“Leibniz accepted the argument that there must be indestructible simple entities if there is to be a complex world, but Epicurean morals and politics and anti-theology dismayed him. His 'monadology' which said that the true atoms of nature were unextended 'living mirrors,' was an imaginative and beautiful system, and even in many ways more modern than Epicurean atomism, than Epicurean atomism, but there was a reactionary aspect to it.” IfsWorldWaySaidBeautifulSimpleMoralModernAspectArgumentMirrorsComplexesAcceptedTheologyAtomsEntityImaginativeReactionariesIndestructibleDismayedEpicurean Author:Catherine Wilson
“Maybe we will get to this point and reach a decision one way or the other with 'Human cloning is acceptable,' but I doubt that it is ever going to happen for 'It is morally permissible to eat shrimp' or with the general formula 'Adultery is wrong,' whose intended extension is again very unclear.” WayHumansHappensDecisionDoubtOne WayFormulasAcceptableExtensionsAdulteryUnclearCloningShrimpHuman Cloning Author:Catherine Wilson
“There is no single test or formula for producing moral progress anymore than there is for generating scientific truths. It is a process involving theoreticians, fact-gatherers, protestors, martyrs for the cause, authors of first- person narratives who change the way we see and evaluate the distribution of harms and benefits.” WayFirstsPersonsFactsCausesProcessMoralProgressBenefitsTestsHarmNarrativeFormulasDistributionMartyrEvaluateInvolvingFirst PersonScientific Truth Author:Catherine Wilson
“Highly unequal societies are morally defective because they get to be that way through the exploitation by the clever and well-positioned ones of the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of others. The well-off then use their acquired political power to refuse to make sacrifices for others. This system brings us a wonderful range of products and experiences for consumers at the top of the privilege scale, but it also degrades and benumbs the workers at the lower end, as Adam Smith and Marx both said.” WayWellsSaidEndsUsePoliticalWonderfulSacrificeProductsWeaknessWorkersPrivilegeRefuseScalesCleverConsumersRangeVulnerabilityAdamExploitationPolitical PowerDegradeSacrifice For OthersDefective Author:Catherine Wilson
“I don't see how being a faster runner, or a better mathematician makes you 'deserve' access to a better life, or more influence on policy, in the absence of a social decision to play that game in the way it's proposed to be organised for some set of benefits.” WayPlayGamesSocialDecisionInfluencePolicyBenefitsDeserveAbsenceAccessFasterMathematicianRunnersBetter LifeOrganised Author:Catherine Wilson
“It used to be that nobody would really argue with a woman, because what she thought (unless it was by way of providing helpful comments about one's own work) just didn't matter.” WayMatterUsedArguingUsed To BeHelpfulCommentProviding Author:Catherine Wilson