What Is True and What Is Believed to Be True

This essay answers the question “How can the different ways of knowing to help us to distinguish between something that is true and something that is believed to be true?” A good understanding of the different ways of knowing is basic to explaining how they can be of use in...

Moral Virtue of Learning Foreign Languages

Reason A skill that most utilizes the concept of reason is learning and speaking a second language. Scientific research suggests that language learning leads to enhanced cognitive control, which improves mental attention, flexibility, and reasoning. The reasoning is applied in learning a language since a person has to acquire specific...

American Philosopher John Dewey and Pragmatism

It can be argued that the world was turned upside down after the Industrial Age. Indeed, it was a time of great upheaval, especially in the highly industrialized nations of the Western hemisphere. It was at this time of radical change that an American philosopher by the name of John...

Jerry and Alan: Unethical and Illegal Situations

Jerry and Alan had different motivations. Jerry’s motivations were to earn money to pay off his loan, as well as to pay for the house he had contracted and wedding he was about to have; but his main motivation was to justify Alan’s trusting him with a responsible position. However,...

Existence of God: Philosophical Proofs

Introduction I will argue in support of the argument brought forward by St. Aquinas that God exists since we can experience him through our senses, live up to his purposes and be guided by his perfect will. Human beings are at liberty to search for the truths about God’s existence...

How to Know What Your True Purpose in Life Is

The cosmic joke with humanity is that those who have seek more, and those who don’t, wish they had. Life is tiered along lines of needs, and at any one point, there’s always that next goal to be accomplished or challenge to be overcome. Yet as soon as that next...

To What Extent Is Truth Different in Mathematics, the Arts and Ethics

Introduction In considering the meaning of truth in mathematics, the arts, and ethics, one is bound to encounter similarities and contradictions while making attempts to arrive at a concrete conclusion regarding what truth connotes in these three streams. There are several arguments from different schools of thought that are not...

The Ethics of Global Conflict: Violence vs. Morality

Introduction Ever since the dawn of civilization, groups of people united by a common interest used to wage wars on each other, as the ultimate mean of resolving seemingly irresolvable issues. Modern historians and anthropologists cannot even find a consensus on whether the first stone axes, produced by revolutionizing homo...

Issues in Philosophy: Does God Exist?

Religion and God are personal beliefs and depend upon whether individuals believe in the existence of God. Nils Rauhut asserts that belief in God should be accompanied by devotion “through prayer” “religious rituals” and readings of “the holy books like Bible or Koran” (Pg. 173). On the other hand, disbelief...

Consciousness: Science and Technology

Exceptional Human Experiences The issue of exceptional human experiences is begging to be brought out at the beginning of the chapter. This is presented in the context of various experiences that are not a usual phenomenon to many for instance Hypnotic regression and psychic visions in the human mind. The...

A Journey to the Self in a Philosophical Paradigm

Although we have been studying history of ideas throughout the semester, the course could as easily be considered to be a history of the self or the rise of individualism as the ideas presented continued to advance new concepts of the self. These concepts changed in relation to the dominant...

Free Will in Hard Determinism, Soft Determinism and Libertarianism

The questions of free will were always agitating the minds of philosophers. This could be explained by people’s tendency to acknowledge the responsibility of one’s actions. The questions that might arise ask whether there were other options in doing certain options or it was already predetermined. As a purpose of...

Physicallism and Dualism: Definition

Physicallism and dualism are two different paradigms, which have the opposite views on the essence of life, however, they complement each other. Abstract Physicalism and Dualism are the most confronting philosophical theories that represent the views of the origin and nature of life and the surrounding world. Physicalism stands for...

Violence: Dialogue Between Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault

The following is what would have accounted for a hypothetical dialogue between Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault on the subject of violence’s intrinsic subtleties. Both thinkers were presented with the statement that “Violence is a mundane, everyday part of our lives. So much so we are largely immune to its...

Religion, Science and Atheism

Evolution and Intelligent Design Intelligent design holds on to the believe that most of the universe and living things features are only well explained through the use of an intelligent cause instead of the commonly known natural selection method. Those who advocate for this kind of view insists that the...

Immanuel Kant’s Political Thoughts

Humans should have the courage to use their own Reason Evaluating the above notion have many dimensions to understand, but in the light of political philosophy it suggests that every man perceives a particular opinion about attaining or retaining freedom. Since no person on earth likes to get involved into...

Ethical Issues in Business: Professional Code of Ethics

Similar to other employees, Moira is faced with moral and ethical dilemma. The best solution for Moira is to report the problem to the supervisor over the manager’s head. This behavior will not be considered as unethical because Moira had already reported the problem to her direct manager but received...

Science vs. Religion: West European Studies

Outline: The relationship between the two streams of thoughts and ideologies emerged in the early part of the sixteenth century. This relationship has been changing with changing years and there have been periods of rivalry, marked by some periods of friendship between the scientists and the Church. It was due...

Gifford-May on “Deep States” of Meditation Review

Meditation is a process concerning the condition of the person’s soul when his or her mind does not take part in the process. Meditation aims to relax, to forget all problems, and to try to look inside oneself. The process of meditation is rather long and complicated, as it may...

The Philosophy of Social Research

Abstract The paper is an analysis of the philosophy of research, core concepts of research designs as well as other approaches to research. In philosophy of research, it has been established that there is a progression from scientific methods alone into more flexible concepts that incorporate contextual experiences such as...

Cartesian Dualism: Arguments and Objections

Introduction Dualism is a very old theory that has its roots in the Greek culture. According to the Greeks, the spirit of a man is supposed to be distinct from his physical body. According to them, the soul and the body do not have any contact with one another. In...

Utilitarianism Theory: Value and Disadvantages

Utilitarianism theory states that the moral value of an individual’s deed can be determined by the way it is effective in the long run. This means how an action is able to make an individual happy thus leading to the conclusion that the moral value of this action is determined...

Fatalist and the One Who Does Not Believe in Destiny

There is an assumption that everything in our life is predetermined. On the one hand, some people believe that they did not have to do anything to achieve some goals in life since everything is subjected to destiny. On the other hand, some people are considered the creators of their...

Craig-Dacey Formal Debate on the Existence of God

In the dispute is born truth. Socrates The world of man is full of various things to excite the imagination and personal way of thinking. People tend to adhere to their own opinion so that to incline others to follow their prospects on the problem. Thus, in society, namely, in...

Different Accounts Of The Afterlife

The afterlife (also referred to as life after death or the hereafter) is the idea that the consciousness or mind or soul of a being proceeds a kind of life after physical death comes. Many scientists think that existence after death often happens in some kind of a spiritual sphere...

Franciscan and Dominican Orders

The history of Christianity cannot be complete without mentioning such aspect as religious orders. The religious orders throughout history had a great impact on the major historical events in general, and the flow of Christianity in particular. In terms of influence and longevity, two orders should be mentioned, the Franciscan...

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Self-actualization is the topmost need in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It can be achieved through self-exploration and action. This need manifests itself when lower-level needs have been satisfied. What can you really control? You can control yourself. To achieve this, there is a need to learn how to manage...

Comparative Eastern Philosophies Influences

Introduction Eastern philosophy is a terminology referring to the philosophies in the Asian continent, these philosophies have their origin in China, India, Kuwait and other countries in Asia. Unlike the rest of the world most philosophies in Asia revolve around their religion that happens to take three very dominant perspectives;...

Continental Philosophy: Existentialism and Phenomenology

Absolute idealism was championed by G. W. F. Hegel. To him, being is an all inclusive whole. He stood for the idea that, for the human reason to be in a position to know the world, there must be an identity between thought and being. He believed in rationality in...

Leo Strauss and Friedrich Hayek on Democracy

Introduction The idea of ‘democracy’ has been in the domain of political theorists for quite a long time. It can be remembered that the controversy over democratic space for the citizens has been in existence from the time when classical theory centered on the proposition that the people hold a...

Socrates’ Method and Philosophical Ideas

The paper’s aim is to study the main ideas of Socrates, the outstanding Greek philosopher. In the work the author studies the Socratic Method, sheds light on Socrates’ ideas of soul, virtue and knowledge. It would be hard to find a more mysterious and captivating historical figure among philosophers than...

Review of Works Francis Bacon and Michel de Montaigne

The Renaissance is the period of European history marking the waning of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world: usually considered as beginning in Italy in the 14th century. This period progressed in all countries of the European continent and made its contribution into different spheres of...

Moral and Cultural Relativism as a Concept

The notions of moral and cultural relativism have been thoroughly investigated by most famous thinkers from ancient period; it is interesting to note that the principal difference between them lies in human beliefs based on cultural or moral truths and propositions; the paper will be focused on the analysis of...

Monarch in “Leviathan” Book by Thomas Hobbes

Introduction The issue of power and state were constantly in focus of many outstanding philosophers. From ancient times until nowadays the humanities insist on better ways of state conduct in terms of its kind and form for different societies. People tend to merge, in fact, with the current status quo...

Socrates and Plato: Ideas of the Great Philosophers

Introduction The ideas of the ancient philosophers such as Socrates and Plato are often looked to for wisdom and an idea of the ‘right’ path one should take. These individuals provided a great deal of information regarding the proper functioning of a society, including what it would take for a...

Key Problems With Metaphysics

Metaphysics Before science developed into the sophisticated form that we witness it in today, solutions of problems that had possible associations with science were dealt with and studied under the umbrella of metaphysics. Before the advent of modern science and very well before Aristotle, metaphysics was the most commonly used...

Philosophy. Rationalism, Epistemology, Metaphysics

Introduction Rationalism is a theory in which the measure of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive. Rationalistic philosophers believed that reason is the exclusive path to knowledge. Not all philosopher are uniquely empiricist or rationalist, some of them have two stand points belonging to the schools of...

Why Should I Be Moral When Is Not in My Best Interest to Do So?

Whether a person should be moral or not, is a matter of dispute that many of the writers and thinkers of the world have been asking each other for years. By morality what we mean is that a set of rules passed to us through social and religious experiences which...

Influence of Yin Yang on Confucius and Lao Zi’s Way of Thinking

Yin Yang refers to the concept that is used to describe and explain how some opposite or converse forces in the world are mutually supporting and intertwined. It describes and explains how they give rise to each other in turn and seem to be mutually dependent on each other. This...

When Should We Trust Our Senses to Give Us the Truth?

Introduction The most difficult thing is getting to know the truth, to know the truth takes a lot and there is no prescribed procedure for getting to know the same. So the question is how exactly can a person know whether his perception of a given thing is true or...

Theory of Knowledge by Henri Poincare.

Introduction It can be said that science is a form of knowledge but one must add that it is a higher form of knowledge. This is because we can easily equate knowledge to facts and facts need not necessarily be scientific. For instance I love chocolate ice cream and that...

American City: Dreams and Nightmares

Introduction It is not a secret, that urbanization is taking place as a process all over the world today and especially in America. It means that people tend to go to the large cities for a seemingly better fortune there. Despite this vastly developed tendency, some people of today are...

Aristotle’s Ethical Theory and Its Influences

Aristotle creates a unique understanding of ethics and moral values, virtue, and honesty. Thus, Aristotle’s moral ideas and moral ideals are, in some degree, the product of his time, and cannot be expected to be adequate in the world of today. Scientific and material progress has extended man’s moral horizons....

The Conceptual Metaphor by Lakoff and Johnson

The use of the conceptual metaphor is a powerful tool because it reaches the very center of our way of understanding the world around us. Generally speaking, a conceptual metaphor is defined as a metaphor “that is so basic in the way people think about something that they fail to...

Aristotle and Plato Works Comparison

Along with Socrates and Plato, Aristotle is believed to be one of the most ancient Greek philosophers. Being arguably the most educated man of those times, Aristotle had a wide range of interests, like instance logic, ethics, music, and metaphysics. Naturally, this list can be easily continued. In his studies,...

Moral and Political Discourse Analysis

Betham’s main critics were on the law and of moral and political discourse. He was particular on the law and how there were legal fictions in it, all that would lead to confusion. To him, morals and legislations can be described scientifically although the description would require an account of...

The Purpose of Philosophy

The most important question in philosophy Philosophy is an extensive subject and what separates philosophy from other subjects is that it is the perspective that other subjects are examined through. Being of such nature, there are a number of questions that are of prime importance, but what is widely considered...

Socrates in Phaedo: Equality and Justice

Introduction One of the major questions of philosophy has always been the nature of the soul, what it is, where it resides, where it comes from, how it is developed, and for what purpose. This abiding interest like the human being from a philosophical rather than physical standpoint is evidenced...

Philosophy. God, Omnipotence, and Evil

There are so many religions that are followed by numerous people all across the globe, and it is considered by many who believe in God that God is present everywhere, which means there is omnipotence with regard to the presence of God. Many religions teach the followers that God is...

Citizenship and Civil Disobedience According to Aristotle and Sophocles

In setting forth his ideas regarding what makes a good citizen, Aristotle illustrates the difficulties involved in simply defining who might be a citizen and who might not be. In terms of being a citizen of a particular country or nation, he indicates that anyone is a citizen who is...

Freud’s and Erickson’s Theories’ Differences

Comparing the differences between the Freud’s and Erickson’s theories, it is necessary to point out that the stages in Freud’s theories were psychosexual, and the stages in Erikson’s theories were psychosocially oriented. The theory of psychoanalysis, which served as a base for numerous psychoanalytic theories, was developed at the late...

Is Descartes Right About Doubting Our Senses?

Humans in their nature hypothesize and at the same time are skeptical of everything they believe. Every human belief has the predisposition of being doubted at some point in time. Even God, in all His wisdom has been doubted. Humans are a marvelous creation, but have many imperfections. If God...

Deleuze’s “A Thousand Plateaus” and Guattari’s “Capitalism and Schizophrenia”

Introduction The book “A Thousand Plateaus” written by the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze and the psychoanalyst Felix Guattari is the second part of the project “Capitalism and Schizophrenia”. Main body As a matter of fact, the authors themselves believe that this work cannot be considered that as a “book” because...

Comparative Eastern Influences “Confucianism”

Introduction Philosophy is an eternal search of knowledge and vital wisdom in which scientists of this direction tried to define laws of life and to issue them literally. Eastern philosophy indifference from the west was not limited to the search for rational proofs and decisions of the vital and fundamental...

Plato and Absolutism in “The Allegory of the Cave”

The nature and accuracy of knowledge that people get using their perceptive apparatus are among the most discussed questions in philosophy. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato provides his perspective on the issue by using a dark cave and prisoners in chains as the symbols of limitations related to...

Meaning Of the Life: Albert Camus and Nozick

Introduction The implicit behind constructing a philosophical self-portrait is central to contemplating in the lead one’s existence, (aspirations and participation) and to bring these components into an interconnected sum total. These constituents are unified into an unswerving whole by virtue of expanded knowledge, influenced or transformed by these reflections in...

Socrates and His View on Happiness

Philosophers and thinkers are always the rebels of their contemporary society. The foundations of their philosophy are laid based on human welfare. Looking into the history of all the mighty revolutions becomes evident that it was philosophers who awoke the sleeping nation and fought for the noble cause of freedom,...

Antigone & Socrates’ Philosophy: Critical Analysis Essay

Sometimes the best way to understand a person’s philosophy is to attempt to apply their thinking to an outside situation or event. There is a catch to the process, though, in that if one is not careful to apply this mode of thinking to another individual within that same society,...

Realism & Formalism. Singer’s Reality Transformed and La Jetée Film

Introduction People are free to understand and interpret movies in their specific ways, relying on personal interests, knowledge, and approaches. During this week, students got a chance to study the perspective about classical film theories and the peculiarities of cinematic art offered by Irving Singer. There are many filmmaking devices...

Clausewitz’s Theories: Center of Gravity & Trinity in Warfare

There have been multiple attempts to understand the nature of armed conflicts and study the topic of war and warfare from the philosophical viewpoint. To express his understanding of war as a socio-cultural phenomenon, Carl von Clausewitz, a prominent specialist in military theory and practice, formulated the concepts of the...

“How It All Began” by Brockway

Introduction The anthropological origins of human development, ranging from prehistoric times to ancient civilizations, is an important but highly debatable topic. There are numerous disagreements about methods to studying fossils, the evolutionary process of homo sapiens, and the introduction of language. In the chapter How It All Began, Brockway claims...

Skepticism in Knowledge Theory: The Science and Philosophy of Doubt

Introduction Approaching arguments from the position of blind faith rarely leads to effective decisions, which is why a skeptical attitude toward unsubstantiated claims has been practiced in science for centuries. Dissecting skepticism as a theory of knowledge, one can understand the philosophical ramifications of the specified approach better and, therefore,...

Socrates and Athenian Democracy: Wisdom and Modern Parallels

The Socratic identification of knowledge It is clear that knowledge and wisdom are essential ingredients of life worth living because ignorance and the lack of understanding make life similar to animals. The first of the ancient philosophers who turned to the knowledge of man, understanding his essence, studying the inner...

God Existence Argument in the “Forrest Gump” Film

Religion has always been one of the integral parts of human society. It appeared at the dawn of civilization with the first attempts to explain the nature of the universe and the origin of species and people. Communities created their gods to answer questions that were difficult for them with...

Gilles Deleuze: Biography, Philosophical Ideas, and Contribution to Modern Philosophy

Introduction Gilles Deleuze (January 18, 1925–November 4, 1995) is known as one of the most provocative and influential figures in philosophy of the twentieth century, who became famous not only in France but also worldwide. The ideas and teachings of Deleuze had a significant impact on the development of modern...

Unique Worldview: Personal Worldview Definition

It can be argued that each person has a unique worldview, and that one’s beliefs affect their thoughts, judgments, and actions. A worldview develops based on one’s understanding of spirituality, pluralism, scientism, and postmodernism, as these are some of the key philosophical concepts related to knowledge and perception. My personal...

Ethical Dilemma in Facing Death Situations

Introduction It is possible to state with certainty that individuals who work in clinical environments experience numerous ethical dilemmas, which are determined by the nature of their occupation as it directly influences people’s lives. Among these moral issues, the following could be exemplified as the most apparent: disclosure of the...

Sociology of Religion: Theoretical Approaches and Their Comparison

Introduction For centuries, humankind has struggled to explain the meaning of life through philosophy and religion. While philosophy tries to answer the eternal question using a rational approach, religion operates with notions that surpass the limits of human knowledge. Religion is a system of beliefs, values, and practices concerning sacred...

Ethical Considerations in Addressing Wrongs: A Philosophical Exploration

Introduction Philosophy is one of the ways to cognize reality that surrounds people and answer basic questions that emerge in the course of individuals’ thought evolution. Human beings have always wanted to understand the purpose of their lives, reasons for their acts, and solve multiple ethical dilemmas that appear while...

Kantian Moral Philosophy in the Film “Sleepers” by Barry Levinson

Introduction The morality of an action can be judged from different perspectives. For instance, from a utilitarian perspective, an action can be said to be “good” if it brings happiness to the largest number of people (Cholbi 88). In the Kantian categorical imperative, an act is termed as good or...

Roy’s Adaptation Model: A Theoretical Framework for Nurses

Principle of Cosmic Unity One of the paradigms discussed in Roy’s Adaptation model is the idea of “cosmic unity,” which redefines the goal of systematic approaches to nursing from mere system maintenance to the achievement of a greater purpose. Roy defines cosmic unity as a set of relationships between people...

Critical Thinking and Moral Arguments: Insights from Chapter 16

Introduction Chapter 16 “Critical thinking and moral arguments” focused on vital components of critical thinking and using them for making relevant assertions and hypotheses. Since philosophy plays a major role in establishing the ground for moral arguments and critical thinking, it is argued that the discipline can provide valuable skills...

Aristotle’s Virtue: Balancing Extremes and Ethical Views

Aristotle and the Question of Virtue: Why Bother Being Good? According to Aristotle, virtue is a center point located between two extremes. For example, virtue would be in the middle of an abundance of something and its deficiency (Roca & Schuh, 2017). This concept can describe not only the number...

Logical Consistency and Contradictions Definition

Contradictions Being logically consistent implies that a person has inner integrity. This is enhanced by avoidance of contradictions as inner desires are not permitted to conflict with one another. For instance, the need to be honest and brave might be contradicted by an urge to shun trouble and pain (Goldman...

Socrates’ Critique: Morality, Democracy, and Political Order

Argument Against Socrates Since Socrates is the person to whom many people listen, one of the main arguments against him is the encroachment on political morality. He constantly confuses citizens by discovering their ignorance in those issues in which they considered themselves competent. Young people, particularly the sons of wealthy...

Machiavelli’s “The Prince” in Various Interpretations

Many scholars interpreted Niccolò Machiavelli’s ideas differently, and even today, there is no consensus on whether his views of political behaviors were reasonable or morally unacceptable, right or false. For instance, Leo Strauss, Ernst Cassirer, and Sheldon Wolin conducted the analyses of The Prince and Machiavelli’s main arguments made in...

“The Ethics of Belief” by William Clifford

Introduction In the essay “Ethics of Belief”, William Clifford argues that no one, choosing what to believe, can be free from the opinions of others. A person’s faith may incriminate him/her in unethical behavior, depending on whether he/she has the “right to believe” what he/she believes in, according to Clifford...

St. Augustine’s Concepts of Friendship

Introduction The concept of friendship is one of the central features of the Confessions by St. Augustine. Instead of providing a straightforward definition of friendship, St. Augustine gives an insight into the evolution of thought about the matter. He depicts how his understanding of the phenomenon evolves as he grows...

Professional Ethics and Consequentialism

Introduction Humanity has been concerned with the questions of justice and ethics for a very long time. Different schools of philosophy have put forward a number of approaches and theories regarding this subject. These theories can be used as a framework that helps individuals to go about ethical dilemmas that...

Natural Law: Fact, Theory and Sign of Contradiction

The fundamental principle of practical reasoning refers to a rule that should be followed while reasoning, thus leading to rational conclusions. At the same time, the above principle is to be followed directly without applying any other rules in terms of reasoning (Setiya, 2014). The structure of rational assumptions should...

Evidentialism in Faith: Challenges and Critiques

Introduction The issue of the dogmatic nature of religion is a common point for discussion. While some people are willing to accept religious principles unwaveringly, others seek to question these postulates. Herein lies the core contradiction between the philosophy of faith and the inquiry-based approach of its opponents. Although evidentialism...

Salvation in Christianity and Scientific Arguments

When it comes to discussing the validity of the Christian salvation thesis, many people tend to do it in an emotionally charged manner, especially if they happen to be strongly religious. The same applies to several non-religious individuals as well: all because they find the concerned thesis much too irrational...

Salomon Ludwig Steinheim & Samuel David Luzzatto: Jewish Thinkers

Salomon Ludwig Steinheim (1789-1866) was called polyhistor for him being a famous theologian, politician, and physician, a historical figure who played a crucial part in the battle of the Jewish population for its emancipation. He was the first German-Jewish scholar who attempted to start the exploration of the concept of...

Differentiating Between Right and Wrong: A Philosophical Exploration

Spirituality and Understanding of Concepts Discussing one’s personal worldview has always been a complicated task since many people rarely think about their spirituality, the nature of the world around them, or the meaning of human history. In my opinion, spirituality is the central point that characterizes how a person views...

Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Existentialism Is a Humanism”

The passage “Obviously I do not mean that whenever I choose between a millefeuille and a chocolate éclair, I choose in anguish. Anguish is a constant in this sense – that my original choice is something constant. Indeed, this anguish is in my view, the complete absence of justification at...

Chapter 2 of “Centrality and Commonality” by Tu Wei-Ming

Chapter 2 of Tu Wei-ming’s essay on Chung-Yung is dedicated to the concept of a profound person and its understanding from the perspective of the Doctrine of the Mean. A profound person is an important concept because it encompasses a range of characteristics, abilities, and skills necessary for a person...

Causation in Theology: C. S. Lewis vs. Aquinas

The Most Convincing Argument The issue of causation is, perhaps, one of the most complicated problems in theology because of the conflict between its philosophical and scientific implications. Although in theology, the dilemma of causality typically implies referring to Thomas Aquinas’s argument, it seems that C. S. Lewis’s statement is...

Philosophy Studies, Areas, and Theories

Explain some of the benefits a student may gain by studying philosophy The major benefit of studying philosophy is that it provokes students’ thinking on the crucial aspects of life and existence. Also, philosophy helps to analyze a variety of approaches and enriches students’ knowledge. Apart from that, learning philosophy...

The Implementation of the Buddhist Approach to Caring

Introduction First of all, it is essential to provide an overview of this paper’s scope to formulate the core problem along with outlining different perspectives on the issue. In this paper, I will argue that the Buddhist account of the personality and the self provides an applicable approach to caring...

How People’s Senses Turn in Different Environments

The third passage in Descartes’s Meditations attracts my attention the most because it reveals the author’s initial but grounded thought on the subject and provides an opportunity to consider why he has started his discussion (1). While the first passage seems to be introductory, this one summarizes the most critical...

Aquinas: “On the Voluntary and the Involuntary”

Introduction Aquinas is a famous philosopher whose work has offered an interesting point of view on human existence. In the third article of On the Voluntary and the Involuntary, the author presents his outlook on the actions people take. Most notably, he examines whether all activities are performed through a...

Free Will from d’Hobach’s Determinist Perspective

Introduction The quote “Man’s life is a line that nature commands him to describe upon the surface of the earth…” is a great example of a determinist philosophy concept. It was written by d’Holbach in his work The System of Nature, which was published in 1770 (Speaks, 2006). The main...

Philosophical Ideas in Epistemology and Metaphysics

Rene Descartes’ argument for knowledge including the role of skepticism, the evil demon, and god in resolving his doubts Rene Descartes explains that Creator rules over all the animals in the world, despite the fact that people doubts His existence. From his assertions, it is clear that Descartes believes that...

What Is Philosophy? An Introduction to the Discipline

The benefits of studying philosophy Apart from being an interesting subject that provides an insight into the development of modern society and its knowledge, philosophy is beneficial for students regardless of their majors. I think so because philosophy is connected to the development of critical thinking skills and offers various...

Introducing Order Into Life: Getting Priorities

Introduction Maintaining order in one’s life is an essential step toward creating a harmonic environment and, therefore, increasing life satisfaction rates (Sirgy, 2012). The reasons for choosing specific tools for managing the crucial elements of one’s routine are arguably very subjective; therefore, the efficacy of a certain device may vary...

Critical Thinking in Philosophy: Frameworks & Approaches

Benefits of Studying Philosophy The main benefit of studying philosophy is the ability to think critically and insightfully approach the issue. This is also the most practical of the benefits, as it can help in decision-making on the daily basis. Aside from that, philosophy provides means for interpreting interpersonal relationships...

“Thus Spoke Zarathustra” a Book by Friedrich Nietzsche

Introduction You outcast, who cast yourself out, you do not want to live among humans and humans’ pity? Well then, do as I do! Thus will you learn from me too: only the one who does learn. (Nietzsche 233) The passage in question can be found in the fourth part...

Religion as the Opiate of Masses

Critical Analysis of the Quote According to Max, “religion is the opiate of masses” (48). This statement has elicited heated debate among scholars over the years as they try to analyze its meaning as per the thoughts of Max. In this quote, Max compares religion to opium, a drug known...

Exploring Key Philosophical Questions in “The Power of Ideas” Book

The view of Heraclitus regarding the nature of reality Being a well known Greek philosopher, Heraclitus tried to explain the character of things and the nature of the world. He was sure that fire was the main element that served as the basis for all things in the universe. Due...

Abelard, Heloise, Aristotle, and More on Ethics

Compare and evaluate Peter Abelard notion of moral intent with that of Heloise Abelard and Heloise have the same notion of moral intent because both of them regard morality as the product of the mind but not the product of an action. Abelard argues that immorality is an intention to...

The Arrow of Time: Philosophical and Scientific Perspectives

Summary The basic issue of concern for physics and philosophers nowadays is defining the direction of the time arrow. The arrow of time is known to be directed in the future. This means that all the events are arranged in chronological order, and human mind is adapted to such organization....

Philosophy’s Influence: The Power of Key Ideas

Explain (the main ideas and views) and evaluate (by giving arguments) the view of Heraclitus regarding the nature of reality? Heraclitus believed that the surrounding reality reflects the ongoing process of things being continually transformed. In its turn, this implied that the seeming spatial stability of this reality’s emanations is...

Key Philosophical Concepts and Their Impact on Modern Thought

Benefits of Studying Philosophy Studying philosophy can help a student to understand the way the world works. Philosophy develops intelligence and makes the person search for the truth instead of putting trust in everything. This science can teach to ask questions and look for the most accurate answers. It encourages...

The Book “Philosophy: The Power of Ideas”

Explain and critically evaluate the notions of Karma, Samsara, and Nirvana Karma refers mainly to the concept of deeds and intentions that an individual or a group does while being alive in the world. It also captures the effects of those actions on other people and the rest of the...

Government & Society: Burke, Montesquieu, Tocqueville Insights

The paper will examine an interdependent relationship between government and society. Governmental structure, duties and divisions of administration will be analyzed in comparison to the social norms, needs of people and preferred ways of ruling. Philosophical views of Edmund Burke, Montesquieu and Alexis de Tocqueville will be compared to illustrate...

The Opinion of an Expert: What Defines True Expertise?

The People Worth Being Called Experts… Are They? Because knowledge is the best treasure that mankind will ever possess, the theory of knowledge is nowadays as popular as ever. Both in the times immemorial, in the Medieval epoch, and the modern world with its technical and computer progress spreading worldwide,...

Defense of Socrates: A Jury’s Verdict of ‘Not Guilty’

To come in defense of Socrates, I will travel back in time and take my position as part of a jury in an Athenian court where Socrates stands accused of corrupting young minds thereby, subverting the democratic order of the day and impiety. My verdict is ‘not guilty’ for several...

Ancient Philosophy in “The Power of Ideas” by Moore and Bruder

Explain and evaluate the view of Heraclitus regarding the nature of reality Heraclitus is a well known Greek philosopher who was trying to explain the nature of things and the world. He was deeply consumed that everything which surrounds us was made of fire. He thought that it was the...

Philosophy by Moore & Bruder: From Descartes to Kant

Explain and evaluate Rene Descartes argument for knowledge including the role of skepticism, the evil demon, and god in resolving his doubts Rene Descartes argument for knowledge revolves around skepticism, the evil demon, and God. Descartes uses skepticism as a tool to resolve his doubts and argues that if people...

Descartes’s Knowledge Acquisition: Skepticism and Certainty

Descartes and Dualism Descartes’s way of acquiring knowledge is one of the most interesting styles. According to Descartes, everything has two sides and can, therefore, appear as true or false depending on a person’s ability to interpret it. Skepticism is an important feature of the process of knowledge acquisition. Doubting...

Analytic Philosophy and Its Conceptual Differences

The idea of analytic philosophy in contrast with other schools of philosophy Analytical philosophy has flourished in the United States and England. Analytical philosophy is characterized as a meta-linguistic discipline different from other schools of philosophy regarding empirical science (Stadler & Camilla, 2001). This philosophy is mainly concerned with our...

Selfishness in Modern Society: A Critical Look at Today’s Ethics

If you are not selfish you cannot survive In the world today, people have changed unlike in the past during the days of our ancestors. According to the stories we hear, in the past people lived together in harmony and as one big family. In those days everyone was concerned...

Utilitarianism in Ethics: Making Moral Decisions

Every person regularly has to make choices of the moral character. While the law clearly defines, what is right or wrong, life does not seem to be that uniform. In fact, the laws are written as a representation of the current moral views. The easy example is slavery, which used...

Political Philosophy: Natural Law and Justice

The views of Hobbes and Locke on the state of nature and natural rights Hobbes believed that the state of nature is based on the natural rights as well as Locke. They also thought that people are free to acts as they want considering the natural rights. Still, their ideas...

American Exceptionalism and Nation

Introduction A nation is a community characterized by two qualities – its limits and sovereignty. Both qualities usually have official and legal definitions for each particular nation. Also, these qualities, as well as other characteristics of a nation can be its internally perceived and promoted features. Specifically, the American nation...

Freedom in “On Liberty” by John Stuart Mill

Introduction The philosophical work “On Liberty” was written by J. S. Mill in 1859. These are the times of democratic republics’ heyday on the eve of slavery abolition in the US. The main idea centers on the understanding of the concept of individual freedom and the definition of public interference...

Morality and Ethics Concepts

What is Morality? Gert (2011), cites two definitions of morality; the first being descriptive in nature, whereas the second is normative. Descriptive morality refers to some codes of conduct put forward by a society or some other group such as a religion or accepted by an individual through his or...

Human or Humankind: “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles

The Sphinx had asked Oedipus to crack a riddle, and if he succeeded, she promised to take her own life. The riddle went like this “What goes on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the evening?” (Dawe 130). Oedipus responded by saying that the...

Imagination, Illusion, and Sublimation in the Pursuit of Happiness

Introduction Happiness as an e ethereal and elusive yet constantly desirable concept has been the object of pursuit since the dawn of humankind. The phenomenon of happiness as a state of being has a special place in Western Philosophy. The subject matter has been explored by Kant, Tocqueville, Du Chatelet,...

Happiness as a Way of Living and Perceiving Reality

While discussing the topic of happiness and people’s attitudes to this concept, it is possible to speak about many individuals who view the idea of happiness differently. Thus, happiness can be defined by people in the most unexpected terms because of differences in their visions. It is even possible to...

Abelard vs. Heloise: A Comparison of Moral Intent Theories

Compare and evaluate Peter Abelard notion of moral intent with that of Heloise Heloise and Abelard are the typical representatives of the Christianizing Ethics. According to Abelards philosophy, there is a difference between moral defects and other defects, such as bad mental capabilities. He also distinguishes between moral defects and...

Rationalism and Empiricism Controversy

Introduction The controversy between rationalism and empiricism relates to the extent to which human beings depend on sense experience in the process of gaining knowledge. Rationalism is based on the assumption that knowledge is gained without reliance on sense experience (Cushman 86). On the contrary, empiricists argue that sense experience...

Life Meaning in Romantic, Realistic and Modern Era

Introduction This report presents an interview with the main characters of four books written in different periods (romantic, realistic, and modern). The characters are a famous scientist Victor Frankenstein and his monster for Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Philip Pirrip from Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins from...

Pluralism: Ramadan’s Philosophy on Unity and Diversity

Introduction Pluralism is a theory applied in different ways in philosophy to show that there is more than one substance in the universe. It is the opposite of dualism that holds the idea that there are only two substances within the universe. Monism, on the other hand, supports the idea...

Imagined Communities in American Literature: Jacobs vs. Crèvecœur

Introduction The concept of the nation as an imaginary construct that binds people together using tangible beliefs, values, and history was introduced by Benedict Andersen in his book titled “Imagined Communities.” In the USA, the idea of a nation is very strong, as many people associate themselves with the ideals...

Influential Political Theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau

Introduction Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau came up with theories to explain the state of nature in different ways, and this helped shape political philosophy. Understanding the state of nature was important in order to understand how life was before the first government emerged. It also explains the reasons that necessitated...

Culture and Values Role in Societies and Organizations

Introduction Culture refers to a collection of behaviors, traditions, thoughts, ideas, and beliefs that distinguish a society or an organization from another. Culture determines the rules that should govern the way a firm or an organization should operate in a particular environment. Values refer to the central viewpoints that inspire...

Moral Theories: From Abelard to Nussbaum’s Social Justice

Abelard and Heloise’s Notion of Moral Intent The central idea in their arguments was the same. Heloise argued that a wrong deed should not be considered as being against social morality if there were no intent to commit it (Moore & Bruder, 2011). Similarly, Abelard believed that one could only...

Personal Philosophical Framework Based on Kantian Ethics

Philadelphia means the city of brotherly love. Using a rudimentary understanding of Greek language and thought, it is safe to say that philosophy is some sort of love for wisdom. It is my understanding that the passion for knowledge and wisdom inevitably leads to the construction of a personal philosophy,...

Chisholm’s & Goldman’s Internalism and Externalism

Chisholm’s views on the alternatives to internalism In his view, Chisholm seems appears to support the externalism view that “justification of knowledge” depends on a number of factors that are “external to a person”. This argument means that the actions of a person cannot be justified only by determining the...

Critiquing Collier’s Liberalism: Global Freedom vs. Sovereignty

Critique of the Collier’s Liberal Approach Political theorists have espoused liberalism as a political theory and practice that should be adopted by the whole world. Liberalism strikes an appealing chord to people because it tends to offer citizens of a given country total freedom from any kind of oppression since...

Spirituality, Pluralism, and Universal Consciousness

Personal worldview inventory Spirituality is a broad term that carries different meanings to different people. First, it means the act of connecting to a supernatural being to find meaning in life. Second, it refers to the establishment of deep connections with concepts such as nature, art, and music. Third, the...

Descartes’ Meditations: Mind-Body Dualism & God’s Existence

Meditation I. Descartes reflects on numerous deceptions he has believed in, and the ensuing faultiness of the body of knowledge he has developed based on those falsehoods (Descartes Existence of God 17). Consequently, Descartes decides to relinquish the inherent knowledge and develop a new one based on definite foundations. Notably,...

Socrates’ Metaphors as an Inspiration

Socrates and Plato were always perceived as wise philosophers and changed the perceptions of the society and the insufficiency of the government while underlining the gravity of the principles of good and bad. Socrates’ dialogue with Glaucon about the darkness of the cave and puppet-like nature of the world was...

Prichard on Moral Rightness and Goodness: Key Insights

What preliminary steps mat be necessary before we can intuitively appreciate the rightness of action? According to Prichard in order to appreciate the rightness of a deed, two preliminary actions should be made. First, it is necessary to distinguish the consequences of the given action more fully than it has...

Ancient Texts and Modern Relevance: A Deep Analysis

As a matter of fact, the ancient texts are relevant even for the modern world. It seems that ancient people have known something that is hidden from today’s society. Ideas that are outlined in the ancient texts contain actual information, a unique philosophy that should be taken into consideration and...

Exploring Karl Marx’s Philosophical Ideas and Their Impact

Introduction As part of the Marxism theory, the writing by Karl Marx on capital expressed his sentiments on alienation and pain among the lower class workers imprisonment by the private individuals, who have the resources to manipulate and twist social, development, and welfare aspects of the masses in the society,...

Plato vs. Aristotle: Philosophy, State, and Social Views

Introduction It is worth noting that the two great philosophers Plato and Aristotle had polar views on the essence and the philosophy in general. Aristotle, unlike his teacher Plato, was interested not so much in the inner essence of the being, the fundamental principle of the world as such, but...

Studying Philosophy and Its Benefits

1. Explain some of the benefits a student may gain by studying philosophy. While studying philosophy, a student can gain a range of benefits because of learning the principles of developing and analyzing the knowledge which can have different sources, including objective and subjective reality. As a result, knowing the...

Philosophy of Social Science and Education Research

Introduction In this section of the book, Nel Noddings (1998) discusses the main philosophical assumptions underlying education research as well as social science. This question is of great importance to scholars who examine the nature of scientific knowledge. The main purpose of this chapter is to show how theoretical views...

Socrates’ Decision to Stay in Prison

Discussion Socrates was imprisoned for corrupting the youth’s minds in Athens as well as defying the gods that the state recognized. Although Socrates’ contemporaries agreed that he had an opportunity to escape, he refused all of them. Socrates’ followers did not want to see their inspiring figure being executed by...

Patient Spirituality in Healthcare: Spiritual Needs Interview

Interview Question: Are you a believer? Answer: I am, very much. I believe in God, and those moments in my life when I doubted his existence were the hardest moments for me. I am not much of a churchgoer because it was never a tradition in my family, and I...

Ten Philosophers Analysis: Their Lives and Contributions

Introduction There are several philosophers who have been studied for years. Their lives and contributions to several aspects of the society are both valued and acknowledged by many people. This essay looks at the contributions of ten influential philosophers of all time. The ten individuals are Karl Marx, John Locke,...

Pyrrhonian Scepticism: Philosophical Arguments and Beliefs

The sceptic philosophy emanated from the ancient sceptics from Greece. Scepticism emanated from the Greek word scepsis, which means investigation. The sceptics saw themselves as investigators (Machuca, Pyrrhonism in Ancient 11). Sceptics did not propose any ideas or beliefs themselves, neither did they dispute the fact that knowledge could be...

Philosophers and Thinkers: Evolution of Scientific Thought

Philosophers and thinkers have always been the main contributors to the evolution of scientific thought and promoted the further evolution of our society. It is impossible to imagine the modern world without the discoveries made by outstanding people. They changed the image of the world and promoted the blistering development...

W. Kymlicka’s Insights on Human Rights and Cultural Protection

Introduction The need to ensure every human being enjoys his or her rights has pushed societies to establish institutions that promote the realisation of this goal. Some people argue that evolution has pushed people from living in jungles to civilized societies. This essay is an assessment of Will Kymlicka’s argument that...

Kant vs. Pascal: The True Purpose of Moral Law

Kant’s views about the nature of morality and how it is related to intellect Kant is one of the early philosophers who produced a number of works on human nature. In his talks, Kant described and stipulated on regarding morality depicts rational self-determination as the highest moral value in human...

Soren Kierkegaard Views on Ethics, Morals and Religion

There is no use denying the fact that humanity has always been affected by such phenomena as ethics, morals, and religion. Going along with society, these notions influenced human beings and introduced some changes to their lives. It should also be said with the increase in the complexity of society....