Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Hermarchus, Alexis de Tocqueville and Anil Seth

expand these ideas     |    start again     |     specify just one area for these philosophers


23 ideas

15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 8. Brain
The cerbellum has a huge number of neurons, but little involvement in consciousness [Seth]
Single neurons can carry out complex functions [Seth]
15. Nature of Minds / B. Features of Minds / 1. Consciousness / e. Cause of consciousness
Maybe a system is conscious if the whole generates more information than its parts [Seth]
16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self
The self is embodied, perspectival, volitional, narrative and social [Seth, by PG]
18. Thought / B. Mechanics of Thought / 6. Artificial Thought / a. Artificial Intelligence
Modern AI is mostly machine-based pattern recognition [Seth]
20. Action / B. Preliminaries of Action / 2. Willed Action / a. Will to Act
Volition is felt as doing what you want, with possible alternatives, and a source from within [Seth]
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / d. Biological ethics
Human exceptionalism plagues biology, and most other human thinking [Seth]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / b. The natural life
Wherever there is a small community, the association of the people is natural [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / c. A unified people
The people are just individuals, and only present themselves as united to foreigners [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 2. Population / b. State population
Vast empires are bad for well-being and freedom, though they may promote glory [Tocqueville]
People would be much happier and freer in small nations [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 3. Constitutions
In American judges rule according to the Constitution, not the law [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / b. Monarchy
A monarchical family is always deeply concerned with the interests of the state [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / c. Despotism
Despots like to see their own regulations ignored, by themselves and their agents [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites
Aristocracy is constituted by inherited landed property [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / a. Centralisation
In Europe it is thought that local government is best handled centrally [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / b. Consultation
An election, and its lead up time, are always a national crisis [Tocqueville]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
Universal suffrage is no guarantee of wise choices [Tocqueville]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
Slavery undermines the morals and energy of a society [Tocqueville]
25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 3. Free speech
The liberty of the press is more valuable for what it prevents than what it promotes [Tocqueville]
25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 1. Grounds of equality
It is admirable to elevate the humble to the level of the great, but the opposite is depraved [Tocqueville]
25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 2. Political equality
Equality can only be established by equal rights for all (or no rights for anyone) [Tocqueville]
25. Social Practice / F. Life Issues / 6. Animal Rights
Animals are dangerous and nourishing, and can't form contracts of justice [Hermarchus, by Sedley]