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

Comparing Philosophers on Society's Origins

Plato, Aristotle, and Locke had different views on how society originates. They considered whether society is derived from nature or from a different source. Aristotle believed that humans are naturally inclined to form families, which then join together to form clans, and eventually, societies. This bonding process is driven by a natural necessity, with no clear transition between the natural state of man and the constitution of a society.

Plato, however, argued that the State should meet a default model based on pre-existing ideas of justice and right, not nature. Locke initially saw the natural state as one where individuals are driven by their desires, leading to conflicts and a state of war. However,... Continue reading "Comparing Plato, Aristotle, and Locke on Society's Origins" »

Rene Descartes (1595-1650)

Born in La Haye en Touraine, France.

A philosopher and mathematician, Descartes' great work is Discourse on Method, published in 1637.

In Discourse on Method, he introduces methodical doubt, subjecting all knowledge to rigorous scrutiny.

His famous formulation: "I think, therefore I am."

Descartes aspired to establish firm and lasting foundations in the sciences.

Rules of Method

• The principle of evidence (or methodical doubt).
• The precept of analysis.
• The precept of synthesis.
• The process of verification.

Theory of Two Substances

A substance exists independently, requiring nothing else for its existence.

Part of the cogito (thought): Descartes argues that he is solely a thinking substance, as even the most radical skeptic cannot... Continue reading "Rene Descartes, James Mill, John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant, and Wilhelm Wundt: Key Philosophers and Their Theories" »

Key Principles of Scientific Work

Several key principles characterize the work of a scientist:

• Asking Questions: It is essential to choose crucial questions that will not lead to a dead end. We must ask questions that have a modest but useful response.
• Formulation of the Hypothesis: This involves forming an idea or hypothesis about natural phenomena. The formulation of hypotheses is a key moment in scientific knowledge and is the most creative.
• Testing of the Hypothesis: We need to show that the idea or hypothesis has scientific validity. Experiments can be conducted to test our hypothesis.
• Formulation of Hypotheses or Theories: General laws of nature are typically formulated as major theories that must be consistent and demonstrable.

Considerations

The Pre-Socratic Philosophers

The Milesians (Monists: One Arché)

• Thales: Considered the first Milesian thinker, he proposed that the Arché (the fundamental principle) is water. He reasoned this based on observations: solid land seemingly floats on water, water reflects the heavens, and water in its gaseous state forms clouds.
• Anaximander: Believed the Arché to be the Apeiron (the boundless or infinite), a substance in perpetual motion, from which opposing forces (hot-dry, like stars; cold-wet, like Earth) arise. He also proposed that living beings evolved from fish.
• Anaximenes: Identified air as the Arché, a limitless substance that transforms through condensation and rarefaction.

Pythagoreans

The Pythagoreans believed that number is the Arché.... Continue reading "Pre-Socratic Philosophers: From Thales to Socrates" »

Plato's Philosopher-King

The Ideal City

For Plato, the philosopher-king is essential for a just society. In The Republic, he presents a hierarchical society divided into three groups:

• Craftsmen: Provide resources like food through productive work.
• Guardians/Warriors: Defend the city from internal and external threats. This class is crucial as it produces the leaders, who are the best guardians. They live a distinct life, without private property, family, or typical housing, and women marry within their class.
• Philosophers: Rule the state. Plato believed philosophers, possessing knowledge of ideas and reality, are best suited to govern. These leaders are selected based on physical and psychological excellence.

Plato's ideal city is founded on... Continue reading "Plato's Philosopher-King & Aristotle's Substance" »

Some authors argue that the reconstruction of urban life had its origin in the desire for peace that brought about the formation of communal bonds. This urban renaissance provided a great service to royalty. Cities offered loyalty to the king. The resurgence of cities initiated intense intellectual work, which greatly benefited monarchs. The bourgeoisie became an indispensable support for the king when threatened from outside.

Cultural Flourishing and Intellectual Growth

An urban culture developed, marked by the emergence of universities and important institutions. These sought to control cultural anarchy and defended their autonomous operation, governed by their own statutes and regulations, often with a dependence on the Pope. They promoted... Continue reading "Medieval Europe: Urban Revival, Royal Power, Papal Influence" »

The Relationship Between Reality and Appearance

This section examines two perspectives on the connection between what is real and what we perceive.

A) Divergence: Reality Differs from Appearance

• Skepticism: We are prisoners of appearance and cannot know authentic reality.

B) Coincidence: Reality Equals Appearance

• Phenomenology: There is nothing more to reality than what appears.

Contributions of the Presocratics

• Trust in reason and the human ability to understand and explain the world.
• The concept of a primary force or substance, even if conceived with a material character.
• A predominantly materialistic conception of the universe, although the idea of a guiding spirit appears.
• The universe is an ordered cosmos, not chaos, which allows for the explanation

John Locke: The Method of Consciousness

John Locke proposed a method for understanding consciousness based on three steps:

1. The origin of ideas and how understanding accesses them.
2. Showing the type of knowledge the understanding reaches through these ideas (conocimiento).
3. Researching the nature and basis of what we consider true without having true knowledge (conocimiento).

Locke's Classes of Ideas

Locke categorized ideas into two main groups: Simple and Complex.

Simple Ideas

Simple ideas are real and positive. They are the foundation of feeling and are derived from experience:

• Ideas of Sensation: Ideas coming from external experience, generated by information received through our senses. Locke distinguishes between:
  • Primary Qualities: (e.g., extension,

Marxism: An Introduction

Marxism, developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883), is inextricably linked to Friedrich Engels (1820-1895). Their long collaboration resulted in a significant literary output, with Engels' contribution always acknowledged. Engels' support was crucial, particularly in financing Marx's magnum opus.

Key Collaborations

Their collaborations include the drafting and publication of the Communist Manifesto (1848), a response to the revolutionary events of 1848. This work posits that all societies have historically been defined by class struggle, currently manifested between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

Engels also supported Marx in the creation of Das Kapital (1867), a critical analysis of modes of production and a presentation... Continue reading "Marxism: Key Concepts, Theories, and Impact" »