Descartes’ Method: Seeking Certainty Through Doubt
This fragment belongs to the “Discourse on the Method” of Descartes and addresses the question of knowledge. This philosopher seeks a new philosophical method to attain real knowledge of things. His approach is influenced by Galileo’s mathematical model. The proposed method has distinct rules to achieve knowledge:
1. Evidence
Something must be clear and distinct to be considered true.
2. Analysis
Divide each difficulty into as many parts as possible, moving from the simple to the complex to ensure certainty
Thomistic Political Philosophy: Reason, Faith, and the State
Politics and Stoicism
Thomas Aquinas acknowledges the influence of Stoicism and posits an eternal law of God. Under this eternal law is natural law, a participation of the divine law in this world. The eternal law is expressed in the divine will, and conventional law is what humans create. Conventional law is just when it aligns with natural and eternal law. Everyone tends towards the good, be it individual or social, and towards truth, justifying the pursuit of the common good. The best form of
Read MoreKant’s Critique of Pure Reason: Knowledge, Metaphysics, and the Subject
The proposed text is an excerpt from the introduction of Immanuel Kant’s fundamental work, Critique of Pure Reason, where he developed his theory of knowledge, which has become foundational to philosophy. The core problem addressed in this work, and clearly reflected in the text, concerns the possibilities and limitations of knowledge based on our cognitive faculties. In the introduction, Kant explores the viability of metaphysics as a science, comparing it to mathematics and physics.
According to
Rousseau’s Philosophy: Nature, Society, and the Social Contract
Rousseau and the Enlightenment
Rousseau, a prominent figure of the Enlightenment, held views that diverged from his contemporaries. While the Enlightenment emphasized progress through reason and science, Rousseau critiqued this notion.
Rousseau’s Critique of Progress
Unlike his peers, Rousseau argued that science and arts corrupt humanity, fostering artificial societies marked by inequality and depraved passions. He believed these advancements led to a dependence on others and a focus on appearances,
Read MoreExploring Powerful Words and Their Meanings
1. Powerful Words: powerful, poignant. Mature: mature, Proper: appropriate, Sense: sense, Whole: overall, Waste: wasted, Lonely: lonely, Crossings: crossings, Childish: infantile, Confident: sure, Get to: llegar a, Lazy: lazy, Prove: demonstrate, Realize: realizing, Selfish: selfish, Stressed: stressed.
2. Actuality: really, Alive: alive, Beam: beam. Beliefs: beliefs, Blind Date: blind date, Bright: brilliant, Bury: bury, Claim: declare, affirm, Coffin: actaud, Confuse: confused, Deny: deny, Dig
Read MoreAristotle’s Philosophy: Core Concepts and Enduring Influence
Aristotle’s Enduring Philosophical Contributions
The thoughts and works of Aristotle have been a benchmark in history. His theories and arguments were a source of unquestionable authority well into the Renaissance. Aristotle was regarded as the main manifestation of knowledge, the summit of principles considered valid and unmovable.
Relationship with Predecessors: On the problem of change and the nature of movement, Aristotle engaged with Heraclitus and Parmenides, who held opposing views on reality
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