88 ideas
7846 | Nietzsche thinks philosophy makes us more profound, but not better [Nietzsche, by Ansell Pearson] |
20107 | How many mediocre thinkers are occupied with influential problems! [Nietzsche] |
20352 | Nietzsche has a metaphysics, as well as perspectives - the ontology is the perspectives [Nietzsche, by Richardson] |
14456 | 'Socrates is human' expresses predication, and 'Socrates is a man' expresses identity [Russell] |
20379 | Reason is just another organic drive, developing late, and fighting for equality [Nietzsche] |
14426 | A definition by 'extension' enumerates items, and one by 'intension' gives a defining property [Russell] |
8468 | The sentence 'procrastination drinks quadruplicity' is meaningless, rather than false [Russell, by Orenstein] |
14454 | An argument 'satisfies' a function φx if φa is true [Russell] |
14453 | The Darapti syllogism is fallacious: All M is S, all M is P, so some S is P' - but if there is no M? [Russell] |
14427 | We can enumerate finite classes, but an intensional definition is needed for infinite classes [Russell] |
14428 | Members define a unique class, whereas defining characteristics are numerous [Russell] |
14447 | Infinity says 'for any inductive cardinal, there is a class having that many terms' [Russell] |
14440 | We may assume that there are infinite collections, as there is no logical reason against them [Russell] |
14443 | The British parliament has one representative selected from each constituency [Russell] |
14445 | Choice shows that if any two cardinals are not equal, one must be the greater [Russell] |
14444 | Choice is equivalent to the proposition that every class is well-ordered [Russell] |
14446 | We can pick all the right or left boots, but socks need Choice to insure the representative class [Russell] |
14459 | Reducibility: a family of functions is equivalent to a single type of function [Russell] |
14461 | Propositions about classes can be reduced to propositions about their defining functions [Russell] |
8469 | Russell's proposal was that only meaningful predicates have sets as their extensions [Russell, by Orenstein] |
8745 | Classes are logical fictions, and are not part of the ultimate furniture of the world [Russell] |
14452 | All the propositions of logic are completely general [Russell] |
14462 | In modern times, logic has become mathematical, and mathematics has become logical [Russell] |
10057 | Logic can only assert hypothetical existence [Russell] |
12444 | Logic is concerned with the real world just as truly as zoology [Russell] |
14464 | Logic can be known a priori, without study of the actual world [Russell] |
14458 | Asking 'Did Homer exist?' is employing an abbreviated description [Russell] |
10450 | Russell admitted that even names could also be used as descriptions [Russell, by Bach] |
14457 | Names are really descriptions, except for a few words like 'this' and 'that' [Russell] |
7311 | The only genuine proper names are 'this' and 'that' [Russell] |
14455 | 'I met a unicorn' is meaningful, and so is 'unicorn', but 'a unicorn' is not [Russell] |
14442 | If straight lines were like ratios they might intersect at a 'gap', and have no point in common [Russell] |
14438 | New numbers solve problems: negatives for subtraction, fractions for division, complex for equations [Russell] |
13510 | Could a number just be something which occurs in a progression? [Russell, by Hart,WD] |
14436 | A series can be 'Cut' in two, where the lower class has no maximum, the upper no minimum [Russell] |
14439 | A complex number is simply an ordered couple of real numbers [Russell] |
14421 | Discovering that 1 is a number was difficult [Russell] |
14424 | Numbers are needed for counting, so they need a meaning, and not just formal properties [Russell] |
14441 | The formal laws of arithmetic are the Commutative, the Associative and the Distributive [Russell] |
14420 | Infinity and continuity used to be philosophy, but are now mathematics [Russell] |
14431 | The definition of order needs a transitive relation, to leap over infinite intermediate terms [Russell] |
14422 | Any founded, non-repeating series all reachable in steps will satisfy Peano's axioms [Russell] |
14423 | '0', 'number' and 'successor' cannot be defined by Peano's axioms [Russell] |
14425 | A number is something which characterises collections of the same size [Russell] |
14434 | What matters is the logical interrelation of mathematical terms, not their intrinsic nature [Russell] |
14465 | Maybe numbers are adjectives, since 'ten men' grammatically resembles 'white men' [Russell] |
13414 | For Russell, numbers are sets of equivalent sets [Russell, by Benacerraf] |
14449 | There is always something psychological about inference [Russell] |
14463 | Existence can only be asserted of something described, not of something named [Russell] |
20123 | First see nature as non-human, then fit ourselves into this view of nature [Nietzsche] |
14429 | Classes are logical fictions, made from defining characteristics [Russell] |
14430 | If a relation is symmetrical and transitive, it has to be reflexive [Russell] |
14432 | 'Asymmetry' is incompatible with its converse; a is husband of b, so b can't be husband of a [Russell] |
20105 | Storms are wonderful expressions of free powers! [Nietzsche] |
20376 | We begin with concepts of kinds, from individuals; but that is not the essence of individuals [Nietzsche] |
14435 | The essence of individuality is beyond description, and hence irrelevant to science [Russell] |
12197 | Inferring q from p only needs p to be true, and 'not-p or q' to be true [Russell] |
14450 | All forms of implication are expressible as truth-functions [Russell] |
14460 | If something is true in all possible worlds then it is logically necessary [Russell] |
14433 | Mathematically expressed propositions are true of the world, but how to interpret them? [Russell] |
14451 | Propositions are mainly verbal expressions of true or false, and perhaps also symbolic thoughts [Russell] |
22501 | Nietzsche classified actions by the nature of the agent, not the nature of the act [Nietzsche, by Foot] |
22500 | Nietzsche failed to see that moral actions can be voluntary without free will [Foot on Nietzsche] |
20128 | Each person has a fixed constitution, which makes them a particular type of person [Nietzsche, by Leiter] |
22503 | Nietzsche could only revalue human values for a different species [Nietzsche, by Foot] |
8041 | The superman is a monstrous oddity, not a serious idea [MacIntyre on Nietzsche] |
20135 | Nietzsche's higher type of man is much more important than the idealised 'superman' [Nietzsche, by Leiter] |
20353 | The 'will to power' is basically applied to drives and forces, not to people [Nietzsche, by Richardson] |
20113 | Friendly chats undermine my philosophy; wanting to be right at the expense of love is folly [Nietzsche] |
7590 | Consequentialism emphasises value rather than obligation in morality [Scruton] |
22475 | Moral generalisation is wrong, because we should evaluate individual acts [Nietzsche, by Foot] |
22476 | Nietzsche thought our psychology means there can't be universal human virtues [Nietzsche, by Foot] |
7589 | Altruism is either emotional (where your interests are mine) or moral (where they are reasons for me) [Scruton] |
20104 | Nietzsche tried to lead a thought-provoking life [Safranski on Nietzsche] |
7847 | Initially nihilism was cosmic, but later Nietzsche saw it as a cultural matter [Nietzsche, by Ansell Pearson] |
9782 | Nietzsche urges that nihilism be active, and will nothing itself [Nietzsche, by Zizek] |
20102 | Flight from boredom leads to art [Nietzsche] |
20106 | Nietzsche was fascinated by a will that can turn against itself [Nietzsche, by Safranski] |
20124 | Reliving life countless times - this gives the value back to life which religion took away [Nietzsche] |
7595 | The idea of a right seems fairly basic; justice may be the disposition to accord rights to people [Scruton] |
20367 | Individual development is more important than the state, but a community is necessary [Nietzsche] |
20371 | Nietzsche thinks we should join a society, in order to criticise, heal and renew it [Nietzsche, by Richardson] |
20108 | Every culture loses its identity and power if it lacks a major myth [Nietzsche] |
7588 | Allegiance is fundamental to the conservative view of society [Scruton] |
7594 | Democrats are committed to a belief and to its opposite, if the majority prefer the latter [Scruton] |
7593 | Liberals focus on universal human freedom, natural rights, and tolerance [Scruton, by PG] |
7592 | For positivists law is a matter of form, for naturalists it is a matter of content [Scruton] |
7587 | The issue of abortion seems insoluble, because there is nothing with which to compare it [Scruton] |