Descartes Locke's

¶ … life as developed by two famous philosophers. John Locke and Renee Descartes both believed they had come up with an understandable and scientific philosophy about the foundation of life. The writer of this paper compares and contrasts those beliefs. There were three sources used to complete this paper. Throughout history, mankind has tried to develop a philosophy that will explain the existence of life.

There have been abstract ideas, concrete ideas, spiritual ideas and others to try and explain the foundation of life in a way that can be understood in future generations. Two of the most scientifically respected men in history worked to develop theories about the foundation of life that could be understood in a scientific manner. John Locke and Renee Descartes are well-known for their theories about life. The theories have several similarities as well as several differences.

The men made history with their theories about the foundations of life, though Descartes theory seems to be the easiest to understand. Renee Descartes developed the theory about the foundation of life that is founded in the "I think therefore I am " basis of science (I Think, therefore I am.. NOT! (http://teachanimalobjectivity.homestead.com/files/return2.htm).According to Descartes the fact that he has the ability to think and examine things intellectually proves his existence and provides the foundation of his life (I Think, therefore I am..

NOT! (http://teachanimalobjectivity.homestead.com/files/return2.htm).He extrapolates this to mankind in general and believed that anyone who can think, therefore is. Because he wanted to eliminate the uncertainties in philosophy, and make it more like the "certainties" of mathematics he proceeded to discard all preconceived philosophic notions and started from what he conceived to be a rock solid foundation. The only thing Descartes found certain was the fact he was thinking.

He further felt that thought was not a thing-in-itself, and had to proceed from somewhere (vis., cause and effect), therefore since he was thinking the thoughts, he existed --by extension -- also. Hence, "thought" and "extension" were the very beginnings from which all things proceeded, "Cogito ergo sum" (I think therefore I am) (I Think, therefore I am.. NOT! (http://teachanimalobjectivity.homestead.com/files/return2.htm)." Descartes belief and theory was the corner stone for the western belief that life is man-centered.

Descartes did not believe that this theory extended to animals and believed that the ability to think was reserved for man and man alone and that ability created the human evolvement. In addition Descartes believed that the invention of God and all other spiritual truths were based in the ability of man to think it up. A in the world. John Locke was also a scientifically minded philosopher and his foundation of life belief were similar to Descartes however there were certain differences that set it apart.

John Locke and the mechanical mind. (http://www.newgenevacenter.org/new-geneva/analysis2.htm) According to Locke human thought was a base reality that involved minute particles moving around in space, using physical laws as the determining factor to their purpose and existence. His theory about the foundation of life differs from Descartes in the way it occurs. Descartes believed the thoughts created the reality, whereas Locke believed the intake of information caused the human mind to create a new or current reality based on that information that was taken in.

Vision, hearing, feeling, taste are the result of our sensory devices (eyes, ears, tongue, finger tips) being bombarded by these minuscule particles outside the body -- and coming to be organized by the brain into sight and thought packages. This process of the mind becoming aware of and learning about the outside world was all very mechanistic -- and stripped away the remaining medieval thoughts about how our souls are God-breathed and reflections of God's own nature.

Under Locke's treatment the human mind as mechanism was as devoid of "life" as much as the mechanical world "out there" that the scientists of the Enlightenment were subduing." Conclusion The two philosophies are similar in that they are scientifically based and believe that spiritual beliefs are a creation of the foundation of life. They are different in what they believe drives the ability to intellectually reason existence and information. Descartes said "I think therefore I am" while Locke believed the taking in of.