Kant’s Critical Philosophy: Reason, Ethics, and History
REASON
Kant, or critical or transcendental realism, studies the synthesis of data and experience, structured by our mind. Phenomena result from this synthesis. We put reason to trial to assess its problem-solving capacity.
Three Questions:
- What can I know? (Conditions, transcendental or a priori forms: theory of knowledge) – Critical Pure Reason: Part of what is already established science. We study the conditions that make the existence of science possible. It makes synthetic a priori judgments: synthetic
Essential Biology Terms and Concepts for Students
Key Biological Terms
Abiotic: Non-living.
Aerobic: Biological processes occurring in the presence of oxygen.
Anaerobic: Biological processes occurring without oxygen.
Anabolism: Metabolic reactions synthesizing larger molecules from smaller ones, requiring energy.
DNA: Molecule containing genetic information, responsible for protein production and hereditary transmission.
Alleles: Alternative forms of a gene.
Amino Acids: Building blocks of proteins.
Antibody: Plasma protein synthesized by the immune system,
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Philology, Nihilism, and the Superman
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: A Philological Approach
Understanding Nietzsche’s philosophy requires exploring its philological roots. For Nietzsche, philology transcends the mere study of language; it mirrors human reality by representing a specific time. He used Greek philology to uncover the forces behind the pre-classical tragic spirit: Apollo (god of sculpture and architecture) and Dionysus (god of dance and music).
Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality and Metaphysics
Nietzsche employed the genealogical
Antonio’s UK Adventures: Oxford to Cornwall
Chapter 4: Oxford
What makes Oxford University special?
It’s one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities, with 25 British Prime Ministers educated there.
Why was Antonio disappointed in Oxford?
He expected a historic town, but found modern shops like Burger King and Pizza Hut.
The Scholastica Massacre’s impact?
It caused a 600-year rift between townspeople and students, starting in 1355.
Oxford’s May Morning tradition?
Students watch the sunrise, jump into the river in formal attire, and
Franco’s Spain: Dictatorship to Transition
Franco Dictatorship and Contemporary Spain
The Francoist state emerged during the Spanish Civil War, consolidating Franco’s personal power. After the war, Franco established a totalitarian system, banning liberal democracy and communism. All powers were concentrated in the Head of State, with a single party, FET y de las JONS.
The state institutions included a monarchy without a king, traditional Catholic social representation, the Leader as Head of State, and the National Defense Board. Franco was
Read MoreBeyond Good and Evil: Exploring Nietzsche’s Core Concepts
Nietzsche’s Critique of Western Thought
1. The Flaw of Western Culture
According to Nietzsche, Western culture is inherently flawed due to its relentless pursuit of rationality. He believed that the downfall of Greek philosophy began with Parmenides’ “statism of being” and Plato’s “Theory of Forms.” Nietzsche viewed the Greek worldview as a symptom of decline, opposing the instinctive and biological aspects of human existence. He advocated for a thorough critique of Plato’s philosophy to eliminate
Read MoreMarxism, Russian Revolution, and the Rise of the USSR
Marxism
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- Manifest of the Communist Party (1848)
- First International
Marxism or Communism
- Motor force of history is the class struggle.
- Every dominant class tries to control the means of production.
- Each era is characterized by a mode of production.
- Accordingly, Marx designated human history as encompassing four stages of development in relations of production:
- Primitive communism: cooperative tribal societies.
- Slave society: development from tribal to city-state in which aristocracy
Modernity’s Failure in Spain: Historical Political Issues
Modernity’s Failure and Spain’s Historical Challenges
To understand contemporary Spanish society, we must examine its unresolved historical problems.
Américo Castro’s Thesis
Américo Castro’s thesis on “the historical reality of Spain” highlights the Reconquista‘s impact. This eight-century process shaped a unique Hispanic identity, characterized by:
- A disdain for manual work and applied science.
- An inegalitarian social structure with a landed aristocracy and landless peasants.
- A political culture prone
Catalan Nationalism and Spain’s Restoration Crisis
Catalan Nationalism: A Quest for Autonomy
The text is a primary source excerpt from “The Catalan Country” (1906) by Prat de la Riba, a conservative figure who co-founded the Unió Catalanista in 1891 and the Lliga Regionalista in 1901. This writing aimed to inform about the growing nationalist sentiment in Catalan society. De la Riba argues for a Catalan autonomous state within a federal regime, asserting that individuals with shared identities should form a nation with its own state, as opposed
Read MoreMonarchies and Empires: Evolution and Decline
The Old Regime: Absolute and Authoritarian Monarchies
During the Middle Ages, monarchies were weak and controlled by a powerful nobility. From the late 15th century, royal authority strengthened due to:
- Autonomy of the King against the Pope.
- Bureaucratization of the monarchy.
- Reduced importance of medieval parliamentary bodies.
- Development of urban capitalism generating income for monarchs (royal tax).
- Creation of royal armies imposing the king’s authority over nobles.
- Stabilization of borders.
- The king’