John Locke: Empiricism, Philosophy, and Political Thought
John Locke: Empiricism and Political Thought
Context
John Locke, a foundational figure in empiricism, lived during a period of political transformation in 17th-century England. This era witnessed the first modern political revolution, a union of the bourgeoisie and nobility against the absolutism of the Stuart dynasty. This liberal revolution resulted in a parliamentary monarchy where the king, House of Commons, and House of Lords shared power.
Born during the reign of Charles I, Locke experienced
Read MoreSpanish Thought: Ortega y Gasset and the Philosophy of Vital Reason
Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955)
Historical Context
Reign of Alfonso XII, Maria Cristina Regency, Habsburg Alfonso XIII: 1892 war between Spain and the United States, 1898 Treaty of Paris (losses in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico). Also: the Dictatorship of Primo Rivera, Second Republic (1931), Spanish Civil War (1936-39), exile, Franco dictatorship, World War I (1914-1918), Russian Revolution (1917), and World War II (1939-45) with fascism and Nazism, and finally the Cold War between blocs (U.
Read MoreHuman Knowledge: A Social and Historical Perspective
Human Knowledge: A Social and Historical Task
Human knowledge is an ongoing, ever-evolving process. This is due to two key factors: the constant potential for expanding information and the possibility that currently accepted knowledge may be challenged or superseded.
The Dynamic Nature of Knowledge
Knowledge possesses distinct characteristics:
- Limited Scope: A single human being cannot possess absolute or perfect knowledge. Limitations arise from physical constraints (inaccessibility of certain information)
Rene Descartes: Philosophy, Knowledge, and God
Rene Descartes
1. Historical and Socio-Cultural Context
The 17th century witnessed the rise of political absolutism alongside emerging opposing concepts. A continuous crisis, expressed through endless wars, faced the nobility. Impoverishment of the people, resulting from military expenses and court luxuries, would soon generate critical issues. Democracy emerged as a relevant new political system during the Enlightenment.
Culturally, the 17th century was the era of the Baroque, a reaction against
Read MoreUnderstanding Political Power and the State
1 What is Politics?
Politics is the process by which groups, organizations, and societies make collective decisions. There are several ways to make decisions in a group:
- Group decision after deliberation (reasoned argument) by all members.
- Delegation of the decision to one person.
- Imposition of a decision by one person through threats or force.
1.1 Cooperation and Conflict
Aristotle viewed politics as cooperation, while Machiavelli identified politics with conflict.
Politics as Cooperation
According to
Read MoreThomas Aquinas & William of Ockham: Two Philosophical Approaches to God
Thomas Aquinas
The Five Ways to Prove God’s Existence
There are two main types of arguments for God’s existence:
- Ontological: This argument derives God’s existence from the very idea of God. The concept of a perfect being implies existence, as lacking existence would be a contradiction.
- Cosmological: This is the approach favored by Aquinas, drawing upon sensory experience and induction, influenced by Aristotle. It identifies God as the ultimate cause of observed phenomena.
Aquinas’s Cosmological Arguments
- Motion: