Cartesian Philosophy: Reason, Doubt, and Certainty
Descartes’ Cogito and the Criterion of Truth
The objective was to develop a philosophy by using only genuine reason. A system of interconnected truths, arranged so that the mind grasps fundamental truths as self-evident truisms, with others implied by the proposed premises. Descartes started from scratch and accepted only what his reason offered as indubitable.
To build this philosophy, Descartes believed a method was necessary. The method is not required because human reason is unable to find truth,
Read MoreSocial Class Structures: Goldthorpe’s Scheme vs. Marx’s Theory
John Goldthorpe’s Class Scheme: A Modern Perspective
John Goldthorpe sought to explain the workings of social classes in the late twentieth century. Through observation and empirical studies, he detected that Karl Marx’s scheme was too rigid. Consequently, Goldthorpe developed an explanatory model that could better explain contemporary society, specifically incorporating the concept of ‘social mobility,’ which Marx’s theory did not consider.
Factors Determining Social Class
Goldthorpe identifies two
Read MoreUnderstanding Citizenship: Rights, Identity, and Public Life
Understanding Citizenship: Core Concepts and Debates
Essential Features of Citizenship
Citizenship encompasses:
- A set of rights and duties.
- A peculiar form of community.
- Some rules governing coexistence.
Membership in Society or Community
Citizenship denotes a particular form of collective identity, an accession that you can be more or less broad, more or less inclusive.
Two more notes define membership, especially relevant in today’s philosophical-political debate:
- Identity: Citizenship goes beyond the
Philosophical Divergence: Plato and Marx on Society
Plato vs. Marx: Political Conceptions Compared
This comparison highlights key similarities and differences in the political conceptions of Plato and Marx.
Similarities and Differences in Political Thought
Social Change Dynamics
Similarity: Both philosophers argue that civil strife, wars, and class divisions, often grounded in selfishness, are the main dynamic forces for social change.
Difference: For Plato, the historical process follows a linear downward trajectory, leading to a deemed necessary hegemonic
Rationalism and Empiricism: Core Philosophical Concepts
Philosophical Orientations of Knowledge
Rationalism
Radical Rationalism
Radical Rationalism defends that only reason provides valid knowledge. Its proponents reject sensory knowledge, believing it to be deceptive, showing only appearances and never true reality. Radical rationalists tend to hold innatist positions, asserting that reason is the fundamental basis of knowledge and that certain components of knowledge are proven a priori (before experience).
Moderate Rationalism
Moderate Rationalists acknowledge
Read MoreFoundations of Political Science: Concepts and Methodology
Political Science, broadly and non-technically, is the study of phenomena and/or political structures. It involves a systematic approach conducted with scientific rigor, supported by a comprehensive review of facts developed on the basis of rational arguments.
Elements for Scientific Rigor in Political Science
For Political Science to be considered a science, it must possess these three elements:
- Orientation of Study: A clear focus for investigation.
- Application to Political Phenomena: The study should