Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Philosophy and ethics

Hume's Criticism of Causality

Criticism of the principle of causality is the cornerstone of Hume's philosophy. Rationalists considered causality a principle known clearly through reason. Descartes stated that the principle of causality allowed him to assert God's existence as the cause of the idea of infinity in his mind. Locke also used the principle of causality to accept the existence of external reality as the cause of our sensations and God's existence as the cause of the world and our own existence.

According to Hume, all arguments about matters of fact are based on cause and effect. Only through this relationship can we go beyond the evidence of our memory and senses. Furthermore, our notion of an ordered world would be impossible if we... Continue reading "Hume's Critique: Deconstructing Causality in Philosophy" »

For the Greek philosophers, the problem of physis is closely linked to movement. Aristotle is the first to make a systematic presentation on the problem of motion. He formulates in a clear way that mobility is the basic mode of reality. Nature is to say that natural things are in motion. To define physis, Aristotle distinguishes between natural beings (from the physis) and artificial things (which come from other causes). Natural beings have movement within themselves; every body has a natural place, and motion is identified with change (any type of change is movement, according to Aristotle).

Aristotle's physics begins with a critique of Parmenides, who stated that motion is irrational. Aristotle introduces two new concepts: there are two ways... Continue reading "Aristotle's Physics: Motion, Causation, and Change" »

Employee Rights and Responsibilities in Spain

1. Right to Non-Discrimination

The Spanish Constitution prohibits discrimination based on birth, race, sex, religion, opinion, or any other personal or social circumstance.

2. Right to Privacy and Dignity

Employees are protected from physical and verbal abuse of a sexual nature, or abuse based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or sexual harassment.

3. Right to Physical Integrity and Health and Safety

This right is protected under the law on the prevention of occupational hazards.

4. Right to Promotion and Vocational Training

Employees have the right to promotion and vocational training at work. The Employment Statute (ET) acknowledges permits to attend examinations, choose shifts when pursuing... Continue reading "Employee Rights and Responsibilities in Spain: A Concise Guide" »

The Enduring Relevance of Marxist Thought

With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the notion that Marx's philosophy represented the end of prehistory—culminating in a communist society after the demise of capitalism—seemed to crumble. However, the bourgeois mode of production not only persists but thrives in a globalized market economy. Former communist regimes have either vanished or are endangered.

As Marx and Engels stated in The Communist Manifesto, the bourgeoisie created the weapons of its own destruction, namely, the workers. The question remains: do Marxist-inspired communist revolutions truly reflect Marx's theory?

The Humanistic Aspects of Marx's Philosophy

Considering the more humanistic aspects of Marx's philosophy—his desire... Continue reading "Marxist Philosophy: Relevance in Today's Globalized World" »

Insurance Contract: Core Concepts

An insurance contract is one whereby the insurer undertakes, by charging a premium, and if the event occurs whose risk is hedged, to compensate within the agreed damage to the insured, or to satisfy a capital, income, or other benefits agreed.

Legal Concept of Insurance (Art. 512 CCo)

Insurance is a bilateral, conditional, random contract by which a natural or legal person takes upon himself for a certain time all or any of the risks of loss or damage that certain objects belonging to another person may face. This is done by forcing through a contract fee to compensate the loss or any other estimable damage suffered by the insured objects.

Parties Involved in an Insurance Contract

1. Insurer: The entity assuming the

Unnatural Morality: The morality of the weak and resentful, affirming a higher world to which we must sacrifice in this life. It arises in opposition to natural morality, which is based on the desire for power and the value of earthly life. Unnatural morality, born of resentment, seeks to make virtue of its defects. All morality that demands sacrifice and mortification in this life to earn another in the hereafter is an unnatural morality.

Traditional morality has fallen into the following errors:

• Moral Dogmatism: Considering moral values as objective and universal, forgetting that we are the ones who believe in them.
• Anti-Vitalism: Enacting laws that go against the main trends of life. Nietzsche argues that this is the morality of resentment

Metaphysics and Epistemology

Metaphysics: Exploring the Nature of Reality

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that investigates the fundamental nature of reality, including existence, being, and the world around us. It delves into the first principles of things and seeks to understand the underlying structure of reality.

Epistemology: The Study of Knowledge

Epistemology is the philosophical discipline concerned with the nature, scope, and limitations of knowledge. It explores questions such as: What is knowledge? How do we acquire knowledge? What are the sources of knowledge? And how can we justify our beliefs?

Theories of Truth

Philosophers have explored various theories of truth, including:

• Coherence Theory: Truth is determined by the logical

Introduction: Aristotle's Conception of Nature

Before comparing and contrasting their views, let's introduce Aristotle, a disciple of Plato, and his understanding of nature (physis). Aristotle sees nature as the internal principle of motion and change within natural beings. Unlike artificial objects, natural beings possess their own source of activity. For instance, a seed growing into a tree is a natural change, while a chair made from the tree is a product of human artistry, not nature.

To explain motion and change without falling into Parmenides's trap (the idea that change is an illusion), Aristotle uses the concepts of potentiality and actuality. The seed is potentially a tree, while the fully grown tree is the actualization of that potential.... Continue reading "Aristotle vs. Plato: Comparing and Contrasting Their Philosophical Views on Nature and Knowledge" »

David Hume's Moral Emotivism

The Science of Human Nature

David Hume, a figure of the Enlightenment, championed freedom, tolerance, and the suppression of superstition and fanaticism. As a radical British empiricist, alongside Locke and Berkeley, Hume believed in developing a science of human nature to further knowledge. This science aimed to explain human understanding through a critical review of knowledge, based on the empiricist principle that all knowledge comes from experience. Hume's analysis led him to phenomenalism and skepticism, asserting that we only know perceptions, reducing reality to mere phenomena. He questioned the possibility of knowing anything beyond perceptions with certainty, except for mathematical knowledge. This moderate... Continue reading "David Hume's Moral Emotivism: Feelings, Not Reason, Shape Morality" »