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¶ … Immanuel Kant that the particular divisions of ancient philosophy be explained so that he may offer his reconciliation between the major accomplishments of the past by avoiding their drawbacks. Essentially, many of Kant's philosophical efforts can be seen as innovative reactions to the brilliantly constructed skepticism of David Hume. Hume made it obvious that both the rationalists and empiricists must be wrong -- or at least only partially right -- so Kant must emphasize their differences in order to offer his alternative marriage between material and form.
Kant is a rationalist of a specific kind. He believes that the a priori deductive reasoning of previous rationalists must be groundless -- it is not rooted in the human experience. Nevertheless, he still believes that the human mind is centrally what stands at the crossroads of decision; rational thought, he contends, can lead us to determining the morality of our actions. It is out of this that the "laws of freedom" must grow in order to have any coherence.
To Kant, rational beings should do moral philosophy. We all engage in moral decision-making every day, but if we merely make our choices based upon our immediate experiences and situations we ignore our own humanity and that of others as well. Empiricism can only tell us what is obvious -- what we already know -- but introspection may tell us what is innately demanded of us morally.
Principally, the purpose of Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals is just as the title would suggest: he wishes to establish a foundation from which philosophical deduction can spring forth. Our senses and our minds work together in a manner that gives abstract philosophy some link to a more objective reality.
Since Kant's categorical imperative is explicitly inclusive in its nature, racism must be considered unacceptable within its framework. If we recognize all human beings as rational beings, and believe that they have a duty to perform certain actions, then this duty applies to everyone. If racial discrimination is acceptable for me, it is acceptable for those I discriminate against. So, if I am a racist, I am endorsing an action that harms myself -- this is wrong.
Moral Philosophy Can desires and feelings be in accordance with or contrary to reason? Are they under the control of, or guided by, reason? Compare, contrast, and critically evaluate the answers of Aristotle and Hume to these questions and their arguments in support of those answers. David Hume is one of the most significant philosophers of the 18th Century. Hume is skeptical about moral truths, and he ascertains that ethics comes from
Self-Reflection and the Philosophical Mirror In Plato's Socratic dialogue in Apology, Socrates makes the bold declaration that "the unexamined life is not worth living" (Apology 38a). Since I am a great believer in the value of self-examination, this quote seemed to be a perfect opening to my essay. However, as I delved deeper into the text, I began to realize that this quote is often taken out of context. On a
September 11 and the New Emerging International Order America and Europe in the New World Order This is a paper that outlines the international order in American and Europe in the formation of New World Order. It has 11 sources. As the War in Iraq takes place, and people hope for a quick end to all conflicts around them there is deep thought continuously being given to the emergence of a new
Philosophy Nietzsche often identified life itself with "will to power," that is, with an instinct for growth and durability. This concept provides yet another way of interpreting the ascetic ideal, since it is Nietzsche's contention "that all the supreme values of mankind lack this will -- that values which are symptomatic of decline, nihilistic values, are lording it under the holiest names" (Kaufmann 1959). Thus, traditional philosophy, religion, and morality
Typically, Japanese marry before a Shinto altar and are buried, after cremation, in a Buddhist funeral. Many people, young and old, pay a New Years visit to a Shinto shrine and visit family graves once or twice a year. Young couples take their children to a Shinto shrine at the shichi-go-san festival to celebrate the ages 3, 5, and 7. For funeral and periodic memorial services, a family invites
Although these stem cells are only a few years old, they possess unlimited potential in terms of clinical research. Specifically, scientists are focusing their potential uses in transplant medicine in order to significantly reduce the level of both infections and overall organ rejection in organ transplant surgery. The potential for using stem cells is of vast clinical and medical importance. These cells could potentially allow scientists to learn what occurs