Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'The Union of Body and Soul' and 'Tractatus de corpore Christi'

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5 ideas

2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 6. Ockham's Razor

16676	Why use more things when fewer will do? [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: It is pointless to do through more things something that can be done through fewer.
	From: William of Ockham (Tractatus de corpore Christi [1323], Ch. 29), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 14.3
	A reaction: The more famous formulation isn't found in his works, so I'm delighted to find an authentic quotation from the man.

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 5. Infinite in Nature

1748	Archelaus was the first person to say that the universe is boundless [Archelaus, by Diog. Laertius]
	Full Idea: Archelaus was the first person to say that the universe is boundless.
	From: report of Archelaus (fragments/reports [c.450 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 02.Ar.3

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 7. Later Matter Theories / b. Corpuscles

16675	Every extended material substance is composed of parts distant from one another [William of Ockham]
	Full Idea: Every extended material substance is composed of substantial parts distant from one another in place or location.
	From: William of Ockham (Tractatus de corpore Christi [1323], Ch. 12)
	A reaction: Pasnau glosses this as that 'bodies have corpuscular structure', meaning that they are made up of parts of matter (rather than just enformed matter, I think).

26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / d. Causal necessity

2594	A true cause must involve a necessary connection between cause and effect [Malebranche]
	Full Idea: A true cause as I understand it is one such that the mind perceives a necessary connection between it and its effects.
	From: Nicolas Malebranche (The Union of Body and Soul [1675], p.116)

27. Natural Reality / G. Biology / 3. Evolution

5989	Archelaus said life began in a primeval slime [Archelaus, by Schofield]
	Full Idea: Archelaus wrote that life on Earth began in a primeval slime.
	From: report of Archelaus (fragments/reports [c.450 BCE]) by Malcolm Schofield - Archelaus
	A reaction: This sounds like a fairly clearcut assertion of the production of life by evolution. Darwin's contribution was to propose the mechanism for achieving it. We should honour the name of Archelaus for this idea.