Kant vs. Mill: Ethics, Happiness, and Moral Duty
Kant vs. Mill: Contrasting Ethical Frameworks
Kant’s moral philosophy emphasizes self-denial, sacrifice, and effort as the path to becoming worthy of happiness, not happiness itself. Mill, conversely, asserts that individuals have a right to happiness, and society should ensure the means for them to achieve their goals. For Kant, happiness is a reward for moral merit, something earned through the tenacious pursuit of virtue. He believed that the reconciliation of virtue and happiness, which constitute
Freedom of Expression on Social Networks
Freedom of Expression on Social Networks
1. Social networks have captured the attention of various sectors of society, leading to extensive discussions on their impact on freedom of expression. A globalized world, with new platforms and technological applications, impacts both developed and developing countries. To a greater or lesser extent, these tools influence how we communicate. The question is: are they good or bad?
Freedom of Expression and the Internet
2. Freedom of expression on the Internet
Hume’s Philosophy: Empiricism and Moral Sentiments
Knowledge
Empiricism Principles
- Empirical Principles: All thinking is derived from perception, be it internal or external. Hume, like Locke, considers both internal and external perception.
- Principle of Immanence: The contents of the mind are only pictures and images derived from perception. There is no immediate contact between the mind and the thing. The senses transmit the image from the thing to the mind.
- Principle of Copy: This is the great principle of Humean thought. According to this principle,
Hume’s Empiricism: Knowledge, Morality, and Political Thought
Hume’s Philosophy
Theory of Knowledge: Empiricism
David Hume is a central figure in empiricism, the school of thought asserting that all knowledge originates from experience. Hume rejects the notion of innate ideas, arguing that the mind’s contents are perceptions, divided into impressions (direct sensory experiences) and ideas (copies of impressions).
Impressions are further categorized as those of sensation (from the senses, like pleasure and pain) and reflection (feelings reacting to sensory impressions
Read MoreHellenistic Philosophy: Epicureans, Cynics, Stoics, Skeptics
Hellenistic Philosophy
The Hellenistic period saw the rise of several philosophical schools, branching from Aristotelian and Platonic thought. Here’s a look at some of the key schools:
The Epicureans
Epicurus, drawing from atomistic physics (though disagreeing with Democritus and Leucippus by introducing clinamens, or random deviations in atomic trajectories), aimed to achieve ethical freedom. They sought happiness through three principles:
- Intelligibility of sensation: Ensuring sensations are understood.
Hobbes vs. Locke: Contrasting Views on State Purpose
Hobbes: Security as the State’s Purpose
Some writers believe the State’s purpose is to maintain security. Among these doctrines stands absolutism, with Hobbes prioritizing defense.
The State of Nature
Hobbes begins by questioning how civil society originated. To understand this, he asks us to imagine human beings before political power. This imaginary scenario is called the “state of nature.”
In this state:
- Men live in freedom, without limitations. Hobbes calls this natural right.
- Men are driven by self-