Understanding Argumentation: Types, Genres, and Structure
The Procedures and Language of Argument
There are several types of arguments:
- Logical Argument: A rational procedure based on cause-and-effect relationships. Logical relationships are expressed through markers and specific concepts indicating causes, consequences, purpose, or hypothesis.
- Analogical Argument (Contrast): Establishes a relationship between the idea being presented and a different, but similar, reality. Analogies are expressed through similes and metaphors.
- Examples: Concrete cases presented
The Enlightenment: Ideas and Principles
The Enlightenment: An Intellectual Movement
The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that originated and developed in Europe (particularly France) during the 18th century. It was perceived that everything old was framed in an atmosphere of darkness and decay, and that the new ideology brought “lights,” illuminating the world. This perception was partly exaggerated, because 18th-century European thought did not emerge from darkness, but was a gradual product of changes in European societies
Read MoreFrom 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
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