Descartes’ Method: Unveiling Truth Through Doubt and Reason
Descartes’ Method: A Foundation for Modern Thought
All modern philosophers are concerned with method because it is seen as the path to genuine thinking. This era marked the beginning of a new philosophy, one that challenged the past. It rejected the authorities of the past, emphasizing reason as the most important faculty, while acknowledging the limits of self-criticism. This new philosophy was modeled on the sciences and mathematics. Ideas were analyzed using a specific method to determine their
Read MoreUnderstanding Legal Demonstration and Sophistry
Item 13: The Demonstration
Demonstration in Legal Arguments
A demonstration is an argument that, through true and necessary premises, reaches a true and necessary conclusion. Unlike a syllogism, demonstration is not merely deductive; its premises must be true, certain, and irrefutable. In essence, a demonstration is a syllogism built upon true and necessary premises. The major premise represents the norm, the minor premise represents the case, and the conclusion provides the rationale.
The syllogism,
Read MoreHume and Kant: A Comparison of Causality Critiques
Comparison of Hume and Kant on the Principle of Causality
Hume:
- Empirical, a posteriori.
- Contingent, not strictly universal.
- Logically possible exceptions exist.
Kant:
- A priori. It is one of the 12 categories of understanding.
- Necessary and strictly universal.
- Derogation is possible only from particular causal laws, not the principle itself.
Influence of Hume on Kant
- Sensory experience is the beginning of our knowledge.
- Experience cannot provide universal and necessary knowledge.
- Experience is the limit of
Understanding Philosophy: A Journey of Inquiry
Many people do not understand philosophy or see its value. This may be because philosophy is not emphasized today, or perhaps because I do not yet fully grasp its true meaning. Even I am unsure of what it is and its usefulness.
If we use the standard definition of philosophy, we would say that philosophy is “the love of wisdom.” But what is wisdom? What is love? Again, we would enter into more questions than answers.
Applying philosophy requires an entity, a practitioner, usually called a philosopher.
Read MoreCulture’s Role in Human Evolution and Development
Cultural Evolution and Humanization
Primate species leading to humans were not limited by fixed behavior like other animals but had the ability to learn. Humans are the result of both biological evolution and cultural evolution. The emergence and evolution of culture allowed humans to adapt to their environment. Several characteristics and factors favored the psychological and social evolution of human beings.
Key Factors in Humanization
Five key factors are often highlighted:
- Hunting
- The Discovery of
Descartes’ Quest for Certainty: Method and the Cogito
Descartes’ Method for Attaining Certainty
Descartes aimed to develop a system of truth by accepting nothing as assumed. For that, he established a method consisting of four rules to arrive at certain knowledge:
Rule 1: Evidence and Methodical Doubt
Evidence: Do not accept anything as true unless it is known evidently to be so. A truth is evident when it presents itself to the mind with clarity and distinction. An idea is clear when we know all the elements that comprise it. An idea is distinct when
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