Kant’s Philosophy: Enlightenment, Freedom, and Autonomy
Illustration: The Emergence from Self-Imposed Minority
Illustration is the emergence of man from his self-imposed minority. Minority is the inability to use one’s own understanding without the guidance of another. This minority is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without the guidance of another. Many men, through laziness or cowardice, remain in this minority throughout their lives, even though nature has long since freed
Read MoreEthics, Freedom, and Human Rights: A Comprehensive Look
Minimum Aurea Ethics Rules
Despite the diversity of the essential theories of ethics, some principles have remained constant throughout history and are still relevant today.
- First, ethics presupposes freedom and responsibility. Humans, in the normal use of their faculties, perform actions that can be indifferent, good, or bad. In that sense, it is said that “every person is a child of their actions.”
- Second, many cultures throughout history have coincided with the general truth of this precept, called
Kant’s Moral Philosophy: Understanding Formal Ethics
Critique of Practical Reason: Moral Formalism
Pure reason answers, “What can I know?” Practical reason answers, “What should I do?” Pure reason is concerned with how things are; practical reason is concerned with how human behavior should be. It is not interested in motives but in the principles that have to move them to that behavior, which is rational and therefore moral. Theoretical reason makes judgments, while practical reason makes imperatives or commands.
The Formalism of Kant’s Moral Ethics
Kant’
Read MorePlato and Aristotle: Metaphysics, Ideas, and Anthropology
Plato
I. Metaphysics
- The being of each being is its essence. Without essences, there can be no individuals. Science exists, and its object of study is essences.
- Essences are outside of individuals. In our heads, there are only concepts that refer to essences.
- Argument that essences are not within the individual: If the essence were inside, only one individual would have the essence, and that essence would be one. Moreover, if each had a part of the essence, the essence that each had would be different.
Philosophical Theories of Happiness and Justice
Happiness: The Core of Moral Action
The good life has different philosophical interpretations. Philosophical theories that identify the highest good as happiness are called hedonistic (possession of a good demon).
Aristotle
Humans always pursue some purpose, which is understood as good. These purposes can usually be:
- Related purposes that we pursue to achieve aims and ultimate goods (work to get money to buy food and so afford a home).
- End-all ultimate and supreme end to which all human action tends
Freud, Plato, and Descartes: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection
Freud’s Id, Ego, and Superego
What is the relationship between the Id, the Ego, and the Superego?
The relationship between the Id (the repressed sexual and aggressive impulses), the Ego (conscious memories and experiences), and the Superego (conscience) is as follows: The Id is dynamic but wants to bypass censorship. The Superego acts as a barrier and prevents it. However, when we are sleeping, the Superego is relaxed and lets out the repressed, which is manifested symbolically through dreams.