Saint Augustine: The City of God and True Justice
Commentary on Saint Augustine
Location: Saint Augustine was an author of the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Therefore, he belongs to medieval philosophy, but his thinking stems from the Roman era. He was the great representative of Latin Patristics and the first to develop a philosophy of history. Furthermore, he built one of the great syntheses of Christian philosophy by explaining the precepts of Christianity in light of the philosophy of Plato and Neoplatonism.
Theme: This text reflects the
Read MoreAristotle’s Metaphysics: Matter, Form, Change, and Potentiality
Aristotle’s Metaphysics: Key Concepts
Metaphysics, according to Aristotle, is knowledge or wisdom that surpasses the knowledge acquired through our senses. Wisdom implies going beyond sensible experience, seeking the causes of things. It concerns itself with knowledge at the highest level of abstraction. This abstract knowledge isn’t about the universal and the particular, or the level of sensible things. True wisdom, or metaphysics, is the most abstract and accurate of all sciences.
A central problem
Read MoreEthical Theories: Material and Formal Approaches
Ethical Theories
1. Material Ethical Theories
- Eudaemonism (Aristotle): The ultimate goal of human beings is happiness, achieved through the actualization of reason, our defining characteristic. Goodness is acquired through repeated actions that form habits. Virtuous habits lead to happiness. Virtue lies in the mean, which is objective but also relative to each individual.
- Hedonism (Epicurus): Based on the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. It emphasizes a reflective approach to reality.
Metaphysics and Materialism: Key Concepts
ITEM 5: Reality
1. The Origin of the Term ‘Metaphysics’
The term ‘metaphysics’ first appears in writing in Andronicus of Rhodes’ edition of Aristotle’s works in Rome, at the end of the ancient era. The word titles a piece placed after the works discussing physis (nature), meaning “what comes after physics.” Some interpreters, like Aubenque, argue that this term was already used in the Lyceum, Aristotle’s school, to name these writings.
2. Understanding Metaphysics
- Traditionally, metaphysics addresses
Avoiding Common Errors in Daily Life
Keeping Errors at Bay
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970)
Literal Comprehension:
This essay by Bertrand Russell provides multiple examples of mistakes that people generally commit in their day-to-day life. His main idea is to provide suggestions to avoid these mistakes. We need a careful, serious, critical, and analytical mind to get rid of these errors. This essay deals with the ideas of avoiding errors that happen in our daily life situations. We can remove many foolish opinions by observing the related
Read MoreUnderstanding Argumentative Texts: Structure & Features
Understanding Argumentative Texts
An argument is a text that intends to convince the recipient of a particular idea through reasoning. Unlike expository texts, argumentative texts aim to present the author’s own ideas to persuade the interlocutor.
Types of Argumentative Texts
We can distinguish different types of argumentative texts based on various criteria:
- According to the transmission channel: We differentiate between oral and written argumentative texts. Oral texts are found in presentations,