The Culture of Peace and the Resolution of Conflicts
Understanding Peace and Conflict
The Two Faces of Reality
It’s crucial to acknowledge the negative news that portrays pain and injustice. However, reality also encompasses countless acts of kindness and sensitivity. We must believe in our ability to combat negative situations, however small our actions may seem.
Defining Peace
Peace, a cherished ideal, represents a deep human need. While often associated with the absence of war, this definition is incomplete. True peace goes beyond the absence of
Read MoreSocial Contract & Kantian Ethics: A Philosophical Inquiry
Theories of Societal Origins: Contractualism
Modern philosophy grapples with socio-political questions alongside epistemological ones. The rise of the modern state and the foundations of capitalism following the decline of feudalism brought forth questions like: How are states and political organizations created? Why should we obey civil authority?
The classical perspective explains these with reference to nature. However, from the 17th century onward, a new philosophical perspective emerged, proposing
Read MoreMedieval Perceptions of Physical Activity
The Middle Ages
A Transition Period
The Middle Ages, often misunderstood, represents a transition between the decline of Roman civilization and the rise of the Renaissance. Contrary to the misconception of the “Dark Ages,” this era witnessed significant cultural and social transformations.
Feudalism’s Influence
The feudal system, the dominant social and political structure, shaped life during the Middle Ages. This hierarchical system influenced every aspect of society, including physical activity.
Read MoreKnowledge, Science, and Moral Law
1. Kinds of Knowledge
Knowledge can be classified in different ways depending on its object and internal structure. We can distinguish the following forms of knowledge:
- Common Knowledge: Founded on everyday experience.
- Scientific Knowledge: Systematically organizes knowledge and explains why facts are the way they are.
- Technical Knowledge: Knowing how to perform certain activities, pursuing control and mastery of the world.
- Philosophical Knowledge: Experience acquired through philosophical thinking and
The Existence of an Intelligent God in the Natural World
The Second Article of Faith: An Intelligent God
Refuting Materialism
After refuting materialism, the concept of a second article of faith is introduced: the movements of matter, according to certain laws, suggest a supreme intelligence. The regularity of nature’s laws leads to the idea of a Supreme Intelligence. The argument unfolds as follows:
The World’s Order and Harmony
Paragraph 46 expresses marvel at the world’s order and harmony using the metaphor of a clock (the world) and a watchmaker (God)
Metaphysics: Key Themes in Western Philosophy
Introduction to Key Themes in Western Metaphysics
Six fundamental themes recur in Western metaphysics, coinciding with core philosophical problems: 1) God and the world, 2) the infinite and the finite, 3) the soul and the external world, 4) being and existence, 5) the individual, and 6) intellect and will. Christian Wolff proposed four parts of philosophy: ontology (being), cosmology (world), psychology (soul), and rational natural theology (God), explored in his work Rational Thoughts about God,
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