René Descartes Essay Example for Free

Renà © Descartes Essay Philosophy begins as an art of wondering. This art of wondering, leads man into asking a number of questions about himself and the world around him. Variations in philosophical thoughts as result questions posed by man, help in modification of philosophy. The purpose of this essay therefore, is to do a comparative analysis of Sophie’s World by Josteen Gaarder with three philosophical texts: George Berkeley’s Treatise on Human Knowledge, John Locke’s Essay on Human Understanding and Rene Descartes’ Passions of the Soul. We shall also show the roles of authors and texts in Philosophy. TREATISE ON HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD One of the outstanding efforts of Berkeley in this work was to show that the world exists as it does because of the ideas perceived by the mind of God and as such, existence of things depends on their perception through the senses. Likewise in Sophie’s World, Aristotle through his belief showed a similarity with Berkeley’s stance in this text Treatise of Human Understanding. For Aristotle, highest degree of reality is what we perceive with our senses. Berkeley also said that existence is the state of being perceived by a perceiver, but on the contrary, Descartes in Sophie’s World believed that he exists because he thinks. It furthermore means that his existence depends on his ability to think. He used such words like cogito ergo sum (latin) and je pense, donc je suis (French) all meaning `I think therefore I am` to illuminate his thesis on this. Plato while stressing the sovereignty of reason in Sophie’s World said that the reason can only give us the true reality of things and as such contradicted the empiricist approach of Berkeley. ESSAY ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD John Locke illuminated in this work that idea is derived from experience of sensation or reflection, just like it reflected in Sophie’s World in which his fellow empiricists likewise stressed the inevitability of experience as the source of true knowledge. David Hume in particular established that man has two types of perceptions, namely: impressions and ideas. By `impressions` he means the external sensations of reality. By `ideas` he means the recollections of such impressions. Aristotle the trail blazer of empiricism, in alignment with the empiricists believed our reason to be completely empty until we have sensed something. John Locke in this book made an attempt to refute the notion of `innate ideas` by proving that it does not exist, whereas in Sophie’s World, philosopher like Plato believed in an innate idea, an external world of ideas outside of the natural world. Descartes even believed that the idea of God is innate. PASSIONS OF THE SOUL VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD Descartes defined passions of the soul as a mental state or thought that arises as a direct result of brain activity and such passions can move us to action. He also suggested that one needs to learn to control one’s passions, for they can move one to perform vicious acts. Benedict Spinosa in Sophie’s World, suggested that we must free ourselves from our feelings and passions only then shall we find happiness. Conversely, also in Sophie’s World, the Epicureans through the teachings of Aristippus believed that the aim of life is to attain the highest possible pleasure or passions and by so doing, they contradict Descartes belief. AN EYE ON THE ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY Authors in philosophy play incredible roles in modification of philosophy through their texts. There various attempts to answer the underlying questions of nature and man have led to the developments of dialectical methods like thesis, antithesis and synthesis used in philosophy today. An eye on the three authors and philosophers: Descartes, Berkeley and Locke whose works where compared with Sophie’s World above showed the vital role they played in philosophy. While Descartes was a rationalist, Berkeley and Locke were empiricists, but through their texts, they contributed in `epistemology` or theory of knowledge. CONCLUSION Having done these comparisons, we can see the successful deduction of similarities and differences between the Sophie’s World and three aforementioned philosophical texts. I attest that Sophie’s World is necessary philosophical paraphernalia needed by a neophyte in Philosophy as seen from its versatility in the course of this comparison done, and also how it covered aspects of history of Philosophy in such a sublime manner. POPE JOHN PAUL II MAJOR SEMINARY OKPUNO, AWKA NAME: UMENABA BENJAMIN C COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY COURSE CODE: PHIL 101 REG NO: PJPS/NAU/013/O69 LECTURER: REV. FR DR. AUGUSTINE OBUROTA TOPIC: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOPHIE’S WORLD WITH THREE PHILOSOPHY TEXTS WITH AN EYE ON ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY DATE: 28TH NOVEMBER, 2012 OUTLINES INTRODUCTION TREATISE ON HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD ESSAY ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD PASSIONS OF THE SOUL VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD AN EYE ON THE ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY CONCLUSION.

Discuss How Art Can Be Used To Promote, Reflect Or Challenge :: essays research papers

Discuss how art can be used to reflect, promote, or challenge cultural beliefs. Art, throughout the times have reflected, promoted and challenged the cultural beliefs of many different societies. To reflect a culture or society the artwork must create or suggest a particular impression of that era. To promote the cultural beliefs of a society the artwork must encourage and support the beliefs. For the artwork to challenge the beliefs it must question tradition. Gislebertus and Michelangelo promote and reflected the society and religion in which they belonged whereas Kruger and Serrano reflected yet challenged their society and religion. Gislebertus was a "sculptor of genius" of the Romanesque period. His sculpture of the last Judgement in progress on the West Tympanum of St. Lazare, Autun, France in 1130, reflected and promoted the strong Christian beliefs of this society. This artwork is extremely detailed and reveals many Christian icons and symbols. In the middle of the artwork is Christ, who is the focus of the composition and on either side of him are devils and angles blowing their trumpets. The weighing of souls is depicted throughout the artwork and next to each scale, are angles and devils competing for each soul. Below Christ are the dead rising, one being "plucked" from the earth by giant hands. Here humanity’s pitiful weakness in revealed in these terror stricken people as the angles summon them to judgement. The devils have legs which end in sharp claws and lean from hell as they drag souls in and are accompanied by howling and roaring demons. Gislebertus’ sculpture was affective in influencing and inspiring the viewers of his artwork as he created a sense of terror and fear by revealing the awful consequences for the damned which encouraged the viewers to follow the Christian and as a result increased the power of the church. Gislebertus was commissioned to depict biblical stories as the majority of the population was illiterate and this was the only way which God’s message could be heard. Therefore, Gislebertus reflected the Christian dominated society and promoted the Christian religion. Michelangelo also reflects and promotes his Italian; Christian dominated culture and the religion itself through his artwork. Michelangelo’s fresco in the Sistine Chapel, Italy, was created between 1508 and 1512 and depicts the most solemn biblical story of the creation of man in the High Renaissance style. The large size of 18’18" X 9’22" reflects the grandness and power of the God and the church.

My First Day at Collage

This was one hell of a day. On this day I had times when I felt like going back home. Embarrassing situations were also a part of this good and bad day. Nevertheless hope was still gained and a good laugh from the day that had events which were unexpected. I guess being new at a school is never always a good experience. When I arrived at Limkokwing University I was immediately filled with joy. This is because of design of the school that had a lot of high rising buildings which were encircled by an amazing garden. Also, when I stepped through the gate just as I thought the marvel was close to an end, I saw a shiny black Rolls-Royce Phantom for the first time in the parking lot and the pleasure continued. Then I arrived at the area that is called the Plaza. The Plaza is a place which has most of the school offices, restaurants and other facilities. The area looked nice and it had a lot of people who were from different regions who at the same time were also having different agendas . Some of the people were satisfying themselves with delicious food, others were in the gym burning calories from their bodies and the rest were going to different places. After the great viewing I looked at my watch and saw that I was ten minutes late for my lesson so I rushed out of the Plaza and asked someone where the Foundation in Business class was and that was when the problems began. The person told me that they had just dropped off their son in the foundation class and that the class is the one written number ninety-eight in the last building. This information relieved me and then I went to the exact place that I was told. As soon as I arrived in the class things went up side down, this is because the things that the lecturer was teaching us seemed to be complicated. I began questioning myself if I should carry on with school in my life because I was not grasping on what was being taught. As the lesson continued, despite the complex information that we were being given, I told myself that I am not a quitter and I will be able to manage. It was only when I went to see the timetable after the lesson that I realized that I realized that I was actually in a third year degree class. Being aware of this mistake it boosted my motivation and I was back on track in terms of my goals in life. After the situation I went through I was now hungry and I went to the Plaza. When I got there I saw a sign written Makan Lah! Restoran and it looked like a restaurant so I proceeded there. I got to the counter and told the person ho was attending to the customers that I would like to have quarter chicken with rice, this was understood. The problem came when I wanted to pay for the food and the attendant told me that I was supposed to give him a receipt instead then I was shocked. The lady who was standing beside me then told me that you have to pay for your order at the payment area first which was on the other side then I would receive my order. That issue was cleared, I got my food and began doing what I came there for. When I was done eating I did not know that we were supposed to leave our plates on the table when we were done eating, so I took it back to the restaurant and I felt embarrassed when I was told that we could just simply leave them on the table. So I had to walk back to my table and put it there. This was an interesting first day for me whereby I had to learn with people who were way older than me just because of wrong directions. Also, I got confused when I was ordering lunch. Otherwise the school to me is an interesting place that has interesting people. The environment is great for building peoples futures.

Education, Gender Roles And Humanism - 1379 Words

Education, Gender Roles and Humanism in the Renaissance. Throughout the fourteenth and into the fifteenth century there were a number of tragic events that directly caused a revitalization of society. This revitalization was needed to restore hope to the people that were living each day for survival. Some of these events were the destabilization of the Catholic Church with the relocation of the papacy from Rome to Avignon. This would soon be followed by the Black Death and its mammoth death toll that lead to the reduction of work forces and uprisings of peasants’. At the same time England and France were fighting a series of wars that were later be deem The Hundred Years’ War and this battle would add to a western mindset that was being cultivated to expect death, destruction, violence, sickness and poverty. In the midst of this depressing and violent society, Italy and more specifically Florence, saw a need for change and to work towards the elevation of society, the creation of a new society, and a new mindset to bring about a more civil and cultured society. This lead to a new philosophy called Humanism and this Humanistic evolution of the educational system involved a total reconstruction of the university curriculum, as well as the resetting ideals of gender roles. In the beginning of this new society there was a great admiration for classic Roman culture and this was the model being used with a great focus on the arts, philosophy, religion, and honor. TheShow MoreRelatedEducation And Gender Roles Are Direct Causes For The Renaissance1393 Words   |  6 PagesEducation and Gender Roles are Direct Causes for the Renaissance. Throughout the Fourteenth and into the Fifteenth Century, there were a number of tragic events that directly caused the need for a revitalization of society. This revitalization was needed to restore hope to the people that were living each day for survival. Some of these events were the destabilization of the Catholic Church with the relocation of the papacy from Rome to Avignon. This would soon be followed by the Black DeathRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1666 Words   |  7 Pageslives under societal and expectations of others, I then realized that Nora’s decision at the end really meant fighting for feminism and humanity. More specifically, although the play has many feministic ideas, it is actually a play that fight for humanism. Both men and women should have equal rights and the chance to form their own opinions and make their own decisions. The interactive oral was a powerful and transformative experience that helped me to have a better understanding of the culture valueRead MoreThe Italian Renaissance And The Renaissance1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe Italian Renaissance was an explosion of art, writing, and thought, that roughly lasted between 1300 to 1600. In this time each citizen, countrymen, or villager had and performed different jobs and careers. Humanism the study of Greek and Roman writings, art, and architecture, initially jump started the Renaissance, and the need for art. Artists now were inspired to use life like art and linear perspective, so art seemed and was more realistic. The start of the Italian Renaissance was theRead MoreUrban Society in the Ancient World1283 Words   |  6 Pagesorganization, religion, and educations (Mackay et al. 2012). Through ancient systems of writing to the latest invention, people keep evolving and shaping their knowledge to a better and successful life. Furthermore, p eople realized that through history, they could learn or discover new things, or how to prevent the same mistakes. In this essay, I will argue that Western Civilization has influenced people’s perspectives about various aspects (e.g. government structures, gender roles, religions, economicsRead MoreWhat I Believe About Philosophy, Ethics, Adult Education, And The Curriculum1412 Words   |  6 Pagesthat drive their profession. As Merriam and Brockett said, â€Å"The practice of adult education does no happen in a vacuum. It occurs in a context that manifests certain beliefs and that values certain behaviors over others. Understanding what those beliefs and values are can only lead to more informed and reflective practice.† (2007) This essay will outline what I believe about philosophy, ethics, adult education, the learner, the instructor, and the curriculum. This will ultimately help guide meRead MoreWomen in the Scientific Revolution Era Essay1452 Words   |   6 Pageslearning humanism arose for only those in the higher class families. Even though they started to educate themselves, the majority had no rights whatsoever in money matters as well as estate. From the 17th century and up to the scientific revolution, women’s rights had consistently been improving. However, during the revolution, the study of the human body brought to attention that the male brain is quite larger than that of a female. This revelation set back the female race back to a limited role, butRead MoreWhy Education Is Important For Life After School868 Words   |  4 PagesI believe the purpose of education is to help teach students how to learn, how to prepare students for life after school, to provide students with a wide range of subjects, and most importantly, to give students the necessary tools and the help they need based on each student’s unique learning style. Teachers should teach in a way that will welcome all students to participate, knowing all students want to learn and all students are good. A good teacher is one who will accept all students and willRead MorePros And Cons Of Adult Learning1859 Words   |  8 PagesUsually when we learn something new we tend to distinctly look at it from two different aspects: analysing its logic and variables, and this is exactly the role behind a theory where a set of concepts and definitions explains or predict a situation by specifying logic and variables (Edwards, 2005). Edwards argue that when we deeply engage with a theory we are now theorizing as a practise, where we involve abstractions, contemplation, critical engagement, and imagination to make sense of the theoryRead MorePsychology Perspectives: Columbine Massacre1537 Words   |  7 Pageshuman mind works. These perspectives are respectfully derived from different ideas and time periods, exemplifying different ways of thinking. These perspectives include: sociocultural, biopsychological, psychodynamic, behaviorism, cogn itive, and humanism. These approaches are critically essential in solving something as serious as murder, or simply even why someone acts the way they do. There are many instances where there will be shocking news stories about people committing murders—people thatRead MoreRethinking Marx’s Concept of Class: Does the emergence of the so-called identity politics indicating the â€Å"fall† of class politics?1716 Words   |  7 Pagescould ‘destruct’ their proletariat/working class collective consciousness in the effort of striving against capitalism (Ritzer, Modern Sociological Theory : 218). As Marx noted that class is social and political entity that plays major or central role in determining the social changes. The history of class struggles for time to time had given Marx empirical data about the significance of class in enforcing the antagonism and contradiction between the dominant class and the subordinated class that