Conatus: THIRD EDITION by Tom Wallace - HTML preview

C O N A T U S

The way our thoughts split up the world is also an important theme of this book. In fact, several chapters are devoted to exploring such splits and trying to understand what they mean and whether they help or hinder our search. Perhaps a pattern can be discerned to our investigations, starting with observation, moving on to establish explanations and from there making the leap from ‘how questions’ to ‘why questions’. A meaning is a step beyond an explanation. A purpose is a step beyond a meaning. And as I’ve suggested above, this is still only half the story! There is something about the way us humans deal with the questions of truth, goodness, beauty, meaning and purpose that will lead us to further conclusions.

Along with this procession of thoughts, I’ll also be exploring whether direct links can be made between our themes. Could, for example, value be discovered just by observing the world? And, if thoughts on value could be established, could a system of ethics and aesthetics then be devised, based on our values? The way thoughts are structured just now suggests that such a project might be possible. But it may also be the case that there are other ways to link up our themes that yield better results, or at least useful insights.

So, it could be said, getting a handle on the big themes is one thing. Deciding what might be done in response to what is discovered is quite another. It is important to see this, at least in part, as a separate endeavour. If somehow truth and knowledge about the world could be got to

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