Ethics and Politics: Foundations of a Just Society
Ethics and Politics
Freedom and responsibility are prerequisites for a moral life. The person is an end in itself, not a means. Dignity and freedom are moral foundations of autonomy.
Political Life
“Man is a political animal” (zoon politikon) – Aristotle. Humans are social beings living in communities organized by laws, enabling peaceful coexistence.
Politics involves citizen participation in public life, making decisions binding on all, despite differing interests. Persuasion, negotiation, and decision
Read MorePlato’s Philosophy: Exploring the World of Ideas and the Sensible World
Plato’s Theory of Ideas
Plato explains reality and phenomena through his Theory of Ideas. This theory encompasses two worlds: the sensible world and the world of Ideas.
The Sensible World
We perceive the sensible world through our senses. It consists of things constantly changing, subject to time and space. These things are material, changing, perishable, imperfect, and individual.
The World of Ideas
We perceive the world of Ideas through intelligence and reason. It consists of eternal, immutable ideas
Cosmogony to Quantum: Exploring Science’s Core Concepts
What is a cosmogony? A mythical tale explaining the origin of the universe and consciousness.
What constitutes the problem of demarcation? The problem of demarcating or delimiting what is and is not science has always been an important issue for scientists. Traditionally, it has been considered a physical science model because it allows better empirical verification of statements.
What criteria are used to classify the different scientific disciplines? Sciences are often classified by their virtual
Read MorePlato’s Philosophy: Exploring the Realm of Ideas
Plato’s Philosophy
Theory of Ideas
Plato’s philosophy centers on the duality of beings, contrasting the sensible material world with the intelligible world. The sensible world, perceived through our senses, is constantly changing. The intelligible world, grasped through thought, is the realm of perfect and unchanging forms or ideas.
According to Plato, true reality resides in these eternal, indivisible, immutable, absolute, and universal ideas. These ideas form a hierarchy, with the Good as the supreme
Read MorePlato’s Philosophy: Ideas, Soul, and Politics
Ontology: Theory of Ideas
Theory of Ideas: The acceptance of absolute realities, eternal, immutable, universal, and independent of the world we perceive through the senses. Concrete things in this world are just, beautiful, or good due to their participation in absolute ideas of justice, beauty, and goodness. They are imperfect realizations of these absolute ideas.
Platonic ideas are realities that exist independently of things.
Aristotle believed that the doctrine of ideas resulted from Heraclitus’
Read MoreThomas Aquinas: Medieval Philosophy and Theology
Thomas Aquinas
Context
Aquinas lived in the 13th century and belonged to the Dominican order. He studied and taught at the University of Paris, where his teacher was Albert the Great. The 13th century marked the zenith of the medieval world and the decline of feudal society. Cities grew, leading to the rise of the bourgeoisie, economic stability, and flourishing trade. Culturally, the era saw the rise of universities and the reception of Greek, Arab, and Jewish philosophical translations, making it
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