Understanding Freedom: Human Action, Conditions, and Possibilities
Understanding Freedom: Human Conditions and Possibilities
What is Freedom?
Freedom means having different alternatives from which to choose. Freedom of action refers to actions carried out as we decide, without anyone preventing us. External freedom exists in the legal and political arena. Freedom of choice means that our choices may not be given voluntarily. Inner freedom relates to the field of morality.
Is Man Free?
This is a subjective belief. We inevitably conduct certain actions, but there are
Read MoreSophists’ Characteristics, Plato’s Myth, and Political Views
General Characteristics of the Sophists
- There is no truth, everything is a convention: Truth is an agreement, a convention decided by the majority, like in a democracy.
- No nature, only pairings: Unlike the Presocratics who explored nature (Physis), the Sophists consider it an empty concept.
- Moral values are conventional: The distinction between good and bad is culturally created, with moral values being conventional.
- Epistemological relativism: All truth is subject to change; there is no absolute truth,
The Welfare State: Purpose, Values, and Models
Understanding the Welfare State Model
Social heterogeneity and the existence of mismatched interests express the values and purposes attributed to the state. The actual experience of the Welfare State makes it a model that cannot be denied. It is often seen as the only instrument that can effectively tackle inequality while preserving freedom.
Core Purpose: Addressing Inequality and Ensuring Freedom
It is useful to recall the concept of existential provisions. The State must provide all that is necessary
Read MoreMyth, Logos, and Foundations of Philosophical Knowledge
Myth: Narratives of Belief
A collection of written and oral narratives recorded in works like Hesiod’s Theogony and Homer’s Odyssey.
Features of Myth
- Concepts like death, life, and love are personified and deified.
- Events in the world are believed to depend upon the will of the gods.
- Objects acquire properties distinct from their physical nature, allocated by divine forces.
Logos: Knowledge Through Reason
Knowledge acquired through reason, distinct from beliefs or myths.
Characteristics of Logos
- Rejects
Human Rights: Foundations, History, and Challenges
Understanding Human Rights
Since the late eighteenth century, the existence of fundamental human rights has been increasingly acknowledged. These rights are inherent to all human beings, founded either in reason or human conscience. As members of the same species, we all possess these rights equally. Consequently, everyone is entitled to these rights without distinction of age, sex, religion, ideology, economic or social position, or nationality. Human rights are applicable to all human beings living
Read MoreNietzsche and Mill: Morality, Power, and Social Utility
Nietzsche on Master and Slave Morality
Nietzsche argues that the world’s religions, especially monotheistic ones, stem from hate, not love, positioning priests as significant historical proponents of hate. He considers classical culture before the rise of major religions, where the term ‘good’ designated those in a vital, powerful condition, while ‘bad’ denoted the antithetical, weak condition. The ‘good’ (the strong or masters) felt no hatred towards the weak; they were simply satisfied with their
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