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I'm a beginner at Philosophy, and I'm trying to categorize this metaphysical belief:

"Thoughts are thought by humans, but continue to exist, interact with other ideas, and exert power in some sort of idea-space after being thought."

Does this correspond to any idea or set of ideas in philosophy? I could imagine claiming that it's more a religious idea, but my understanding is that philosophers have sophisticated ways of talking about religious ideas as well.

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  • Can you edit your question so that the title and body are consistent? (the answer to one element in the title question is "no net necessarily neo-platonic"; the answer to at least one of the body questions is more complex and interesting) – virmaior Jun 6 '18 at 23:43
  • A German term may help: "geschichtlich". "An event is "historisch" if it took place once in the course of human development, but now belongs to the past and had no further bearing either on individual or collective existence....cont. – Gordon Jun 7 '18 at 14:43
  • Cont. ...An event is "geschichtlich", on the other hand, if it took place once in the past but still continues to make itself felt even to the present day, moving and determining human life." Michael Schmaus, "Dogma, God in Revelation" p. 30, Sheed & Ward, 1968. – Gordon Jun 7 '18 at 14:50
  • What causes this stubborn historical event (stubborn fragment) to hang-on for so long, and with the ability to move and determine human life? Because this event is an event-idea, the event is retained but it is also transformed into an idea. It lives on as an idea, and it can take on a life of its own, and have real effects on the world. Now, to change the subject, as far as a closed world of ideas, see Plato. I do not think the sense world under Plato causes us to intuit the forms, rather I think under Plato we re-remember the Forms, but I am no expert in Plato. – Gordon Jun 7 '18 at 14:58
  • While also in this topic I should also mention the separate study of Sociology of Knowledge, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology_of_knowledge – Gordon Jun 7 '18 at 15:03
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To answer the question of the existence of 'ideas' outside of and beyond the confines of a human mind it is first vital to escape the bounds of what HF Hallett termed 'truncated empiricism'; that theory which places limits on which subject matters are eligible for scientific investigation. This 'boxing-off' of segments of human experience delimits the horizon of human knowledge and has become untenable even within contemporary scientific circles. It defines human ideas as subjective and flawed. Spinoza taught that ideas in our minds are, in actuality, micro-versions of the macro intelligence which governs and maintains the eternal 'laws of nature'. Therefore ideas and the mind are 'functions' just like procreation and breathing.If we can become comfortable with this arrangement we can then begin to examine how and in what type of format 'ideas' can be said to exist outside the human mind. Read Spinoza's "On the Improvement of the Understanding" for the basics on the human mind and ideas. Then proceed to his "Ethics Demonstrated in Geometric Order". Along the way, if you require some tutelage in Spinoza's thinking try 'The Ethics Examined in Detail' available on Amazon. Three 'Pamphlets are now accessible: -Letters to No One in Particular -To Discern Divinity -Spinoza's Hidden Discovery Charles M. Saunders

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  • Would you have a source for Hallett's term, "truncated empiricism"? – Frank Hubeny Mar 26 at 17:58
  • Yes Read Hallett's trilogy on Spinoza-1- Spinoza- The Elements of his Philosophy, 2-Aeternitas and 3-Creation, Emanation and Salvation – Charles M Saunders Mar 26 at 18:23

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