Process Versus Human Problem Is it possible to achieve ultimate perfection? How can humans become the best versions of themselves? For Enlightenment philosophers like Descartes, empirical thinking was the source of human improvement. For a Romantic poet like Charles Baudelaire, awareness of the nature of humanity was of most importance. In Descartes Discourse on Method and Charles Baudelaire’s collection of poetry, it is clear that both men had differing views on the understanding of self. While Descartes felt the need to prove himself to society, Baudelaire attempted show his rebellion against traditional society. Descartes believed that humans would thrive through only logic and reason alone, while Baudelaire looked to the things of the
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In his essay Discourse on Method, René Descartes, questioned the idea of truth and the understanding of it. His questioning lies in the process of how hypotheses are transformed into fact. The theme of Descartes life and study is that everything should be evaluated as far as possible until can no other possibilities remain. Descartes was meticulous as he describes his practices saying, “[L]ike a man who walks alone and in darkness, I resolved to go so slowly, and use so much circumspection in everything, that if I did not advance speedily, at least I should keep from falling” (110). Like many other Enlightenment thinkers, Descartes arrives at his conclusions of life, based on reason alone. Human beings best thrive when conclusions are made based on logic and reason …show more content…
Baudelaire squandered his money on art, travel, furniture, and women. His relationship with society was one of boredom while his relationship with women was rather desensitized. In “Flowers of Evil”, he presents a very fallen world in which the devil controls us all. According to Baudelaire, the we are slaves to the devil as he writes, “[T]he devil, watching by our sickbeds, hissed / Old smut and folk-songs to our soul, until / the soft and precious meatal of our will / Boiled off in vapor for this scientist” (9-12). Because of boredom with society, Baudelaire suggests that it is only within the nature of humans to fall victim to our vices and ultimately the devil. His rebellious nature can be observed as he describes things like demons, sex, arson, whores, and beggars. Baudelaire knows that when we fall victim to our vices that we are not truly repetitive because we are living a façade, completely overrun by the evils of the
In his essay Discourse on Method, René Descartes, questioned the idea of truth and the understanding of it. His questioning lies in the process of how hypotheses are transformed into fact. The theme of Descartes life and study is that everything should be evaluated as far as possible until can no other possibilities remain. Descartes was meticulous as he describes his practices saying, “[L]ike a man who walks alone and in darkness, I resolved to go so slowly, and use so much circumspection in everything, that if I did not advance speedily, at least I should keep from falling” (110). Like many other Enlightenment thinkers, Descartes arrives at his conclusions of life, based on reason alone. Human beings best thrive when conclusions are made based on logic and reason …show more content…
Baudelaire squandered his money on art, travel, furniture, and women. His relationship with society was one of boredom while his relationship with women was rather desensitized. In “Flowers of Evil”, he presents a very fallen world in which the devil controls us all. According to Baudelaire, the we are slaves to the devil as he writes, “[T]he devil, watching by our sickbeds, hissed / Old smut and folk-songs to our soul, until / the soft and precious meatal of our will / Boiled off in vapor for this scientist” (9-12). Because of boredom with society, Baudelaire suggests that it is only within the nature of humans to fall victim to our vices and ultimately the devil. His rebellious nature can be observed as he describes things like demons, sex, arson, whores, and beggars. Baudelaire knows that when we fall victim to our vices that we are not truly repetitive because we are living a façade, completely overrun by the evils of the