Understanding Metaphysics: Core Concepts and Key Thinkers
Metaphysics: Exploring the Nature of Reality
Metaphysics is the study of the fundamental nature of reality and being. Aristotle noted that a deeper analysis of the common aspects of all that exists was necessary, beyond the study of natural phenomena. This analysis became the object of ‘first philosophy,’ focusing on the study of reality and existence itself.
Aristotle’s View on Being
Aristotle stated that first philosophy explores the features of ‘being qua being,’ also known as substance. He sought
Read MoreDescartes’ Philosophy: Exploring Mind-Body Dualism and Thought
Descartes: Knowledge and Ideas
The Cartesian notion of cogitatio, or thought, is central to Cartesian philosophy. According to Descartes, for an act to be considered thought, it needs to be borne by immediate consciousness. Descartes identifies two types of acts that fall under thought: cognitive acts (perception) and acts of will.
Thought is the main attribute of the spiritual substance, which is why identifying the soul means identifying the thinking substance. It is also thought that confirms one’
Read MoreUnderstanding Empiricism and Its Philosophical Foundations
Empiricism Unlike rationalists, defended the human mind as capable of resolving problems by applying the appropriate method. For empiricists, it was doubtful whether one could attain some knowledge; they did not believe in the rational powers of man. Locke (1632–1704) was born in a household in Wrington. He was Puritan, bonded by a love of simple things and hard work. He studied the classics and joined the University of Oxford, where he lived for 30 years. He studied logic and metaphysics from
Read MoreNietzsche: Nihilism, Superman, and the Will to Power
Critique of Western Culture and Platonism
Plato distinguished between the world of ideas and the world of things. Nietzsche argues that Western philosophy has historically valued the world of ideas to the detriment of the sensible, metaphysical world. This valuation, he contends, has weakened and stunted human lives. To explain this, Nietzsche introduces the concepts of the Apollonian and the Dionysian in his book The Birth of Tragedy.
The symbols of Apollo and Dionysus represent the opposition and
Read MoreUnderstanding Knowledge: Epistemology, Belief, and Truth
The sciences provide us with knowledge about reality, or a part of reality. However, we also possess other kinds of knowledge, acquired directly through our experience and culturally transmitted. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that analyzes knowledge, determining its origin, methods for obtaining it, and its limits. The interest in knowledge has been constant throughout history. Since the seventeenth century, the problem of knowledge has gained significant importance, with epistemological
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Vitalism, Art, and Critique
Nietzsche represents a critique of rationalism and idealism from a new perspective with two facets:
- A negative side: criticism of the main concepts and values that have traditionally served to explain the world in Western culture.
- A positive side: the attempt to understand and explain life as the deep background of what unfolds. Hence, his philosophy is known as vitalism.
Tragic View of Life
The Birth of Tragedy in the Spirit of Music outlines the key themes of Nietzsche’s philosophy. He describes life
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