristotle] |
22584 | A community should all share to some extent in something like land or food [Aristotle] |
22581 | The size of a city is decided by the maximum self-sufficient community that can be surveyed [Aristotle] |
22548 | A city aims at living well [Aristotle] |
22577 | What is the best life for everyone, and is that a communal or an individual problem? [Aristotle] |
22579 | The same four cardinal virtues which apply to individuals also apply to a city [Aristotle] |
2431 | Every state is an association formed for some good purpose [Aristotle] |
22578 | The happiest city is the one that acts most nobly [Aristotle] |
2832 | The state aims to consist as far as possible of those who are like and equal [Aristotle] |
2821 | The six constitutions are monarchy/tyranny, aristocracy/oligarchy, and polity/democracy [Aristotle] |
22546 | A city is a community of free people, and the constitution should aim at the common advantage [Aristotle] |
22558 | Constitutions specify distribution of offices, the authorities, and the community's aim [Aristotle] |
22566 | The greed of the rich is more destructive than the greed of the people [Aristotle] |
2973 | We must decide the most desirable human life before designing a constitution [Aristotle] |
2835 | Any constitution can be made to last for a day or two [Aristotle] |
22580 | The best constitution enables everyone to live the best life [Aristotle] |
2818 | The virtues of a good citizen are relative to a particular constitution [Aristotle] |
22545 | A person can be an excellent citizen without being an excellent man [Aristotle] |
22563 | The middle classes are neither ambitious nor anarchic, which is good [Aristotle] |
22544 | A citizen is someone who is allowed to hold official posts in a city [Aristotle] |
22541 | Kings should be selected according to character [Aristotle] |
2819 | The only virtue special to a ruler is practical wisdom [Aristotle] |
22542 | People who buy public office will probably expect to profit from it [Aristotle] |
22552 | The rich can claim to rule, because of land ownership, and being more trustworthy [Aristotle] |
22583 | The guardians should not be harsh to strangers, as no one should behave like that [Aristotle] |
22543 | In large communities it is better if more people participate in the offices [Aristotle] |
22539 | Election of officials by the elected is dangerous, because factions can control it [Aristotle] |
22572 | Officers should like the constitution, be capable, and have appropriate virtues and justice [Aristotle] |
2826 | Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle] |
22567 | Democracy arises when people who are given equal freedom assume unconditional equality [Aristotle] |
22560 | Popular leaders only arise in democracies that are not in accord with the law [Aristotle] |
22562 | Choosing officials by lot is democratic [Aristotle] |
2823 | The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle] |
22533 | If the people are equal in nature, then they should all share in ruling [Aristotle] |
2817 | It is wrong that a worthy officer of state should seek the office [Aristotle] |
22576 | No office is permanent in a democracy [Aristotle] |
22549 | In many cases, the claim that the majority is superior would apply equally to wild beasts [Aristotle] |
22575 | Ultimate democracy is tyranny [Aristotle] |
15669 | People endorse equality, universality and inclusiveness, just by their communicative practices [Habermas, by Finlayson] |
22531 | We aim to understand the best possible community for free people [Aristotle] |
22564 | Community is based on friends, who are equal and similar, and share things [Aristotle] |
22585 | Look at all of the citizens before judging a city to be happy [Aristotle] |
22565 | The best communities rely on a large and strong middle class [Aristotle] |
22589 | Citizens do not just own themselves, but are also parts of the city [Aristotle] |
22534 | People care less about what is communal, and more about what is their own [Aristotle] |
22538 | Owning and sharing property communally increases disagreements [Aristotle] |
22536 | There could be private land and public crops, or public land and private crops, or both public [Aristotle] |
22530 | Both women and children should be educated, as this contributes to a city's excellence [Aristotle] |
21358 | Natural slaves are those naturally belonging to another, or who can manage no more than labouring [Aristotle] |
20092 | One principle of liberty is to take turns ruling and being ruled [Aristotle] |
2833 | Equality is obviously there to help people who do not get priority in the constitution [Aristotle] |
2834 | It is always the weak who want justice and equality, not the strong [Aristotle] |
2830 | We can claim an equal right to aristocratic virtue, as well as to wealth or freedom [Aristotle] |
22569 | The Heraeans replaced election with lot, to thwart campaigning [Aristotle] |
22550 | It is dreadful to neither give a share nor receive a share [Aristotle] |
23416 | Political involvement is needed, to challenge existing practices [Habermas, by Kymlicka] |
22568 | Faction is for inferiors to be equal, and equals to become superior [Aristotle] |
2814 | Phaleas proposed equality of property, provided there is equality of education [Aristotle] |
22540 | Wealth could be quickly leveled by only the rich giving marriage dowries [Aristotle] |
2828 | Law is intelligence without appetite [Aristotle] |
22537 | Property should be owned privately, but used communally [Aristotle] |
22573 | The virtue of justice may be relative to a particular constitution [Aristotle] |
22527 | Justice is the order in a political community [Aristotle] |
22547 | Justice is equality for equals, and inequality for unequals [Aristotle] |
2825 | The good is obviously justice, which benefits the whole community, and involves equality in some sense [Aristotle] |
2816 | If it is easy to change the laws, that makes them weaker [Aristotle] |
2806 | Man is the worst of all animals when divorced from law and justice [Aristotle] |
22556 | Laws that match people's habits are more effective than mere written rules [Aristotle] |
2827 | It is preferable that law should rule rather than any single citizen [Aristotle] |
22551 | Correct law should be in control, with rulers only deciding uncertain issues [Aristotle] |
22554 | It is said that we should not stick strictly to written law, as it is too vague [Aristotle] |
2840 | The whole state should pay for the worship of the gods [Aristotle] |
2811 | A state is plural, and needs education to make it a community [Aristotle] |
22588 | A city has a single end, so education must focus on that, and be communal, not private [Aristotle] |
2847 | The aim of serious childhood play is the amusement of the complete adult [Aristotle] |
2842 | Men learn partly by habit, and partly by listening [Aristotle] |
2844 | Abortions should be procured before the embryo has acquired life and sensation [Aristotle] |
2809 | If nature makes everything for a purpose, then plants and animals must have been made for man [Aristotle] |
2800 | The best instruments have one purpose, not many [Aristotle] |
23993 | Our capabilities did not all evolve during the hunter gathering period [Goldie] |
2836 | God is not blessed and happy because of external goods, but because of his own nature [Aristotle] |
2802 | Men imagine gods to be of human shape, with a human lifestyle [Aristotle] |