Existence precedes essence

religion. Science by definition based on the subject matter is a continuing search or quest that makes progress but never arrives at the absolute truth. What leads those in science is the philosophy of naturalism that does not give advise the existence of anything supernatural at any time in history. Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs relating to transcendent realities concerning the purpose and meaning in the world, expressed in social practices. There is always room for debate…

The ‘Authentic existence’ however, is achieved when the individual realizes who they are, and distinguishes itself as a unique entity. The ‘authentic Self’ is then ‘concerned’ with their unique destiny, as oppose to the ‘inauthentic Self’ or ‘Theyself’ which is on par with the status quo and has no individuality (Hornsby page 3, paragraph 3). Finally, Heidegger gives the term ‘Verfall’ as “a fallen away”, “the lack of perception of an existence carried out in terms of ‘oneness’…

As long as Descartes’ is able to think, he will exist. Therefore, something must already be in existence that is thinking. Descartes’ may still question, or even doubt the capacity in which he exists, but this doubt serves as a proof in the reality that he does, in fact, exist. In his quest to find true doubt in realities, Descartes’ begins to question…

In the 1998 film, The Truman Show, featuring Jim Carrey as the main protagonist, it poses philosophical questions pertaining to Plato’s allegory of the cave found in The Republic. The main character of a fictional television show was Truman Burbank who lived in an alternate reality that was actually a television set that he perceived to be real. From his birth, to early childhood, teenage years, and adult life, Truman has been filmed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a television…

The individual itself comes into existence when “[necessary causes] interact with one another until particular things come to exist as a result.” Avicenna’s specific term for the principle being is the “Necessary Existent,” to capture the concept that all being necessarily comes from the…

For instance, if humans were controlled by the matrix, there would be a moment in their lives where they would doubt their truth existence. When they question their reality versus their dreams, they might encounter the question, “what if my reality is indeed the reality of somebody else, like a higher power or computer?” In this thought, they are challenging the matrix. The moment…

not refer to some other “non-X.” When one finds the true identity of some “X,” then one understands the ultimate nature/reality of that thing. If this true identity of some “X” is proved to be exhaustive, and essence-less, then “X” has no ultimate nature or essence. This “X” is empty of essence, which is the true definition of emptiness. Using Nāgārjuna’s analysis of Desire and the one who Desires, a more exact logic can be made of Happiness and the Happy Mind (Katsura and Siderits 65). If the…

no one teaching them about the existence of a god, and by extension souls, it can be assumed she would not necessarily believe they exist. If a soul is not a natural conclusion for the individual, it is unlikely they exist outside of an old explanation for scientific phenomena. Since we have the knowledge of neurology, religious reasoning begins to lose its hold in reality.…

both of them were guided by a single minded passion, but taking heed to the consequences of what happens once they reach that objective. While Victor did not intend to add fulfillment to the creature’s life, their interactions defined both of their existences. If nothing else, Frankenstein is a cautionary tale, of what happens when someone touches upon knowledge without truly understanding it. The ethics of science were lost upon Victor, and for his sampling of the forbidden fruit of creation,…

The existence of a soul and its connection to the human body is debated often in metaphysics, since its substance could possibly prove or disclaim the existence of life after the body dies. If the soul exists, and is unrelated to the body, then it may possibly continue on without a corporeal form. If the soul is a byproduct of the body, than it is just as mortal, and will cease to exist when the heart stops. It is my belief that the soul is the result of thought, and is unconnected to the human…