Sociology: Understanding the Individual and Society
Sociology: Individual and Society
Human beings are social beings and need to live in society to develop their intelligence. For that reason, the study of society has been an important topic in philosophy. In recent centuries, it has become independent, constituted as a special science—sociology—mainly from the work of A. Comte and later by M. Weber and Émile Durkheim.
We must harness the skills to analyze sociological concepts, methods, and criteria for philosophical truth.
- For biological determinists,
Socrates’ Defense: Wisdom and the Oracle of Delphi
Part A
Then, some questions that you, oh Socrates, have in mind: Where are these slanders and your reputation now? Tell and teach us.
Well, we do not want to calumniate. Then I want to teach and say that these men slandered me, and from which arose the slander and reputation. Now listen, and know that you do not want to play with me. Then maybe I look to play, however, well they know nothing other than the truth I want to say.
Well, I happen to, men of Athens, for some wisdom, I have this reputation.
Read MoreUnderstanding Morality, Freedom, and Character
Morality is not a science but a dimension of individuals and society. It’s an area where character is forged, from which to devise and plan their own lives. To be moral is to be prepared to respond to the needs of people and the challenges that lie ahead. According to Ortega y Gasset, a good person has high morale and is not demoralized, although a person can be animated but immoral and not make the cut.
Freedom and choice are not exact. Imagine any decision before a world of possibilities (imagination)
Read MoreRousseau: Enlightenment, Social Contract, and General Will
Rousseau and the Enlightenment
The context of Rousseau is the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment spans the eighteenth century, highlighting key dates and events: 1688, with the Glorious Revolution in England, which involved the establishment of an innovative policy framework; and 1789, with the French Revolution, which was the culmination of ideals called ilustrados. This era is characterized by the awareness that a new epoch begins, the reason that illuminates man. It is an era of optimism and the
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Ideas and Soul-Body Dualism Explained
Plato: Theory of Ideas and Soul-Body Dualism
1. Theory of Ideas
a) The Essence of Plato’s Theory
While Heraclitus believed that truth is impossible in a world of constant flux, Socrates posited that true knowledge is attainable at the conceptual level. Plato, following Socrates, argued that human concepts are mental representations of extramental ideas. Plato defined ideas as the metaphysical causes of the physical world. These ideas are not merely concepts or mental forms produced by our intelligence,
Read MoreModern and Contemporary Philosophy: Key Thinkers & Ideas
Modern Philosophy: Renaissance to Enlightenment
Currency: Modern philosophy, also known as the modern era, began in the Renaissance during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and ended in the Age of Enlightenment in the seventeenth century. Modernity represents a decline in the Christian conception of the world. Modern philosophers developed a set of ideas and concepts incompatible with the Enlightenment idea of humanity. They believed that history is an endless progress towards achieving an
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