Political Theory and Literary Impact: Freund, Schmitt, and The Reader
Raymond Freund draws a critical distinction between le politique (the political) and la politique (politics), contending that the political constitutes a fundamental and enduring structure of human social existence, rather than a mere collection of institutional arrangements or policy practices. For Freund, the political is not primarily a matter of action but of sentiment—it underpins and conditions the possibility of political life itself, even in its most violent manifestations.
Raymond Freund’
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Forms: Reality, Knowledge, and Ethics
Plato’s Theory of Ideas: Two Worlds
Arising from the conflicting views of Heraclitus and Parmenides, and influenced by Socrates’ critique of the Sophists’ cultural relativism, Plato formulated his Theory of Two Worlds. This theory sought to provide an intermediate response to the pre-Socratic debate. Plato posited the existence of two distinct realms: the Ideal World (or World of Forms) and the Sensible World.
The Ideal World, accessible through reason, is characterized by timeless, unique, continuous,
Read MorePhilosophical Perspectives: Idealism, Dualism, and Existence
Philosophical Perspectives on Reality
Understanding Idealism and Dualism
Types of Philosophical Approaches
- Idealism: The idea ‘actually means what X idea?’
- Dualism: Divides reality into its essence and its material characteristics; the real is matter.
Kant’s Transcendental Idealism
Ideas are the universal form of human thought that gives the information it receives through the senses. The qualities of objects change depending on how they are perceived. Objects have a primary existence (duration), each
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Nihilism, Superman, and Western Critique
Nihilism is not merely a philosophical doctrine but a peculiar movement within the history of Western culture. It distinguishes between negative nihilism (following the ‘death of God,’ where there are no values or a supreme Almighty God; a denial of any inherent value) and positive nihilism (involving the revaluation of values and transmutation; an exaltation of the life force).
Stages of Nihilism
Nihilism progresses through three major stages:
Moment of Doubt
A consequence of the destruction of previously
Fundamental Terms in Mind, Behavior, and Evolution
Intelligence
The faculty unique to human beings that allows them to abstract from their immediate environment, contemplate the world, and strive to understand it.
Rationale
Derived from the Latin word logos (knowledge, science, reason), rationale refers to the provision for natural discourse without the aid of formal scientific methods.
Ethology
The scientific study of animal behavior in their natural environment.
Reason
The faculty of understanding and forming discourse.
Conscience
The inner awareness that
Read MoreEpistemology Fundamentals: Understanding Knowledge and Its Forms
The Theory of Knowledge
Introduction to Epistemology
The branch of philosophy that is concerned with the study of knowledge is called epistemology.
Cognitive Faculties and Knowledge Types
Sensitive Knowledge
Reason and sense are the two main instruments we use to experience reality. Thanks to our senses, we are aware of what is going on around us, which helps us to survive. Sensitive knowledge is the result of processing all this information in our minds.
The information that reaches our senses is made
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