...opinions caused his expulsion from the synagogue. He became associated with the Christian circle after his expulsion though he did not profess Christianity. His whole life was spent in Holland and Hague. He was always poor and withdrawn and he earned his living by polishing lenses. He was still young when he died in 1677. He was a rationalist, determinist and a pantheist. Spinoza’s philosophy was profoundly influenced by Descartes. His writings were mainly in Latin with few in Dutch. The most important of his works include the brief treatise of God, Man and his happiness, the tractacus theologico-politico, the cogitata metaphysica and, above all, his masterwork, published after his death: the ethica ordine geometric demonstrate. In our presentation, we will discuss his metaphysics and on his metaphysics we look at what is substance, substance-monism, God and the world, and communication between substances. We will look at his ethics and on his ethics we will consider his work on Man. We will discuss his epistemology and on his epistemology we will look at levels of knowledge. We will then proceed to criticize his philosophy and finally make our conclusion. METAPHYSICS Spinoza follows in the path established by Descartes. He adopts Descartes’ situation as his starting point. For Descartes, substance was understood as that which has need of nothing else in order to exist; strictly speaking, only God could be substance. Afterward Descartes came across other substances which did not need...
Words: 2917 - Pages: 12
...Descartes’ Revolution René Descartes was a philosopher that lived from 1596 to 1650. Many philosophers have spent their career trying to either prove that his theories were correct or they have tried to disprove his theories. He spent his time trying to understand knowledge and how humans know what they know with his method of inquiry. He sparked a revolution in philosophy that has remained the standard to this day. Descartes can be classified as a genius, while studying philosophy he realized that Aristotle way of thinking was wrong because he spent his entire life preoccupied with the question; what is reality? Aristotle was not able to fully answer this question and for the 1400 years after Aristotle everyone in Europe focused on; what is reality and what is the mind? Unfortunately over those 1400 years the only thing Europe had to show for these studies was the windmill, ox plow, Alchemy (which proved to not be possible) and the dark ages. When Descartes realized that Aristotle teachings were very flawed he developed his method of inquiry. While doubting Aristotle he was able to figure out that the mind and body are related. He believed that if the mind and body are combined, that is what gives human beings free will. When people stopped focusing on what the earth was they were able to focus on what they were and on ways to improve their lives. When working on improving one’s self it leads to innovation and new inventions. Descartes also focused on truth. ...
Words: 602 - Pages: 3
...John Locke was a 17th-century English philosopher whose ideas formed the foundation of liberal democracy and greatly influenced both the American and French revolutions. His contributions to philosophy include the theory of knowledge known as empiricism, which addressed the limits of what we can understand about the nature of reality. Locke held that our understanding of reality ultimately derives from what we have experienced through the senses. The political implications of his theories included the notions that all people are born equal and that education can free people from the subjugation of tyranny. Locke also believed that government had a moral obligation to guarantee that individuals always retained sovereignty over their own rights, including ownership of property that resulted from their own labor. We may remark, in passing, that the modern theory of the transmutation of species is nothing but an application of Locke's teaching that species have no objective reality. Let us also note the important fact that this extreme nominalism closely approximates extreme realism. Scholastic nominalism denies the reality of species, and absolutely affirms the reality of individuals to the exclusion of everything else. In this sense Leibniz is a nominalist. English nominalism, from which the theory of transformation takes its rise, denies not only the existence of species, but also the stability of the individuals themselves. All things, says Locke, besides their author, are liable...
Words: 1276 - Pages: 6
...notion on the concept of right is that first, we must try to understand within ourselves human behavior as to the actions of other people. Individual, for Hegel, are aware of freedom. We express it from our own acts of our will. He said that “only as thinking intelligence, will is free will.” For according to him, there is more to “goodness” than merely obeying the laws of our countries and keeping contracts. Morality for him has to do with those acts for which human beings can be held responsible, for Hegel, the essence of morality is located within a person’s purpose. Moral responsibility, then, begins with the acts that can be designated to a free will, a will that intends the act. Also the stoic philosopher Epictetus said that moral Philosophy was a form of an act, where each person is an actor/ actress in a drama, he means that an actor does not chose a role, it is the author or the director who does the picking. In the drama of the world it is God who is the author or the director, who will pick out whom the person will be portraying and what to portray and or how he or she will be situated in the story, people have no choice because it is God who is responsible for the...
Words: 4495 - Pages: 18
...THE CONSTITUTION OF REALITY INTRODUCTION Spinoza’s political thought draws from a number of sources, both classical and modern. As one commentator puts it “Spinoza formed new conclusions from facts and concept borrowed from others”. It is worth briefly considering some of the sources of the facts and concepts that he inherits. At some point in the Mid-1650’s (around the time of his cherem, or excommunication) Spinoza began studying Latin with Francisus Van Den Enden. Van Den Enden was an ex–Jesuit and radical egalitarian with revolutionary tendencies. He was out to death in 1674 after Laring izech found guilty of conspiring to depose Louis XIV in order to establish a free republic in Normandy. Van Dan Enden was an anti–clerical democrat with appears to have profoundly influenced Spinoza. One commentators has gone so far as to call Van Dan Enden’s genius behind Spinoza, claiming that Van Den Enden’s writing contain a political theory which is in fact the same as the one worked out by Spinoza. Whether or not this assessment is fair, it is clear that Spinoza’s thinking was nourished through his association with Van Den Enden and the larger radical Cartesian circle in Amsterdam. How can we verify the real possibility of a constitutive praises? Spinoza adversaries (both on the protest anti side and on the catholic side) maintain that the political problem in Spinoza is central and that it’s the substance of the religious problem. Naturally, they have a negative opinion of this inversion...
Words: 1365 - Pages: 6
...Pre-Socratic Period Thales of Miletus Background: Thales of Miletus (fl. c. 585 BC) is regarded as the father of philosophy. Thales of Miletus was considered one of the Seven Wise Men of ancient Greece. Thales was the first of the Greek natural philosophers and founder of the Ionian school of ancient Greek thinkers. Works/Writings/Philosophy: His is said to have measured the Egyptian pyramids and to have calculated the distance from shore of ships at sea using his knowledge of geometry. He also predicted an eclipse of the sun. In geometry Thales has been credited with the discovery of five theorems like the one that a triangle inscribed in a semicircle has a right angle. He tried to discover the substance from which everything in nature is made off and suggested water. Thales is important in bridging the worlds of myth and reason. He initiated the revolutionary notion that to understand the world one needed to know its nature and that there was an explanation for all phenomena in natural terms. That was a giant step from the assumptions of the old world that supernatural forces determined almost everything. While considering the effects of magnetism and static electricity, he concluded that the power to move other things without the mover itself changing was a characteristic of "life", so that a magnet and amber must therefore be alive in some way (in that they have animation or the power to act). If so, he argued, there is no difference between the living and the dead...
Words: 17879 - Pages: 72
...Religious Philosophers and Speculative Atheists Interpretations of Hume's philosophy of religion are often made against the background of more general interpretations of his philosophical intentions. From this perspective, it is not unusual to view Hume's views on religion in terms of the skepticism and naturalism that features prominently in his Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), his first and most ambitious philosophical work. According to the account that is now widely accepted in the scholarly literature, Hume removed almost all the material in the Treatise that was concerned with religion because he was anxious to avoid causing any “offence” among the orthodox. In his later works, beginning with an Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), Hume began to present his views on this subject in a more substantial and direct manner. This culminates in his Natural History of Religion (1757) and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779; published posthumously) – both of which are entirely taken up with philosophical issues in religion. The linkage between these various works, on this account, is that the later writings on religion are simply an extension and application of the sceptical and naturalistic principles that Hume developed in his earlier writings. While it is certainly true that there is an intimate connection between Hume's scepticism and naturalism and his irreligious objectives and orientation, it is not evident that this relationship should be understood...
Words: 1814 - Pages: 8
...argument of Pascal's wager (Pensees pg. 151-153). Why would a person not chose to accept and follow God when there is everything to gain and nothing to lose? All one must do according to the Christian bible (NIV) is, "believe in the Lord Jesus, and be saved..." (Acts 16:31). Western religion emphasizes the importance of choosing to believe in and embrace God, but there may be an underlying and critical flaw in this collective religious conviction; does one actually choose to believe something, or is it merely an involuntary outlook based on what we perceive to be true from life experience? Belief can also be examined in everyday life. It is all around and is used for every decision and in every thought. Borchert's Encyclopedia of Philosophy exemplifies the ulterior complexities of belief that many people are not conscious of; belief is "...a species of propositional attitude distinguished by having the mind-to-world direction of fit" (Borchert). A propositional attitude is simply a psychological mode paired with psychological content. In the case of belief, belief itself would be the psychological mode, and what one believes would be the content. The "mind-to-world direction of fit" refers to belief's "...aim to represent how the world is independently"(Borchert). With a verbal definition of belief, it is also necessary to understand the components. To believe something, there is a multitude of connections between numerous pieces of information and facts. "...Understanding...
Words: 862 - Pages: 4
...Chapter 3 ethical dilemma Jackie did not know the relationship she was having with Curtis was considered illegal at her record company until after it was too late. I feel as though someone within the company should have told her that beforehand. However, her personal relationship rises more than a few ethical issues presented in this chapter. To begin, her lack of integrity, Integrity is defined as being whole, sound, and in an unimpaired condition. Had Jackie used integrity before continuing her relationship with Curtis, she would not be the sexual harassment and bullying that is undeserved to her. Once Jackie found out that Curtis had been carrying on with Leslie, a woman who worked in the legal department, and decided to break their relationship off she now had to deal with the abusive behavior that Curtis purposely put on her. If Jackie had acted earlier on before the situation got ugly I believe she definitely could have lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. She could always leave but since Curtis literally holds her singing career in his hands, her career is done before it even started. Personally, I think she should bring in lawyers and have them deal with Curtis because the legal department is obviously not backing her up in the situation either. If she does take legal action and wins, Jackie can easily move on with her life and her career. However, if she loses in this legal action, working at SDR would literally be a living nightmare and she will stifled for years...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...In the article “Don’t Leave Your Hand in the Cookie Jar,” the author states that John Davies and Karl Schumaker have totally opposite opinions about how to make the year-end adjusting entries for 2009. John is an assistant controller. He has a master’s degree in accounting, is a CPA, and has three years of solid experience with a major accounting firm. Karl, John’s immediate boss, a controller, is 20 years older than John, and he has a B.S. in management and a general M.B.A. from a top graduate school. Moreover, he has over 25 years of corporate accounting and finance experience even though he has no public accounting experience. The adjusting entries in question consist of accounts receivable bad debt, product returns, and product warranties. The accounts receivable bad debt is the first accounting adjustment they have different opinion. Karl would to prefer to bring the bad debt up to 3% of sale this year from 2.75% last year because he thinks an economic slowdown is coming. Besides, Karl believes in conservative accounting, so he thinks that the accountants should use the least favorable amount. However, John thinks the bad debt should be keep as same as 2.5%. John said that he does not see the need to bump up the bad debt percentages, and he mentioned they can adjust it in future as needed. The second adjusting entry they hold the opinion differ from each other is product returns. Karl wants to keep the 1% on product returns, but John thinks the product returns should...
Words: 710 - Pages: 3
...Philosophical Dialogue (from Philosophy Pages) Verbal discussion of serious topics is in no way tangential to the practice of philosophy. From Socratic gatherings to the philosophical conventions of today, thinking things through out loud—and in the presence of others—has always been of the essence of the philosophical method. (Most philosophical texts embody this give-and-take, either in explicit use of dialogue form or by a more subtle alteration of proposal, objection, and reply in expository prose.) Your philosophical education demands that you enter into the great conversation of Western thought. A few suggestions may help: Be prepared Productive dialogue presupposes informed participants. This means that during every class session, each of us will have read the material assigned for the day, we will pay careful attention to what others have already said, and we will think carefully before speaking. Of course, each of us will often be mistaken, but none of us should ever speak randomly. Respect others Joint participants in dialogue show a deep, personal respect for each other. We owe it to each other to listen well and to give each other the benefit of doubt in interpreting charitably what has been said, trying always to see the worthwhile point. Although we will rarely find ourselves in total agreement on the issues at stake, we will never attack or make fun of each other personally. Expect conflict Disagreement with an expressed opinion and criticism of its...
Words: 494 - Pages: 2
...Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher. Some say his ideas were ahead of his time, and that explains his low popularity in the world at the time. His works were very illustrative and sarcastic, which sometimes makes them hard to understand even nowadays, and raises a question of whether or not he is talking seriously, or makes fun of certain things. However, the common unclearness of the meanings of his work does not affect the fact that he is one of the very well-known and popular philosophers. According to Rosenstand, (and other sources) Kierkegaard’s work and life in general were very much influenced by his father, who was a very religious man and believed that God was punishing him by taking away his children’s lives. That idea was applied to little Soren as well. And apparently, was accepted by young Kierkegaard to such point, that after his father’s death he believed that God’s wrath had transferred to him. Despite all of these issues with fate and religious fear of judgment, Kierkegaard’s father was a good father after all. He is the one responsible for the deep imaginational ability of Soren. With his father they would regularly take walks to the beach, down the Main Street, into the woods – all in their living room. (Rosenstand, 2013) His father would describe everything they saw in details and ask Soren to participate. Even though it was exhausting for the little child, those types of intellectual and imagination exercises are one of the best things a parent...
Words: 653 - Pages: 3
...Bioethicists ask these questions in the context of modern medicine and draw on a plurality of traditions, both secular and religious, to help society understand and keep pace with how advances in science and medical technology can change the way we experience the meaning of health and illness and, ultimately, the way we lve. Bioethics is multidisciplinary. It blends law, philosophy, insights from the humanities and medicine to bear on the the complex interaction of human life, science, and technology. Although its questions are as old as humankind, the origins of bioethics as a field are more recent and difficult to capture in a single view. When the term “bioethics” was first coined in 1971 (some say by University of Wisconsin professor Van Rensselaer Potter; others, by fellows of the Kennedy Institute in Washington, D.C. ), it may have signified “biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that would set a system of medical and environmental priorities for acceptable survival.” However, ensuing elaborations stressed the vital interrelationship among humanistic studies, science, and technology. Utilitarianism:- Deontology: - Deontology is an alternative ethical system that is usually attributed to the philosophical tradition of Immanuel Kant. Whereas utilitarianism focuses on the outcomes, or ends, of actions, deontology demands that the actions, or means, themselves must be ethical. Deontologists argue that there are transcendent ethical norms...
Words: 265 - Pages: 2
...Ethics Case Analysis Guiseppina Saieva July 2, 2013 Ethics Case Analysis Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with morality and the distinctions between right and wrong (Soskolne & Sieswerda, 2002). Autonomy is a person's right to make their own decisions. Both ethics and autonomy are very important in healthcare and situations regarding the public's health. Public health must balance the public good with the good of individuals (Soskolne & Sieswerda, 2002). Thinking as a healthcare practitioner, in my opinion, Mr. Speaker only thought about himself and not others when he made the choice to fly via public transportation knowing he had a contagious disease that was unable to be treated. Mr. Speaker does have the right to make his own decisions but I do not feel while doing so he should be able to put the public in harm. He was told that his disease was contagious and could not be treated but he still put the public at risk of catching the disease. In my opinion this in inhumane and he should be punished for his action's, even though at the end, he found out he had a treatable disease, when he exposed his self to the public he was still under the impression that his disease was contagious and unable to be treated. Knowing that Mr. speaker was still willing to put the public at harm his autonomy as a person should not have taken precedence over the CDC's desire to enforce the public health law. Just like Mr. Speaker's autonomy gives...
Words: 877 - Pages: 4
...Ancient Philosophy 3rd November 2011 Epistemology - The theory of knowledge. Theory of Forms or Ideas... • Plato believed that what the senses show us/what we see/what we perceive is called world observation. • Things are not as how we see them • If you are trying to produce an unphysical cause you would use different vocabulary • A physicist can say that the only answer to give a theory about the existence of the world you have to study physics. • Plato brings abstract ideas for examples what is justice? • Plato would say in order to know what justice is you have to get a certain essence of justice. 10th November 2011 • If you want to grasp on reality what you really need to think of is not the world of sense but the world of Ideas that can only be grasped by the philosophers. • What you start with at the bottom are simply dreams... as you climb up the ladder you move from the world of dreams to the world of Doxa(opinion/ordinary common sense) until you reach the epistemei(the only kind of knowledge that gives you Truth) • Plato says that you can never find the perfect justice. You cannot find perfection since perfection is only found in the abstract form of justice. • The ideal of the early Greeks was the perfect male model like hipieus. • Socrates tells hipieus and asks him what beauty is? • Hipieus answers that beauty is a beautiful woman... he thinks that this is obvious • But Socrates continues to challenge him that beauty is not just related to...
Words: 1511 - Pages: 7
