Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Philosophy and ethics

Nietzsche's philosophy begins with the cultural diagnosis of nihilism. This nihilism is the historical event that Nietzsche called the "death of God."

From Socrates and Plato onward, the Western tradition understood that true reality, the source of meaning and intelligibility, lies in a parallel world. For Plato, this is the world of forms, and Christianity, as the heir of Platonism, calls it the "beyond."

This world of forms, or the "beyond," acted as a standard and measure of truth and goodness, the source of all that is true and good in the world. According to Nietzsche, modernity has brought about a progressive destruction of that order that gave meaning to the supersensible reality from Plato. Modern science has rendered any concept of God... Continue reading "Nietzsche's Philosophy: Nihilism, Death of God, and the Superman" »

Kant's Critique of Traditional Metaphysics

Kant conceives of traditional metaphysics as dogmatic speculation, unsubstantiated and false wisdom, founded only in analytic judgments. This widespread practice seeks truth by considering subjective and objective factors. Kant questions how metaphysical claims are possible. For Kant, the existence of metaphysics as a science (ciencia) depends on certain requirements. All scientific knowledge must expand our understanding and be universal, such that everyone can share in its consensus without doubt or differences. Metaphysical principles and presuppositions do not meet these requirements, as they are founded on analytic judgments that are necessary but do not contribute anything new to knowledge. Metaphysics... Continue reading "Kant's Critique of Metaphysics: Synthetic A Priori Knowledge" »

Kant's Philosophy

Between these two categories, there are two wrecks: Hume's substance and the cause. Categories are given legitimate application to phenomena based on perceptions and lose that legitimacy when we endeavor to apply them to non-empirical or supersensible realities.

Kant again emphasizes the difference between phenomenon and thing in itself.

Kant goes on to show that metaphysics cannot be a science because it lacks the empirical conditions. This is because it looks at God, spirit, and matter (the universe).

The Moral Principles of the Law

Reason is the faculty of reasoning. An argument is a chain of trials. To link the early trials, they are needed. The only way to relate judgments is by linking all trials, each in turn belonging to... Continue reading "Kant's Philosophy: Categories, Metaphysics, and Moral Principles" »

Plato's Ethical Conception of Mathematical Ideas

In The Republic, Plato presents an ethical conception of mathematical ideas. He posits that mathematical ideas exist, and since mathematics is considered a form of rational knowledge, it must have a purpose. This aligns with the existence of ethical ideas, or value-ideas (goodness, beauty, value), which are objects of philosophical knowledge. Plato believed that ideas are interconnected through the idea of property. The idea of good serves as both a cause and a final cause. By introducing a final cause, Plato breaks from the previous mechanistic view and opens the door to a teleological explanation of the world, later developed by Aristotle. This perspective suggests that everything that exists... Continue reading "Plato's Philosophy: Ethics, Politics, and the Ideal State" »

Critique of Pure Reason

Distinguishes two things: the theoretical use and the practical use of reason (metaphysics and ethics). When called pure reason, it refers to reason that is not mixed with anything empirical, which is a priori. Regarding the possibility of metaphysics as a science, Kant stated: "I had to suppress the knowledge to make room for faith."

The conclusion of Kant's metaphysics is that he is agnostic, but he supports the postulates of practical reason: God, Freedom, and Immortality.

Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals

This work focuses on ethics, but above all, the triple formulation of the categorical imperative:

1. "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

Mythos and Logos: Contrasting Philosophical Concepts

The terms Mythos and Logos designate distinct types of discourse. Mythos refers to a particular form of speech that narrates stories of the gods and foundational myths. In contrast, Logos signifies explained and demonstrated speech, rooted in reason.

The word "Logos" itself holds a broad meaning, encompassing concepts such as "account" (telling), "reason," and "calculation." In philosophical discourse, "Logos" is often generalized as a concept contrary to "Mythos." As science or philosophy, Logos represents knowledge founded on rational principles and empirical proof, often through deduction.

Heraclitus's Logos: Logic of Contradiction and Becoming

In Heraclitus's philosophy, however, "Logos"... Continue reading "Heraclitus's Logos and Aquinas's Proof of God's Existence" »

The World and Principles of Material Things

When you have demonstrated the existence of God, as an assurance criterion of truth, we have the opportunity to demonstrate the existence of corporeal things, the world. Since God exists, he cannot deceive me into believing that the world exists if it does not; therefore, we conclude that the world exists. Returning to the theory of the objective reality of ideas, this theory posits that the causes of ideas of sensible things are corporeal things, and these corporeal things do exist. God guarantees the truth, but error is not attributable to God; rather, it arises when we deceive ourselves by misinterpreting.

Theory of Substance

Descartes identified three domains of reality: God (or infinite substance)... Continue reading "Descartes: World, Substance, and Mechanism" »

The Law of Cause and Effect

This fundamental law of association states that through repeated observation of two events or objects occurring together (spatial contiguity) and in sequence over time, our minds develop a disposition. This disposition leads us to evoke the idea of the second event (which we consider the effect) whenever the idea of the first event (which we consider the cause) is present.

The Law of Contiguity

According to this law of association, ideas that have been experienced together tend to occur together. A classic example is a song that reminds us of a particular person or event.

This law is profoundly important because it forms the basis for the formation of complex ideas, especially those concerning substances. Consider observing... Continue reading "Principles of Mental Association: How Our Minds Connect Ideas" »

Article 17: Aims of Primary Education

Primary education helps to develop in children the skills that enable them to:

• A) Know and appreciate the values and standards of living, learn according to them, prepare for active citizenship, and respect human rights.
• B) Develop habits of individual and team work, effort, and responsibility in study, as well as attitudes of self-confidence, critical thinking, personal initiative, and creativity in learning.
• C) Acquire skills for prevention and peaceful conflict resolution, allowing them to operate with autonomy in the family and social groups to which they relate.
• D) Know, understand, and respect different cultures and the differences between people, equal rights and opportunities for men and women, and non-

Philosophical Knowledge

Rationalist Methods

Rationalists employ methods that empirical rationalists defend. Empiricists rely on experience and deductive methods. Rationalists argue that experience is unreliable. Some embrace the idea of innate rationalist imagination, independent of sensory sources. Descartes proposed two key ideas:

1. "I think, therefore I am."
2. The concept of infinity originates without sensory input.

Empiricists oppose rationalism.

Inductive and Deductive Procedures

These procedures are fundamental to experimental science and mathematics.

Transcendental Methods

Kant critiqued both rationalist and empiricist approaches in the 18th century. He argued that knowledge arises from both experience and reason. He questioned the foundations of... Continue reading "Understanding Philosophical Knowledge: Rationalism, Empiricism, and Language" »