Hegel’s Phenomenology: The Reduction of Real Alienation
The Reduction of Real Alienation to Abstract Thought
The first emergence of this critique is most clearly seen in the Phenomenology of Spirit, which serves as the cradle of Hegelian philosophy. When Hegel views entities such as wealth, state power, and so forth, as alienated essences for human beings, this occurs only in a speculative manner. These entities are treated as ideal, representing merely a philosophical estrangement of the pure, or abstract, idea. All movement in this system begins and
Read MoreDavid Hume’s Skepticism and the Foundations of British Empiricism
David Hume’s Philosophy and Modern Empiricism
Introduction to Modern Empiricism
Empiricism is a constant in English philosophical, political, and scientific thought, integrating all British philosophers, starting from the Oxford School (thirteenth century).
However, when the History of Philosophy speaks of the “empiricist period,” it refers to a shorter period spanning **F. Bacon** (16th century) to **D. Hume** (18th century), including other thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Berkeley.
This line of
Read MoreClassical and Modern Theories of Political Society
Aristotle
For Aristotle, man is social by nature. This is because man develops fully only through the cultivation of reason.
Society, for this author, has as its main goal to provide mechanisms and appropriate opportunities for man to achieve virtue.
In this way, the polis (city-state) should be governed by laws that are adequate for this purpose and adapted to its members. It is therefore extremely important to educate citizens to become part of city government.
Like Plato, Aristotle distinguished
Read MoreThe Philosophical Case for Innate Ideas: Plato to Modern Nativism
The Thesis of Innate Ideas: Philosophical Foundations
Do you agree with the thesis that humans have innate ideas? Provide reasons for your response.
Plato’s Theory of Knowledge and Innate Ideas
Plato’s thesis regarding the existence of innate ideas must be understood within the context of his entire philosophical system. The Platonic theory of knowledge supports the acceptance that the soul is eternal and has encountered these ideas during a life that precedes its existence on Earth. The perfect life
Read MorePlato’s Theory of Forms and Aristotle’s Metaphysics
Plato: The Intelligible World and Political Philosophy
The Intelligible World of Ideas
The intelligible world of ideas, according to Plato, is the true reality—the field where ideas are located. This reality cannot be accessed through the use of the senses but is reached by employing the most excellent part of the soul: reason. This authentic reality has a religious character and significant consequences in the fields of epistemology, ethics, and politics. Situated above all other ideas, we find
Read MorePhilosophical and Sociological Foundations of Human Nature
Cultural Diversity and Tolerance
Cultural diversity encompasses many different cultures, each with its own languages, customs, and myths. When studying different cultures, two extreme views must be avoided: ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural Relativism
- Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures using one’s own cultural criteria. Ethnocentrism can hide racist attitudes, which occurs when cultural differences are equated with biological differences.
- Cultural Relativism: The view