Rationalism vs. Empiricism: 17th and 18th Century Philosophy
General Characteristics of the Modern Era (17th-18th Centuries)
The 17th and 18th centuries were a time of clashes between European countries and colonial expansion. The modern state was consolidated, and the dominant political system was the absolute monarchy. The commercial bourgeoisie became the ruling class, experiencing significant development.
Cultural and Philosophical Context
This was the century of the Baroque, witnessing the emergence and rapid development of science as self-knowledge. Science
Read MorePhilosophy: Fundamental Questions and Answers
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy is the love for wisdom, the desire to know. It responds to the natural curiosity of human beings.
What is the Purpose of Philosophy?
Philosophy is not intended to teach one how to make shoes, but it helps in discovering the most convenient way to manufacture good shoes. Without philosophy, we would not know the ultimate meaning of manufacturing shoes.
The Beginning of Philosophy
The origins of philosophy are related to its first steps in history.
Myth
Myths are veracious,
Read MoreMarx, Nietzsche, and Ortega y Gasset: Key Philosophical Ideas
Marx
- Economy: The economic base of society. For Marx, it’s the infrastructure; the superstructure are the laws and ideas. “The economy moves the world.”
- Labor: Linked to production and human praxis (action). It defines the human being. Work is why everything exists.
- Private Property: A capital fact in history. It led to the emergence of social classes, historical materialism, wars, and class struggles.
- Truth: Establishing the concept of dialectic and truth. As dialectic is change, so is truth. Truth
Aquinas’ Philosophy: Exploring Faith, Reason, and God’s Existence
Context of Thomas Aquinas’s Thought
Context (Activity 1):
Thomas lived in the thirteenth century, a period of political calm that accompanied the king’s increased power against the feudal lords. This era saw the rise of cities and flourishing trade. There was also significant cultural development for three main reasons:
- The birth of universities.
- The knowledge of Arabic and Jewish thought, primarily through the School of Translators of Toledo.
- The establishment of the Dominicans and Franciscans in Paris,
Human Nature: Morality, Aesthetics, and Metaphysics
Sources of Moral Capacity
Morality is part of human nature. The answer depends on key anthropological convictions. Those who make rationality the defining trait of humans will tend to rely on moral reasoning to consider how good and evil are ideas. This knowledge can be known and will be the key to moral conduct. This is rationalism, as advocated by Plato and Socrates. They advocated moral intellectualism, which is convinced us to pursue knowledge. Others give more weight to emotions and feelings,
Read MoreDescartes’ Metaphysics: Understanding Substance, Thought, and Doubt
Descartes’ Metaphysical System
Key Concepts
Reason: The natural faculty of man, innate, a general instrument of knowledge. Also called common sense, it is equal in all men. Therefore, the diversity of opinion comes from how it is applied (method).
Formal Reality: The reality of the idea itself, i.e., being an act or subjective way of thinking. According to this reality, there is no difference between ideas.
Objective Reality: The content of an idea while it is a representation of a thing. It is capable
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