The Enlightenment: Context, Philosophy, and Critical Thought
The Enlightenment: Context and Social Base
The Enlightenment, often referred to as ‘illustration’ in some contexts, represents a systematic treatment of ideas that are of significant interest. This period spans the entire eighteenth century, marked by two pivotal dates: the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the French Revolution of 1789. The enlightened new world vision transcended borders, spreading even to Germany, which was not easily enlightened at the time. Key figures like Rousseau, Kant, and
Read MoreEthics Explained: Principles, Theories, and Moral Living
The Importance of Ethical Study
Why study ethics? Ethics is a discipline that is constantly encountered and studied, deeply intertwined with our culture’s critical knowledge heritage. It helps us develop the capacity to reflect on conflicts and solutions through moral reasoning and argumentation, reinforcing the idea that morality can be based on reason and logical arguments.
Religious discourse, often centered on a supreme good, emphasizes the transmission of values that guide behavior. A religious
Read MoreKant’s Philosophy: Knowledge, Reason, and Moral Imperatives
Kant’s Theory of Knowledge
Immanuel Kant asks whether knowledge is not better explained if we assume that objects must conform to our knowledge. Conversely, if our understanding were governed by the nature of objects, then the object would have to adapt to the way we know. For Kant, the only remaining possibility is that necessity and universality result from our way of knowing. This implies that we ourselves contribute to knowledge.
All knowledge is expressed in judgments, which can be classified:
Read MoreChrist’s Historical Claim: Understanding Through the Gospels
Understanding Christ’s Historical Claim
The Gospels: More Than Mere Records
There is a historical fact that claims to be precisely the realization of the hypothesis presented. We possess a historical document that has reached us, showing how the problem first arose: the Gospels. These Gospels are not (one cannot know an object through the objective method that requires it to be addressed) mere, unrelated transcripts of what Christ said, nor a report on His activities as a police officer might compile.
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Forms: Metaphysics and Epistemology
Plato’s Metaphysics: The Theory of Forms and Knowledge
Plato’s philosophy, particularly his approach to the ‘problem of nature,’ is intrinsically linked to his ethical and political system. For Plato, the world is fundamentally divided into two distinct realms:
The Two Worlds: Intelligible and Sensible
- The World of Ideas (Intelligible World): This is the realm of true being, accessible only through intellect and reason. The Ideas (or Forms) are universal realities, perfect, eternal, and unchanging
Ancient Greek Philosophy: Sophists, Epicurus, and Socrates
The Sophists: Masters of Rhetoric and Relativism
The Sophists were a group of influential thinkers and scholars (Sophos) in ancient Greece, known for their mastery of demagoguery and rhetoric. They dedicated themselves to teaching others, often charging fees for their instruction. Most Sophists were foreigners (metoikoi) residing in Athens.
They asserted that it was not necessary to find a unique and unalterable truth, advocating for:
- The Principle of Isonomia: Equality of all before the law.
- A strong