Sûreté

Is our universe one complicated computer game with us being mere artificial intelligence made of ones and zeros? This is a strange question, one that I believe cannot be totally disproven or proven but what can we know no matter the answer? The philosopher Descartes wrestled with similar questions. He was concerned about the nature of our reality and more specifically the nature of our knowledge. (Descartes 166-167) He wanted to form a base for knowledge and a method to prove that what we know…

The unique and foremost influence to psychology that Descartes had was his consideration of the mind-body interaction. Descartes lived as a French philosopher and mathematician who; in the early 17th century, agreed with the notion of a clockwork universe. According to the text, this notion of the times proposed that the universe could be likened to a clock due to the fact of its constancy, predictability, and exactitude. The clock could act as an allegory to expound upon the workings of the…

In this essay, I outline two similarities of Descartes and Spinoza—belief in apriori knowledge, and God as the infinite substance—as well as two differences—contrasting conceptions of God’s relation to the world, and mind-body relations. Both Spinoza and Descartes subscribe to the rationalist epistemology which claims that knowledge must be self-evident and derived from reasoning, rather than experience. As such, both philosophers believe in apriori knowledge, in which true knowledge is derived…

Ideas are defined as whatever is perceived or understood about something; despite this simple denotation, humankind 's capacity to acquire and understand these complex thoughts remains a controversy in philosophical literature. As major role models in the foundation of modern philosophy, Descartes and Locke feud over the definition of these ideas, the acquisition of these concepts, and the content of these thoughts. Descartes identifies with a rationalistic view where knowledge is based on…

A material thing,which is defined as something that has matter, cannot be moved by an immaterial thing, which is defined as something that does not have matter. The reasoning behind this is the laws of physics which do not allow something without matter to move something with matter. The body, which is a material substance, is moved by the mind, which is an immaterial substance. The reasoning behind this is the argument proposed by Descartes, known as Cartesian dualism, which claims that the…

During the beginning centuries in which the whole of Ireland was owned and governed by Britain, political issues were raised from the way in which Britain treated the people of Ireland and furthermore used them only to profit for the motherland of England. The British government boldly put forward governed acts against the Irish working people; these acts were established throughout the 17th century. The way in which the British government drove their proposed acts on Ireland made it harsher for…

Who is the first person who comes to mind when speaking of the Enlightenment Era? In the case of many, one very prominent figure, comes to mind, by the name of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A fellow French philosopher, writer, and composer, Rousseau surely does catch the attention of many with his extravagant occupations and ideas. Influenced by earlier philosophers such as Voltaire and John Locke, Rousseau expressed his voice in various subjects, ranging from human rights to the idea of society…

Many individuals go about their lives in an ordinary fashion, until someone around them deceives them. At that moment, this individual may seek the truth; this person will go out of their way to find the facts and the reality of the situation. In a sense, human beings are on a constant quest for the truth, without truly realizing it. However, two famous philosophers did notice this unforeseen quest: Rene Descartes and William James. Rene Descartes delves deeper into the topic of the truth in his…

Digital Marketing Consultant Candidate Self-Assessment Questionnaire Evaluation is a key factor in personal growth of a trainer and consultant. Yet many trainers struggle with “being evaluated” and evaluation methods. As a trainer and consultant you will need to develop an Evaluation State of Mind, meaning you should review each action for the resulting outcome; and quantify the observed results against the desired results. Take time to thoughtfully complete each question below with as much…

History has a tendency of repeating itself. Norms and laws may change, but viewpoints tend to fluctuate between being optimistic and pessimistic. This can be traced throughout humanity, with some decades being notably prosperous and optimistic and others being much more difficult and pessimistic. However, there are two periods in humanity that can be compared to on many different aspects and topics, with one of those topics focusing on human nature and epistemology. More specifically, whether…