BR thought that many problems of Philosophy cease being problems if one exposes the hidden elements of meaning that they are actually made of. Philosophy had always created insoluble pseudo-problems for itself by not exposing them. This was his Logical Atomism or Logical Analysis. Russell’s had previously tried to reduce mathematics to logic, which was called Logicism (see here). Now his Logical Atomism was trying to reduce statements in language…
Philosophy Anti-Philosophy
Philosophers logicking on Identity
(This is a long post which I have been unable to break up. Take it in stages.) Philosophers since Plato have worried at what exactly Identity and Personal Identity are. They do this by logicking on the words (or ‘concepts’). The literal meaning of ‘identity’ from its Greek origins is ‘sameness’ or ‘state of being the same’. But this is not enough for philosophers. Identity, or what it is…
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Bernard Williams Philosophy Anti-Philosophy
‘Philosophy’ has never been Wisdom. Chapter 29. Bernard Williams 2: Self-hood, Cogito, Freedom of the Will
Self-hood or Personal Identity. (What I have written here is the same as in my post on Identity, here.; and represents my understanding of BW from here.) BW logicked his way through the question of whether Self-hood or Personal Identity belongs to one’s body or one’s mind. It seems he was speculating on what ordinary people’s intuitions on this matter are, rather than offering a theory of his own. …
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Philosophy Anti-Natalism
‘Philosophy’ has never been Wisdom. Chapter 32: Benatar’s Anti-Natalism.
I have always had a distant image of philosopher David Benatar as having a lot to contend with in a difficult place at a difficult time. The idea of his that I examine here was one I chanced upon. It is the idea that human life is so miserable, that it is immoral to bring people into it in the first place! It has received the title of Anti-Natalism. It…
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