Interesting Passage from Nicomachean Ethics

In this passage Aristotle talks about debt and credit in ancient Greece, the attitude expressed is so very different from today's that I thought it would be interesting just as a point of comparison:

there seem to be two kinds of friendship based on utility, one related to character, the other to law. Complaints arise especially when people dissolve relationships in a spirit different from that in which they entered into them.

The type related to law is that on fixed terms. The purely commercial kind involves hand-to-hand exchange, while the more generous kind allows for time to pay, but is based on an agreement of the terms of exchange. In the more generous kind, while the obligation is clear and indisputable, the credit granted contains an element of friendship. This is why some cities do not allow legal actions in these cases, but think that people who have made a contract on trust ought to be content with the outcome. (NE 1162b, trans Roger Crisp)

 I wonder when if ever loans would be made if they were on these terms nowadays, likely very rarely, and almost certainly between good friends.

An Introduction

Purpose

Posting thoughts of varying levels of profundity, especially relating to philosophy, with the hopes that some will be pretty good.

Explanation of the Title

In many (especially later) Platonic dialogues, the dialogue stops at some point and turns into Socrates saying something followed by a chorus of "certainly", "yes, if we are to be consistent that must be true", etc etc.  It isn't much of a fault in the context of the actual dialogues, you can't have your dialogue partners raising a new objection after every point or you'd never finish convincing them of your first point!  However when the dialogue partners assent to things that to our modern (not necessarily correct) sensibilities seem obviously wrong, it is a little funny to watch.

Interests

I'm interested in evolution, epidemiology, mathematics, philosophy of biology, ethics (metaethics, normative, applied), epistemology, philosophy of science, phenomenology, and writing.  However this list is by no means exhausting and I'll likely write about far more than what's on it.

Word to the Wise

I'm still at the start of my education, this means that I'm not particularly well-equipped to speak authoritatively about any of these subjects.  Instead this will primarily be an exercise in stretching my wings, I'll leave the soaring for later.  That doesn't mean I won't speak with arrogant certainty.  Merely I'm probably not doing it on purpose.

Current Plans

If you want a sneak peek at what one is likely to encounter on this blog going forward I'll be keeping an ongoing version of my reading list on another page.  That should go up shortly, or if you're not reading this at the time it was published, it probably already is.

I think that's a good start, any questions can be directed to the comments section.  See you soon.