Informal logic

One of the first rules that is taught when learning Calculus is L’Hospital’s rule. The rule provides an easy technique to solve for a limit that has the indeterminate form 0/0. To get past this roadblock, L’Hospital’s rule allows for the individual differentiation of the numerator and denominator, and taking the limit of the result. If after the first application of the rule the limit once again produces the indeterminate form, it is possible to apply L’Hospital’s rule again. There is mystery…

The antinomies of pure reason are among the most important sections in Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, and transcendental philosophy in general. Among the antinomies, none were more well-recognized or well known than the third antinomy, which concerns the nature of freedom and determinism. This antinomy went on to pave the way for the rest of German Idealism, along with signaling a general shift in metaphysics that Kant himself would be engaged with for the rest of his life. As an indication of…

Harman presents the argument that we never have any evidence for or against any moral claim and that moral “facts” serve no purpose regarding the explanation of making observations unlike scientific facts do. In this essay, I will argue why I believe that Harman’s argument is ultimately successful, successful being that it is convincing of its conclusion. I will accomplish this by first paraphrasing Harman’s premises in an understandable manner. Next, I intend to provide a possible attack that…

Truth is Not What it is Truth is the reality of what has happened, however, the road to understanding truth is not always straightforward and smooth. This is because one person may perceive the truth one way, while another perceives the truth differently, so, their truths are different. In Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the steps towards discovering the real truth are discussed, and these concepts are present in William Shakespeare’s Othello. The characters created by Shakespeare in Othello…

The purpose of this paper is to explore the two different arguments provided by two different philosophers regarding the metaphysical and science. John Polkinghorne’s ontological argument and Richard Dawkin’s unwavering belief of evolution. Although I believe Polkinghorne’s argument to be undeniably incorrect. I plan to present the strongest evidence for both arguments in an attempt to ultimately see which one is most viable. I may add supporting claims from other philosophers throughout the…

“'Time management' is really a misnomer; the challenge is not to manage time, but manage ourselves. The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities,” philosophized Stephen Covey. Time management is all about delegation. One of the most difficult things I have ever undergone thus far in my twenty-one years of life is to efficiently find a healthy balance among my Penn Foster studies along with my job, family and other activities and responsibilities. I am a…

In this paper I will discuss the charges Meletus brings against Socrates in Plato’s Apology and the arguments that Socrates provides in his defense. Then, I will evaluate these arguments by considering what they establish, how they work, and, ultimately, whether or not they succeed in showing that Socrates is not guilty of Meletus’ charges. Meletus brings two charges against Socrates: (1) “Socrates is guilty of corrupting the young,” and (2) “of not acknowledging the gods the city acknowledges,…

In his “Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” John Locke fights tirelessly to disprove the existence of innate ideas, and instead rallies for the claim that ideas originate from experience. In one argument in particular, Locke elaborates on this by introducing the terms “sensation” and “reflection,” which he defines as two processes that supposedly act as the sources for each idea in the human mind. In a tone which exudes confidence, Locke boldly challenges his reader to locate one idea in…

In his Meditations on First Philosophy, René Descartes offers both an a priori and an a posteriori proof of God’s existence. Until Immanuel Kant introduced his epistemology—the notion of a priori synthetic judgments—Descartes’ a priori proof was generally considered purely demonstrative and analytic. However, analyzing Descartes using Kant’s epistemological foundations, reveals that Descartes’ a priori proof was both a priori and synthetic. Specifically, the Cartesian concept of clear and…

In Plato’s Republic, a portrayal of the longing quest to determine the most suitable conception of justice makes practical use between Socrates and fellow Athenians to examine the many aspects of the complex conception, especially justice’s value. Through Glaucon and Adeimantus’ challenge towards Socrates, the question of whether justice is good only for its consequences or worthy in itself is raised. In this essay, I offer an account on what Socrates means by justice and whether it’s good in…