John C., list,
Here's another Peirce quote on instinct, FWIW:
[ยง6. The Fallibility of Reasoning and the Feeling of Rationality
(Minute Logic, ergo 1902 or 1903)
CP 2.170.]
If I may be allowed to use the word "habit," without any
implication as to the time or manner in which it took birth, so as
to be equivalent to the corrected phrase "habit or disposition,"
that is, as some general principle working in a man's nature to
determine how he will act, then an instinct, in the proper sense of
the word, is an inherited habit , or in more accurate language, an
inherited disposition. But since it is difficult to make sure
whether a habit is inherited or is due to infantile training and
tradition, I shall ask leave to employ the word "instinct" to cover
both cases. [....]
[End quote]
https://books.google.com/books?id=De7DAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=%22Now+we+certainly+have+habits+of+reasoning;+and+our+natural+judgments+as+to+what+is+good%22&source=bl&ots=e0HIZ4043c&sig=H37JxmUljKdiVD46nohWjnCEm28
I've often thought that there's not much difference between talk of
'developing an instinct' and 'developing an intuition'. I remember a
college math text book for a course written by its professor, and the
theme was the use of both reasoning and 'intuition' - in the sense of
instinct (not like Kantian intuition). I've wondered why Peirce doesn't
look more at the idea of individual development of abductive instinct.
At one point he seems to identify instinct with half-conscious
inference, but it may be that he was listing two different things:
[[Logic and Spiritualism], March-April 1890, W 6:387
Conclusions men reach they know not how, are better than those
fortified by unscientific logic. By logic, _/Aquinas/_, if not
_/Calvin/_, persuaded himself that one of the chief joys of the
blest will be to peer over heaven's parapet and watch the damned
writhing in torments and rage below: by instinct, or half-conscious
inference, a poor peasant girl will inwardly reject the doctrine,
for all revered pastor may say. [....]
[End quote, font-enlargement added]
Best, Ben
On 7/14/2015 8:36 PM, John Collier wrote:
Thanks to everyone who responded, but especially to Miguel for sending
this gem. Now I just have to figure out what lies behind it.
I agree with Jeff that the Century Dictionary entries are not
particularly useful.
I should be asleep. Best to all,
John
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: July 15, 2015 1:18 AM
To: John Collier; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [PEIRCE-L] Recently published: Hitler and Abductive Logic
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