Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Thales, William Davies and Geoffrey Hellman

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15 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]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 7. Mathematical Structuralism / a. Structuralism
Structuralism is now common, studying relations, with no regard for what the objects might be [Hellman]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 7. Mathematical Structuralism / c. Nominalist structuralism
Modal structuralism says mathematics studies possible structures, which may or may not be actualised [Hellman, by Friend]
Statements of pure mathematics are elliptical for a sort of modal conditional [Hellman, by Chihara]
Modal structuralism can only judge possibility by 'possible' models [Shapiro on Hellman]
Maybe mathematical objects only have structural roles, and no intrinsic nature [Hellman]
10. Modality / C. Sources of Modality / 5. Modality from Actuality
Nothing is stronger than necessity, which rules everything [Thales, by Diog. Laertius]
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 11. Capitalism
Markets are transparent, with known prices and activity, and minimal profits [Davies,W]
Capitalists use their exceptional power to impose their own rules, and make the state their ally [Davies,W]
Economies have material, economic and capitalist layers [Davies,W]
Capitalism must mainly rely either on the labour market, or on the financial markets [Davies,W]
Capitalism is the anti-market, with opacity, monopolies, powers, exceptional profits and wealth [Davies,W]
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]