Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'How the Laws of Physics Lie', 'Political Ideals' and 'Occasions of Identity'

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34 ideas

5. Theory of Logic / A. Overview of Logic / 5. First-Order Logic
Theoretical and practical politics are both concerned with the best lives for individuals [Russell]
7. Existence / E. Categories / 4. Category Realism
Causality indicates which properties are real [Cartwright,N]
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 3. Unity Problems / b. Cat and its tail
A CAR and its major PART can become identical, yet seem to have different properties [Gallois]
9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 1. Objects over Time
Gallois hoped to clarify identity through time, but seems to make talk of it impossible [Hawley on Gallois]
9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 3. Relative Identity
Gallois is committed to identity with respect to times, and denial of simple identity [Gallois, by Sider]
9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 6. Identity between Objects
Occasional Identity: two objects can be identical at one time, and different at others [Gallois, by Hawley]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation
Two main types of explanation are by causes, or by citing a theoretical framework [Cartwright,N]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / c. Explanations by coherence
An explanation is a model that fits a theory and predicts the phenomenological laws [Cartwright,N]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / e. Lawlike explanations
Laws get the facts wrong, and explanation rests on improvements and qualifications of laws [Cartwright,N]
Laws apply to separate domains, but real explanations apply to intersecting domains [Cartwright,N]
The covering law view assumes that each phenomenon has a 'right' explanation [Cartwright,N]
Covering-law explanation lets us explain storms by falling barometers [Cartwright,N]
I disagree with the covering-law view that there is a law to cover every single case [Cartwright,N]
You can't explain one quail's behaviour by just saying that all quails do it [Cartwright,N]
14. Science / D. Explanation / 3. Best Explanation / c. Against best explanation
In science, best explanations have regularly turned out to be false [Cartwright,N]
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / h. Respect
Individuals need creativity, reverence for others, and self-respect [Russell]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / b. Devolution
Democracy is inadequate without a great deal of devolution [Russell]
We would not want UK affairs to be settled by a world parliament [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism
Anarchy does not maximise liberty [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / c. Direct democracy
Groups should be autonomous, with a neutral authority as arbitrator [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / f. Against democracy
On every new question the majority is always wrong at first [Russell]
Unfortunately ordinary voters can't detect insincerity [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 8. Socialism
When the state is the only employer, there is no refuge from the prejudices of other people [Russell]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 11. Capitalism
Men unite in pursuit of material things, and idealise greed as part of group loyalty [Russell]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 5. Freedom of lifestyle
We need security and liberty, and then encouragement of creativity [Russell]
25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 4. Property rights
The right to own land gives a legal right to a permanent income [Russell]
26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 8. Particular Causation / e. Probabilistic causation
A cause won't increase the effect frequency if other causes keep interfering [Cartwright,N]
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 2. Types of Laws
There are fundamental explanatory laws (false!), and phenomenological laws (regularities) [Cartwright,N, by Bird]
Laws of appearances are 'phenomenological'; laws of reality are 'theoretical' [Cartwright,N]
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 4. Regularities / b. Best system theory
Good organisation may not be true, and the truth may not organise very much [Cartwright,N]
26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 11. Against Laws of Nature
There are few laws for when one theory meets another [Cartwright,N]
To get from facts to equations, we need a prepared descriptions suited to mathematics [Cartwright,N]
Simple laws have quite different outcomes when they act in combinations [Cartwright,N]
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / d. Heaven
That our heaven is a dull place reflects the misery of excessive work in life [Russell]