Nietzsche’s Critique of Western Philosophy
Hatred of the Notion of Becoming
In this passage, Nietzsche discusses one of the characteristic features of Western philosophy: “His hatred of the notion of becoming,” with the exception of Heraclitus. Heraclitus, a philosopher of becoming, stated that everything flows and nothing remains, and that reality is subject to constant transformation. This rejection of the notion of evolution is evident in the Eleatics. It must be remembered that, for Parmenides, the Self was immutable and eternal, and
Read MoreImmanuel Kant’s Philosophy: Ethics, Knowledge, and Reality
Immanuel Kant’s Moral Philosophy
Kant posits that within humans, there exists a moral conscience, a moral law that compels us to question how we should act. This is the realm of practical reason, which concerns itself not with what things *are* (the domain of pure theoretical reason), but with how they *should be*. Practical reason’s function is to investigate the principles governing human action.
While pure reason forms judgments, practical reason, as we will see, formulates imperatives—commands
Read MoreMajor Philosophical Movements: From Ancient Greece to Modernity
Sophism
Sophism, a cultural, political, and philosophical movement of the fifth century BC, was characterized politically and culturally by:
- Being linked to Athenian democracy. Sophists met the demand for information required by the democratic system.
- Revolutionizing traditional Greek paideia. The Greek philosophers were the first professional teachers.
Philosophically, Sophism occupied a middle position between pre-Socratic philosophy and classical philosophy. Faced with the aforementioned philosophy’
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Forms: Understanding Reality
Appearances
Appearances: Something visible but inauthentic.
Things
Things: Material objects that constitute the most perfect type of knowledge among the objects of the sensible world. Physical objects are concrete, specific, and changeable. They correspond to the level of awareness of belief (pistis).
Visible Area
Visible Area: The sensible world is that of the particular changes, pictures, and things that are apprehended by the senses. The sensible world is actually involved in the world of ideas.
Senses
Senses:
Read MorePlato’s Allegory of the Cave: A Philosophical Analysis
Education and the Improvement of Human Beings
Plato believed that education is the primary means to improve human beings. People need an education in values, which comes from Platonic intellectualism. This is criticized whenever one visits the cave. Platonic philosophy is present in the media today, which often presents a warped world that entertains citizens. The Platonic figure distinguishes between those who educate their illusions and those who become aware of living in an illusory world. Today,
Read MoreSaint Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy and Influence
Historical Framework of Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Thought
The historical framework in which the thinking of Saint Thomas Aquinas unfolds is the 13th century, the “High Middle Ages.” Europe was reaching a high point, marked by struggles between the Emperor and the Pope, culminating in the triumph of the papacy.
- Universities and mendicant orders appeared, and there was a reunion of the West with the works of Aristotle.
- Economically, there was some improvement due to new techniques and increasing population.