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

Chronological Periods of Plato's Dialogues

The talks are arranged into four distinct periods:

• 1. Youth: Apology, Crito, Charmides, etc.
• 2. Transition: Gorgias, Meno, Hippias I & II, Cratylus, etc.
• 3. Maturity: Banquet (Symposium), Phaedo, Republic, Phaedrus, etc.
• 4. Old Age: Sophist, Politicus, Laws, etc.

The Youth Period

Works from this period are very agile and the dialogue is very lively. These works are often very neat, passing from one subject to another, though the endings are often abrupt. The figure of Socrates is present, and the historical Socrates appears fairly well documented. There is a street environment, as the text reflects the conversations of Socrates.

The Transition Period

These dialogues were written before Plato's first trip... Continue reading "Evolution of Plato's Dialogues and Socratic Dialectic" »

Human Origins and Development

Creationism vs. Evolution

Creationism posits the separate and final creation of all living species. In contrast, Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) introduced the concept of evolution, where species undergo continuous transformations through natural selection. Mendel's work on biological inheritance further refined our understanding of how traits are passed down. Modern evolutionary theory combines natural selection with mutations.

Theories of Human Origin

There are several theories regarding the origin of our species. The multiregional theory (Wolpoff) suggests that Homo sapiens arose from different prehistoric populations worldwide through continuous gene flow. The "Out of Africa" theory (Stringer)... Continue reading "Human Evolution, Culture, and Behavior" »

Legal Philosophy: Justice, Validity, and Efficacy

The relationship between justice, validity, and the effect (efficacy) of law is central to legal philosophy.

Some argue that if a legal standard does not comply with justice, it should not be compulsory, and therefore should not be considered valid. However, this argument is often rejected by those who state that the validity or enforceability of the law is independent of its justice or injustice. They assert that the law is valid simply because the standard has been created by man, usually under the authority of the State.

Alongside these notions is Efficacy (or effectiveness), which means that the legal standard is met in practice. This occurs either because the addressee of the rule obeys it... Continue reading "Thomas Aquinas: Natural Law, Validity, and Legal Efficacy" »

Descartes's Quest for Knowledge and Method

Our understanding of reality stems from various sources. While empiricism posits that knowledge originates from our senses, rationalism asserts that true and valid knowledge about reality is derived from reason. This rationalist perspective, particularly as championed by René Descartes, is deeply connected with the foundational ideas of modern science, emphasizing deduction. For Descartes, our knowledge of reality can be established deductively from certain self-evident ideas and principles, which he considered innate.

Background to Descartes's Philosophy

• 1. Motivations for a New Method

  • Negative Motivation: Descartes was critical of his contemporary educational environment, which he found to be based

Plato's Political Philosophy and the Common Good

Plato's Ideal City and the Philosopher King

In the ideal city (polis), the primary objective is the common good. The goal of justice in society is to safeguard the common good through objective laws. In the philosophy of Plato, the Philosopher King is crucial.

The wise have the task of governing because they are in contact with the World of Ideas (Forms), meeting authentic reality, where the supreme values reside.

5.1. Plato's Five Forms of Government

Plato distinguishes between just and unjust states. We identify five forms of government, listed from the fairest to the worst:

• Aristocracy (Monarchy): The government of the best (the wise). This is the fairest form, whether ruled by one (Monarchy) or

Understanding Metaphysics

Reason faces issues it is incapable of solving, themes that have emerged for humanity and have never received a response. These unresolved questions form the core of metaphysical thought. Metaphysics rationally and conceptually provides the essence of what exists beyond the information gained through the senses, that is, a priori.

Reason itself provides basic knowledge and decides which ones are true. Its purpose is to achieve perfect knowledge of everything.

Metaphysics is also responsible for any mental speculation that goes beyond sensory and spiritual reality. It deals with essences, first and final causes, and the necessary relationships in all that exists. It also influences moral issues dogmatically.

Different Interpretations

What is History?

History is a social science that studies human life in society, considering the space and time in which they live. It uses a specific method and selects documents to develop historical knowledge. Historians define their object of study and then select and define the documents they will use. These documents can include oral testimonies, material remains, written documents, etc. Space and time are key to the historian, as human societies occupy a space and exist within a given time that influences them.

• It is a social science.
• Based on documents from the past: evidence, letters, testimonies, images, and fossil remains.
• Space and time are key.
• Hypothesis, observation, experiment, conclusion, or theory.

Reflection on the Meaning of Studying

Karl Marx: A Materialist Perspective

The Essence of Man

Marx argues that the essence of man lies in work, emphasizing our material relationship with nature and others. While this perspective holds merit, it overlooks the sentimental aspect of human existence. Family bonds, for example, are not solely material but deeply emotional. However, I agree with Marx's assertion that humans must produce their livelihoods; acquiring goods or food necessitates work.

Alienation of the Worker

Marx's theory of alienation posits that workers are alienated from the product and process of their labor. Forced to sell their labor power for survival, they lose control over their work and themselves. This resonates with the current reality where unskilled workers... Continue reading "Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche: A Comparative Analysis" »

Thales of Miletus

Little remains of Thales's original writings, but his views are widely referenced. He theorized that water is the fundamental principle of all things. He also believed the Earth was motionless, floating on water.

Anaximander of Miletus

Anaximander followed a similar philosophical path, interpreting the relationship between humanity and the cosmos. He introduced the concept of Apeiron (the boundless or indefinite) as the fundamental principle of existence, containing the cause of birth and destruction throughout the world.

Anaximenes of Miletus

Also from Miletus, Anaximenes proposed air as the foundational element of all things. He theorized that the varying densities of air, through condensation and rarefaction, give rise to the... Continue reading "Foundational Ideas of Early Greek Philosophy" »

Critique of Anselm's Ontological Argument

St. Thomas' Rejection of the Argument

St. Thomas, consistent with his realism, cannot accept an argument like the ontological argument, which derives God's existence from His essence alone.

Formulation of the Ontological Argument (AO)

Indeed, the AO can be formulated as a syllogism whose premises are:

• Major premise: God is perfect.
• Minor premise: Existence is a perfection.
• Conclusion: God exists.

Knowledge of God's Essence

St. John of Damascus would have raised the difficulty about rationally proving God's existence from His essence, because regarding God, we only have negative knowledge ("In God, one only knows what is not"). One cannot prove the existence of a substance that is unknown.

Aquinas' Counter-Argument