“How to Make Our Ideas Clear” Philosophy 1 Spring, 2002 G. J. Mattey

Clear and Distinct Conceptions Logicians distinguish between conceptions in two ways –Clear vs. obscure –Distinct vs. confused A clear idea is one that is recognized whenever it is met with –Never mistaken for another (rare) –So familiar that there is no hesitation in using it (common) A distinct idea is one that has nothing unclear in it

A Priorism Familiarity and abstract distinctness are outmoded as means of perfecting thought Descartes tried to pass from the method of authority to that of a priority using clarity and distinctness as a sign of the a priori He did not distinguish between being clear and seeming to be so Leibniz got no further by trying to understand all conceptions in terms of definition

Economy The easiest way to have clear ideas is to have meager and restricted ones Those who have rich conceptions, primarily youth, are led astray Intellectual maturity will help, but often it comes too late Many people’s intellectual lives are ruined by their pursuit of unclear ideas

Thought and Belief Doubt is hesitancy, and it stimulates the mind to action It is overcome by a decision to act in a certain way, i.e., by belief Active thought is primarily directed toward the production of belief, which is thought at rest But application of belief raises new doubts The ultimate end of thought is action

Pragmatism Beliefs which produce the same action are the same Different meanings are a function of different practices We mean by our conception of wine the effects it has on our senses Consideration of practical effects allows the highest degree of clarity

An Example: Freedom Could I have resisted temptation and not done something of which I am ashamed? The answer depends only on the possible arrangement of facts Relative to the question of blame, yes –If I had willed to do otherwise, I would have done so Relative to the question of the power of temptation, no –Some temptations have an irresistible effect

An Example: Force Philosophers try to distinguish between force as acceleration and as cause of acceleration Some say that force is an unknown cause These distinctions make no practical difference To know the accelerations and the laws governing them is to know what force is

Reality There are three grades of clarity in our conception of reality –Familiarity: a child’s conception is clear in this way –Distinctness: the real is that whose characteristics are independent of what they are thought to be by any individual –Practice: the real is that which is destined to be agreed upon by all who investigate

Ideal Agreement There is no conflict between the criteria of distinctness and practice The real is independent only of what individuals think The practical criterion is an ideal one, not depending on what any one individual may think Even though the criterion of reality involves remote considerations, it gives us a clear conception of what reality is