tailieunhanh - The Oxford Companion to Philosophy Part 36

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy Part 36. The book is alphabetized by the whole headings of entries, as distinct from the first word of a heading. Hence, for example, abandonment comes before a priori and a posteriori. It is wise to look elsewhere if something seems to be missing. At the end of the book there is also a useful appendix on Logical Symbols as well as the appendices A Chronological Table of Philosophy and Maps of Philosophy. | 330 generalization rule of Where a free variable a occurs in f the application of the rule binds the variable. Formalizations specify conditions and syntactic restrictions for application of the rule to ensure that the inferences are valid. An example of a valid application of the rule is the inference of x Fx v Fx from Fy v Fy since the latter holds for any arbitrary individual. . W. V. Quine Methods of Logic 4th edn. Cambridge Mass. 1982 . general properties see properties general. general will. The doctrine of the general will is found in the writings of some theorists in the tradition of contrac-tualist political philosophy. The doctrine has controversial images associated with it but its central aim is to provide an account of the conditions under which principles and policies for the state are morally acceptable. Citizens are thought of as having interests some of which are perceived and often different from one person to another and even from one time in a person s life to another while others are considered real or genuine and hence common to all persons. The doctrine concerns how these common interests may be identified and how they may gain expression in the policies of the state and thereby constitute the state just. Rousseau s version of the doctrine appears to be driven by the figure of society as social organism . The general will is the will of this organism . the collective body formed by the citizens of a state and as such is distinguished from the will of any particular individual or group and even from the will of all . Rousseau s view influenced Kant but Kant s view leaves aside the notion that society should be thought of as organism . The main idea now is that morality involves principles that are valid for all rational beings and that one may arrive at such principles by setting aside one s inclinations . particular features of personality or interests associated with social station that differ among real people and tend to ground