Taxonomy and Biological Classification of Living Organisms
Unranked Systems
The advancement of knowledge led scientists to a conclusion: a series of common features are found in individuals of each group. These tri-fold categories are homogeneous. One of the group’s advantages is that it is able to include living beings until the moment they are unknown. A classification is good if it refers to characteristics that do not vary in people. According to the criterion, we get one or the other, and it is important that the classification criterion is objective
Read MoreNietzsche’s Radical Critique of Culture, Religion, and Morality
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: A Critique of Culture
The whole philosophy of Nietzsche is, first, a radical critique of the foundations of Western culture based on a metaphysics. Religion and morality have replaced and inverted the values of life. Moreover, it is an attempt to overcome this culture that qualifies as a product of resentment against life.
The Apollonian and the Dionysian: Philosophy as a Tragic View of Life
In his book “The Birth of Tragedy”, Nietzsche outlines key issues in his philosophy.
Read MoreRené Descartes: Philosophy, Metaphysics, and the Mind-Body Problem
René Descartes (1596-1650): A Foundation of Modern Philosophy
The *Cogito* and Cartesian Philosophy
René Descartes’ philosophy centers on the principle of Cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”). This foundational concept is necessary to justify a principle of the whole demonstration (axiom). Descartes defines substance as something concrete and existing, characterized by independent existence, needing nothing other than itself to exist. He distinguishes between infinite substance (God) and
Read MoreRoman Oratory and Rhetoric: From Cicero to Quintilian
**Oratory and Rhetoric in Ancient Rome**
Eloquence has been regarded as a manifestation of the original Roman genius. The word had an important role, as parliamentary debates could not be driven, and were dominated by men who were not telling. Oratory was a very valuable tool to influence public opinion in the political fight.
Rhetoric was born in Greece around the 5th century BC as a technical systematization of stylistic procedures for the speaker’s exposition. It came to Rome in the middle of the
Read MoreInternational Monetary System Shifts: 19th Century to Interwar Period
Key Changes in the International Monetary System: 19th Century to Interwar Period
After the First World War, almost all European currencies were below par values, as inflationary financing and balance of payments deficits had caused currency depreciation, despite controls on the balance of payments. While all countries considered it desirable to restore the gold standard, only the dollar was able to do so quickly (1919), serving as a reference for the implementation of other currencies, as the pound
Read MoreGlobal Migration: Causes, Effects, and Societal Impacts
Causes of Displacement
Although there are no accurate statistics, the United Nations population estimates that 150 million people were living outside their country of origin at the beginning of the 21st century.
Push Factors
The increased number of displacements is caused by economic reasons, and the rest are due to political, cultural, or environmental disasters.
Pull Factors
The reasons vary. Knowing that some countries have abundant labor and a high standard of living attracts many migrants. North
Read MoreSpain’s Liberal Revolution: From Crisis of 1808 to Isabel II
The Crisis of 1808: The Fall of the Old Regime
The Crisis of 1808 marked a turning point in Spanish history. The Old Regime would disappear, paving the way for a liberal revolution. This revolution would see liberalism prevail, promising freedom and equal rights for all. It would establish national sovereignty and a constitution, with a separation of powers between the judicial, executive, and legislative branches.
Charles IV ascended to the throne a year before the French Revolution. He was a reformist
Read MoreImmanuel Kant’s Philosophy: Ethics and Reason
Immanuel Kant’s Moral Philosophy
Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg, formerly Prussia, in 1724. He belongs to the Enlightenment. He was an advocate of the American War of Independence and the French Revolution, despite being regarded as a pacifist and against all exclusionary patriotism. His seminal works include “Critique of Pure Reason,” “Critique of Practical Reason,” and “Religion within the Limits of Mere Reason.”
Theoretical and Practical Reason
Kant’s ethical theory is called moral formalism
Read MoreJohn Dewey’s Educational Philosophy: Child-Centered Learning
Introduction
This text is taken from one of the fundamental works of J. Dewey, The Child and the Curriculum, in which he outlines part of his educational theories and some of the basics of his theory experimentally. It was written in the early twentieth century. John Dewey was an American philosopher and educator of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century who had a great influence on both American and European pedagogy of his time. He was a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago,
Read MoreManufacturing Processes and Materials: Properties and Applications
Manufacturing Processes and Materials
Key Definitions
- Process: The set of activities ordered to achieve a particular goal.
- Manufacturing: A group of organized activities scheduled for the processing of materials, objects, or services into articles or services useful to society.
- Material: A substance used to produce any element.
- Efficiency: The numerical relationship between the amount achieved by a system and the maximum amount that the system can achieve.
- Effectiveness: Estimating the fulfillment of