Free Will vs. Determinism: A Philosophical Debate
Nature of Free Will
1) Free will is a property of voluntary acts. Free will is not a “thing”, not a separate faculty, but a property of the will, or more precisely, voluntary actions, namely that they do not originate outside the subject who performs them. It is there because of the subject, and nothing else. Thus, the subject is an author, and not just an actor of such acts.
2) Free will is said of the whole human being. While freedom is a property of voluntary acts, it is also of the will itself,
Read MorePhilosophy and Human Evolution: From Myth to Modernity
The Stories
A myth is a tale of fantasy, decorated with symbols and metaphors, transmitted from generation to generation. The main characters are gods, heroes, or supernatural characters who act arbitrarily. It maintains forms of social cohesion, since society is reflected in the myth, the creative being, responding to certain questions and problems.
Rational Discourse
Rational discourse is contrary to myth. It uses rational arguments and relies on natural elements of nature. It is subject only to
Read MoreNietzsche’s Critique of Western Culture and the Rise of the Superman
Nietzsche’s Critique of Western Culture
Style of His Work and Influences
The subtitle of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, “A book for everyone and no one,” reflects the ambiguity of Nietzsche’s works and thoughts. His writing is not systematic; it routinely uses aphorisms and poems. While his style is attractive, the absence of a well-defined vocabulary creates major problems of understanding.
He uses no arguments and deductions, but quick intuitions. He does not avoid contradictions and is often violent. He
Read MoreKey Concepts in Thomas Aquinas’ Thought
Reason and Faith
We must use reason to study God. Aristotelian thought, being empiricist, is part of the experience to reach absolute truths of reason. There are two kinds of truths: revealed and rational, and they have something in common. The truths revealed are the dogmas of faith, communities are the preambles of faith, and the latter are not rational truths revealed.
God reveals the truths common for two reasons: 1) because many Christians do not have time to understand. 2) because philosophers
Read MoreHomeric Virtues and Socratic Wisdom: Shaping Western Thought
Homeric Virtues and Community
The practice of Western thought, born in Greece, is not found in a philosophical way in the Homeric poems (8th-7th century BC), but in a literary way. It presents a reflection on the moral edge:
- Good (doing what serves the community)
- Virtue (ability to excel)
The goal is to excel in good, paying the community the best services.
Socratic Attitude
Socrates is considered the creator of the Western practice. While philosophers dealt with the research of the principle of the universe,
Read MorePlato’s Philosophy: Understanding Reality and Knowledge
1. Plato’s Life and Work
Descended from an aristocratic family, Plato was born in Athens in 427 BC. His real name was Aristocles, but he was known as Plato (possibly due to the width of his shoulders). He began his philosophical journey under the Heraclitean Cratylus. However, the defining moment of his life and writing style (often in dialogue form) was his encounter with Socrates at the age of 20. After the death of his master, he left Athens for Megara and then, in 388 BC, traveled to southern
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