Empiricist philosophy always tends to be anti-philosophy (and is often proud of it). Allen W. Wood More Quotes by Allen W. Wood More Quotes From Allen W. Wood Sometimes when a philosopher's views are widely rejected by the world, the fault is not with the philosopher but with the world. Allen W. Wood faults views world I think that both Mill and Sidgwick are great and admirable philosophers, from whom we still have a lot to learn. I would not favor a form of Kantianism (if there is such a form) that treats Mill's or Sidgwick's moral philosophy with disrespect. Allen W. Wood disrespect philosophy thinking Utilitarians are usually empiricists who think they can solve every problem by accumulating enough empirical facts. They do not realize that thinking as well as experience is necessary to know anything or get anything right. Allen W. Wood problem facts thinking Philosophy is about getting the facts right, but it is also about thinking rightly about them. Philosophy is more about the latter than the former. Allen W. Wood philosophy facts thinking Consequentialist theories begin with a very simple and undoubtedly valid point: Every action aims at a future end, and is seen as a means to it. Allen W. Wood simple action mean I think if there were to be a solution to the problem of free will, it would have to be a compatibilist one. Unfortunately, from that it does not follow that there is such a solution. Many philosophers find this an unwelcome message, and as often happens in philosophy, they punish the messenger by ascribing to him an entirely imaginary but untenable position. Allen W. Wood doe philosophy thinking People are often most proud of precisely those things of which they should most be ashamed. Allen W. Wood proud should people One rational standard of action is how well it promotes the end it seeks. Another standard is whether it aims at ends which are good. Both of these, but especially the former, depend on judgments of fact. Allen W. Wood judgment action facts Not only in order to act morally, but even to formulate theoretical questions, devise experiments, choose which ones to perform and what conclusions to draw from then - we must presuppose that we are free. That's the sense in which it is true that for Kant "we must assume we are free." Allen W. Wood conclusion assuming order Kant does represents a distinctively modern view of the human condition in contrast to that of ancient high culture, found in ancient Greek ethics and also in ancient Chinese ethics. Allen W. Wood chinese greek views If the problem of free will is to see how freedom fits into the order of nature, then Kant's basic view about the free will problem is that it is insoluble. Allen W. Wood problem views order The problem is that many who reject Marx do not read him, or read him only by bringing prejudices to their reading that prevent them from understanding him. Allen W. Wood prejudice understanding reading We can never prove that we are free or integrate our freedom in any way into our objective conception of the causal order of nature. Allen W. Wood integrating order way We can treat human responses to cognitions as involving law-like connections grounded on free choices which show themselves in our character. Allen W. Wood choices law character We can establish empirical criteria for free actions, and investigate human actions on the presupposition we are free. Allen W. Wood criteria humans action Kant thinks we can show that there is no contradiction in supposing we are free. Allen W. Wood contradiction shows thinking Adam Smith saw the greed of modern capitalism for what it was - a form of destructive ambition that may have favorable effects on the productive capacities of society, but which is of no direct benefit to anyone - not even to the greedy themselves, whose illusory chase after a will-o-the-wisp leaves them morally bankrupt and unhappy. Allen W. Wood greed unhappy ambition As long as the Republican party exists in its present form, our nation cannot endure as a free society. Still worse, under their policies the human race is being rapidly propelled toward its extinction. Allen W. Wood party race long In general, those who defend capitalism are basically out of touch with reality. Allen W. Wood capitalism reality The Russian revolution did not occur until a generation after Marx's death. He was not involved with it, or with what came after it. His works do not describe post-capitalist society, and a fortiori they do not recommend any part of what the Soviet Union did. Allen W. Wood unions generations revolution
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