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Quote by G. E. M. Anscombe

“The primitive sign of wanting is trying to get.”

Quote by G. E. M. Anscombe

Author

G. E. M. Anscombe

G. E. M. Anscombe was a British philosopher renowned for her work in ethics, metaphysics, and the philosophy of language. A prominent figure in the analytic tradition, she is best known for her defense of the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas and her contributions to the philosophy of Wittgenstein. Anscombe's work has had a significant impact on contemporary philosophy, particularly in the areas of moral philosophy and the philosophy of mind. more

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“...if it isn't literally true that my wanting is causally responsible for my reaching, and my itching is causally responsible for my scratching, and my believing is causally responsible for my saying . . . If none of that is literally true, then practically everything I believe about anything is false and it's the end of the world.”

Ifs World Mind Believe Ends I Believe Knowledge Responsible Reaching End Of The World Itching

Author:Jerry Fodor

“There are lots of cases where we know more about how the world works than we do about how we know how it works. That's no paradox. Understanding the structure of galaxies is one thing, understanding how we understand the structure of galaxies is quite another. There isn't the slightest reason why the first should wait on the second and, in point of historical fact, it didn't. This bears a lot of emphasis; it turns up in philosophy practically everywhere you look.”

“[R]eason is... given to us as a practical faculty, that is, as one that influences the will.”

Action Given Moral Psychology Influence Ethics Practicals Faculty

Author:Immanuel Kant

“I conceive ethics as a branch of psychology.”

Action Moral Psychology Ethics Branches

Book:The Possibility of Altruism

Source: The Possibility of Altruism

“equally real at all stages of his life; specifically, the fact that a particular stage is present cannot be regarded as conferring on it any special status.”

Real Facts Action Moral Psychology Special Stage Particular Ethics

Book:The Possibility of Altruism

Source: The Possibility of Altruism

“To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.”

Believe Looks Action Moral Psychology Theory Ethics Things To Do Right Thing

Book:Mortal Questions : Canto

Source: Mortal Questions : Canto

“A theory of motivation is defective if it renders intelligible behaviour which is not intelligible.”

Ifs Action Motivation Moral Psychology Theory Ethics Behaviour Defective

Book:The Possibility of Altruism

Source: The Possibility of Altruism

“A person may be greedy, envious, cowardly, cold, ungenerous, unkind, vain, or conceited, but behave perfectly by a monumental act of the will.”

May Persons Action Moral Psychology Cold Ethics Vain Behave Greedy Cowardly Envious Unkind Conceited

Book:Mortal Questions

Source: Mortal Questions

“The inclusion of consequences in the conception of what we have done is an acknowledgement that we are parts of the world, but the paradoxical character of moral luck which emerges from this acknowledgement shows that we are unable to operate with such a view, for it leaves us with no one to be.”

World Done Character Shows Action Views Moral Psychology Ethics Consequence Luck Conception Inclusion Paradoxical Acknowledgement

Book:Mortal Questions

Source: Mortal Questions

“Once we see an aspect of what we or someone else does as something that happens, we lose our grip on the idea that it has been done and that we can judge the doer and not just the happening.”

Doe Has Beens Ideas Done Happens Action Loses Moral Psychology Judging Happenings Ethics Aspect Doers

Book:Mortal Questions : Canto

Source: Mortal Questions : Canto