María Zambrano: Poetic Reason vs. Vital Reason
María Zambrano: Thought and Poetry
The text, “Thought and Poetry,” is a fragment, as already indicated above, from her work, “Philosophy and Poetry.” In this paper, we highlight the following thematic clusters around which we believe that Zambrano’s thought revolves:
Regarding Ortega y Gasset
Although María Zambrano agrees with Ortega on the awareness of the crisis of European thought (the crisis of reason), she disagrees on the solution to overcome rationalism, which is incapable of capturing life
Read MoreDescartes’ Methodical Doubt: A Foundation for Certainty
Methodical Doubt
Descartes’ aim was to find absolutely certain truths, truths upon which it is impossible to doubt at all. These truths would provide a basis for building true knowledge with absolute security. The first problem was how to find them, and he developed a method to solve it. Once obtained, the question was where to start searching. The response, and the beginning of this process of finding true knowledge, is called methodical doubt.
The Process of Methodical Doubt
Requiring an absolutely
Read MoreDescartes’ Philosophy: Mind, Body, and the Existence of God
Problems of Solipsism
If we affirm that our own existence is based on our thinking, we can only guarantee it from within. We cannot say anything beyond that which is within us. Four themes appear in this uncertainty:
- The existence of the body.
- The existence of the world.
- The existence of other minds.
- The validity of mathematical truths.
Body and Soul
Descartes identified the soul as a substance. A substance is a reality that remains after change and is independent of anything else. What defines the self
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Dionysian vs. Apollonian
Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality
Nietzsche, fundamentally a philologist rather than a philosopher, recognized two fundamental aspects of Greek culture: the Apollonian and the Dionysian. The Apollonian represents unity, reason, harmony, and measure. The Dionysian embodies multiplicity, life, orgies, and is not subject to reason, measure, or harmony. For Nietzsche, the wisdom of Greek culture lay in acknowledging both of these elements. However, he believed that the Dionysian element was lost, leaving
Read MoreAquinas’ Philosophical Theology: Proving God’s Existence
Religious and Philosophical Theology
Aquinas distinguishes between religious and philosophical theology. Philosophical theology uses reason to explore religious truths, while religious theology relies on faith. Statements like “God died and rose again” are accepted through belief, not proof. Following Aristotle, Aquinas argues that concepts like God’s existence can be examined through reason, leading to philosophical theology.
The difference lies not in the object (God) but in the approach: reason
The Enlightenment: A Transformative 18th-Century Movement
The Enlightenment: A Cultural Revolution
Definition
The Enlightenment was a cultural movement that originated in England and developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. It advocated the application of reason in all spheres of life. The Enlightenment was named for its declared aim of dispelling the darkness of humanity through the light of reason. The eighteenth century is known as the Age of Enlightenment. Socially, it was the cultural expression of the rising bourgeoisie, opposed to political
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