Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Thales, Hugh LaFollette and Alexander Nehamas

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


16 ideas

1. Philosophy / B. History of Ideas / 2. Ancient Thought
Thales was the first western thinker to believe the arché was intelligible [Roochnik on Thales]
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 2. Logos
The logos enables us to track one particular among a network of objects [Nehamas]
A logos may be short, but it contains reference to the whole domain of the object [Nehamas]
8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / a. Platonic Forms
Forms are not a theory of universals, but an attempt to explain how predication is possible [Nehamas]
8. Modes of Existence / D. Universals / 6. Platonic Forms / b. Partaking
Only Tallness really is tall, and other inferior tall things merely participate in the tallness [Nehamas]
10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 5. Modality from Actuality
Nothing is stronger than necessity, which rules everything [Thales, by Diog. Laertius]
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding
'Episteme' is better translated as 'understanding' than as 'knowledge' [Nehamas]
20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 5. Action Dilemmas / a. Dilemmas
Errors in moral practice might be inconsistent or inappropriate principles, or inappropriate application [LaFollette]
We can discuss the criteria of a judgment, or the weight given to them, or their application [LaFollette]
20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 5. Action Dilemmas / c. Omissions
The act/omission distinction is important for duties, but less so for consequences [LaFollette]
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 2. Duty
Are we only obligated by agreement, or should we always help the weak? [LaFollette]
25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 2. Moral rights
Too many options may open us to unwanted pressures, like being paid very little [LaFollette]
Should people be forced to make choices? [LaFollette]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / c. Ultimate substances
Thales said water is the first principle, perhaps from observing that food is moist [Thales, by Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement
Thales must have thought soul causes movement, since he thought magnets have soul [Thales, by Aristotle]
29. Religion / A. Polytheistic Religion / 2. Greek Polytheism
Thales said the gods know our wrong thoughts as well as our evil actions [Thales, by Diog. Laertius]