Ancient Greek Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
The Anthropological Period of Greek Philosophy
The anthropological period is named for the shift in focus of Greek thinkers to man and his problems. This marked a transition from cosmological inquiries. The Sophists and Socrates are key figures of this period.
Key Ideas and Philosophers
- Charicles: Democracy is not for the weak; when the strong man rules, the law is shattered.
- Gorgias: Disadvantage is desirable and depends on the individual.
- Pythagoras: Man is the measure of all things that are and
Plato’s Ideal State: Philosopher Kings & Society
Plato’s Ideal State: Philosopher Kings
Governing the State with Philosophers: Plato proposes a government ruled by philosophers as a remedy for the political ills of his time, offering it as an alternative to other forms of government. He affirms that the ills of humanity will only be remedied when government is in the hands of philosophers, or in the hands of men who, through philosophy, have attained wisdom and virtue. This political proposal is the result of applying Socratic moral intellectualism
Read MoreDavid Hume’s Emotivism and Kant’s Transcendental Idealism
1. David Hume: Emotivism and Morality
Emotivism and the Ethics of Hume
Hume emphasizes the role of emotions and feelings in human behavior. Against those who consider reason responsible for our decisions and actions, Hume argues that any action is upheld by emotion and feelings. While it is true, Hume says, that we reflect before making decisions, these arguments are motivated by emotions. Actions are motivated by the pleasure or pain they cause us because, according to him, we seek pleasure and reject
Read MoreUnderstanding Fundamental Human Rights and Their Categories
Inalienable Rights
Inalienable rights are those fundamental rights that cannot be legitimately denied to a person. No government has the power or authority to deny such rights, as they are part of the essence of being human. These rights are inherently inalienable.
Indivisible Rights
The indivisible nature of human rights rules out the possibility of conflict between them and highlights the close relationship between individual and social rights. The right to be free and equal in dignity, to have freedom
Read MoreKey Philosophical Concepts and Arguments
Philosophy: Critical reasoning about ultimate questions.
Argument: A set of propositions consisting of premises and a conclusion.
Deduction: Arguments where the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises.
Induction: Arguments where the conclusion follows from the premises with some degree of probability.
Validity: When it is impossible for a deductive argument to have all true premises and a false conclusion.
Soundness: When a deductive argument is valid and all the premises are actually true.
Strength:
Read MoreMoral Responsibility and Determinism: A Philosophical Inquiry
Moral Responsibility and Alternate Possibilities
According to the Principle of Alternate Possibilities (PAP), one is morally responsible for an action only if one could have done otherwise. PAP asserts that the ability to do otherwise, and thus the existence of alternate possibilities, is a necessary condition for holding an agent morally responsible for an action.
For example, if someone has the choice to kill or spare someone’s life, they could be held morally responsible for their actions. However,
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