15.3. How Do We Determine A 'Good' Idea?

Here's how DGB Philosophy defines a good idea -- borrowing the ideas of 'clear' and 'distinct' from Descartes :


1. It needs to be 'associatively' clear. (the 'associative clarity' criterion. How is hte idea similar and/or related to other ideas?).
2. It needs to be 'distinctively' clear. (the 'distinctive clarity' criterion. How is the idea distinctively clear or clearly different than other ideas?).
3. It needs to be 'empirically' or 'experientially' grounded. (The 'empirical- experiential' and 'ontological' criterion. Does the idea represent a 'phenomenon' -- a person, thing, process, and/or event...that actually exists?)
4. It needs to be 'narcissistically useful'. (The 'narcissistic' criterion -- 'Does the idea help to make my life better).
5. It should be 'altruistically useful'. (The 'altruistic' criterion. Does the idea help to make the world a better place to live in?)