Saint Augustine: Faith, Reason, and the City of God
Saint Augustine: Faith and Reason
The relationship between reason and faith arises when philosophy and Christianity intersect. Philosophy seeks knowledge through reason, while Christianity is based on faith. These two may not always align, requiring a distinction between matters of faith and reason. Saint Augustine believed that both faith and reason should work together to lead us to truth. He opposed the idea that faith is against reason, arguing that faith encourages and promotes reason: “I think
Read MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas: Proofs of God’s Existence & Moral Philosophy
St. Thomas Aquinas on God and Morality
According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the existence of God is a natural knowledge in humans, which can be reached through the proper use of reason and logic, even without Christian Revelation or an act of faith. Reason, when addressed logically and scientifically, can attain certainty of God’s existence, as well as the immortality and spirituality of the soul. These two statements are called, the preambles of faith.
Reason precedes faith and philosophy precedes theology,
Read MoreEthical Thinking, AI, and the Digital Age: Key Concepts
Avoiding Ethical Thinking
Here are three ways people often avoid ethical thinking:
- Flying by instinct: Acting on gut feelings without considering the ethical implications, which can lead to poor decisions. For example, not helping a friend because you feel too busy, without considering the importance of support.
- Off-hand self-justification: Quickly making excuses for actions without thinking about whether they are right or wrong. For instance, taking office supplies home, thinking, “The company has
Cartesian Mechanisms, Ideas, and Method
Cartesian Mechanisms
The Cartesian mechanistic states that the body is a machine and that all dealings must be explained by the same principles and physical laws that apply to the inanimate world. Indeed, the use of animal spirits does not serve to solve the problem of substance interaction. The mind-body problem is one of the most interesting issues in contemporary philosophy. Hard to find now a defender of classic dualism or dualism of substances. If there are, however, other forms of dualism that
Read MoreSocrates and Plato: Philosophy in Ancient Greece
Socrates and Plato
1. Historical Context
1.1. Triumph of the Democratic City-State
- Civil strife and revolution: democratic constitution of Cleisthenes, as amended by the revolution of Ephialtes: political participation of all citizens in city government.
- Three political parties: reactionary, Knights of Truth and Order, moderated by Socrates and Plato; and radical democratic workers. Government party of the proletariat led by Pericles.
- After the medical war (victory of the Greeks led by Athens over the
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Deconstructing Nihilism and Morality
Nihilism: A Philosophical Deconstruction
Nihilism is the denial of all belief. It surged in the nineteenth century, and is, in principle, a state of despair for those who do not know what to do with their lives. Later, it became a doctrine whose immediate objective was to destroy all acquired ideas and social prejudices, approaching anarchist approaches. Nietzschean nihilism is complex. It is not a philosophical theory or a theoretical proposition, but a proper motion of the history of our culture.
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