[lit-ideas] Philosopher Saves Humanism

  • From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:39:48 EST

aka HUMANISM.
 
"I can now give a brief characterisation of my third construction routine,  
which is called Metaphysical Transubtantiation. Let us suppose that the genitor 
 has sanctioned the apperance of a biological type called HUMANS, into which, 
 considerate as always, he has built an attribute, or complex of attributes,  
called 'rationality', perhaps on the grounds that this would greatly assist 
its  possessors in coping speedily and resourcefully with survival problems 
posed by  a wide range of environments.
 
"What these humans do is redistribute the attributes. Properties which they  
possess essentially as humans become properties which as substances of a NEW  
PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPE called 'persons' they possess ACCIDENTALLY; And the 
property  or properties  called rationality, which attaches only accidentally 
to  
humans, attaches essentially to persons."

"On the assumption that the  operation of metaphysical transubstantiation has 
been appropriately carried  thorugh, a class of BIOLOGICAL CREATURES   has 
been 'invented', itno a  class of PSYCHOLOGICAL substances, namely 'persons', 
who possess as part of  their ESSENTIAL nature a certain autonomous finality 
consisting in the exercise  of rationality. The degree to which they fulfil 
that 
metier will constitute them  'good persons' ('good qua' persons); and while 
the reference to the substantial  kind 'persons' undoubtedly introduces a 
restriction or qualification, it is not  clear that this restriction is a 
matter of 
relativisation."
 
Which is back to Protagoras, as J. Wager points out.
 
Cheers,
 
JL Speranza
       "The necessity and sufficiency of  conditions for the 'human' 
definition of the phoetus"
                      Journal of Protagorical Research iii.



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