From Myth to Logos: Pre-Socratic Philosophers & Plato
From Myth to Logos: A Transformation in Greek Thought
In the Greek world, a transformation occurred, shifting from religious and mythical explanations to rational ones. This is commonly called the Step from Myth to Logos.
The Pre-Socratic Philosophers
The natural philosophers, also called “physicists” by Aristotle, searched for the arkhe (origin or principle) of the world in nature. Key figures include:
- Thales of Miletus: Believed the origin was water.
- Anaximander: Proposed the arkhe was the “apeiron”
Aristotle’s Metaphysics and Natural Philosophy
Aristotle’s Philosophy
Aristotle: In *physis* are squarely the fundamental issue of philosophy: the diversity and multiplicity of being, through the phenomena of change and movement. So, we have to constantly expand the set of expressions with which we describe and analyze the *physis*. Understanding and explaining these processes occurring in the being of things is the specific task of a new discipline: physics.
Hylomorphism: Matter and Form
Find the *arche*, that which remains in substrate change
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Critique of Reason, Morality, and Science
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: A Critical Analysis
Nietzsche (N.) aimed to break with the Western philosophical tradition, seeking new ways of expressing feelings and thoughts. To emphasize this break, he adopted a critical tone. His philosophy is a genealogy, attempting to find the source of the initial error: metaphysics. He uncovers the past and hidden impulses that drive human actions. Thus, N.’s philosophy can be understood as an unmasking. The ultimate goal of his thought is the critique of reason,
Read MoreCultural Role of Public Authorities & Solidarity Principle
The Cultural Role of Public Authorities
The history of the state as cultural promoters goes far back in time and has evolved with a result that enables now speak of the existence of a new function of government: the “cultural experience”.
The cultural role of public authorities in the State of Culture’s mission is to allow, once the culture is guaranteed to self-determination, can effectively reach everyone.
The Principle of Solidarity
The backbone of cultural pluralism from the actions of the government
Read MoreDescartes’ Context: Method, Crisis, and Modern Philosophy
Context of Descartes
Part Two: Discourse on Method
The Discourse on Method is René Descartes’ major work, outlining the rules and features he investigated.
Part Four: Discourse on Method
The Discourse on Method establishes the grounds for the existence of God and the human soul, foundations of his metaphysics.
René Descartes was born in 1596 in La Haye, France, during an absolute monarchy. His mother died shortly after his birth. He studied at the Jesuit college of La Flèche and studied law, but found
Read MoreUnderstanding Nietzsche’s Main Ideas
1. Introduction
The path followed by European man, marked since the days of Socrates and Plato, is a closed path. If Hegel collects, maintains, and integrates all the spiritual history of the West into his system, Nietzsche, instead, undergoes a devastating criticism and denies it as metaphysical.
2. The Worldview: The Birth of Tragedy
Art, not science, is the best expression of life. Tragedy reveals the true nature of reality: the Apollonian and the Dionysian. With Socrates, the tragic wisdom is lost.
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