Philosophers the Following Two Questions

Philosophers

The following two questions will be answered in this essay. First, compare and contrast the views of Descartes and Hume with regards to the sources, contents of knowledge, methods of inquiry, certainty of knowledge and the limits of knowledge. Second, Hegel and Marx both dwell upon "the laws of historical development." How do they understand these laws and how did their understanding influence the course of historical development itself?

Descartes and Hume

Descartes' view of knowledge stems from his distinction of the mind and body. He believed the mind and body to be substances and that they exist apart from each other. He asserted because he could distinguish them apart that one was different from the other. He understood to doubt existence of things meant the thought process belonged somewhere. Each substance has attributes that define its essence. The principle attribute of the mind is thought. He believed that because of the separation, one could think abstractly on different planes but that this thought process made concepts inadequate. This to him made knowledge less concrete and certain. This limited the pursuit of knowledge in his mind. It limited the sources he could use.

Hume on the other hand believed in Causal Belief. This theory is a scientific hypothesis which explains previously given facts and which purports it predict other facts. He wanted to look at the facts, inspect the physical outcome and observe. He wanted to reduce the principles to a greater simplicity to resolve the relationship between cause and effect. He relied on observation and impression. He concluded that response to the observation was directly influenced by the act of observing. His theory seems confusing and this limits knowledge. It limits different sources of information that he couldn't observe. He relied on only one method to carry out his theory. Still he explored the possibility of imagination and unusual experience but he knew his theory limited his results.

Hegel and Marx

Both Hegel and Marx dwelled on the concept of historical development. They each have a different understanding of how these laws work with respect to history's role. Marx focused on the past and present history as it relates to society. He focused on class struggles throughout history. He believed out of struggle created values to define the present. He envisioned a society of heavy industry being over developed to a state of direct labor time. He believed society would evolve beyond Capitalism. He only considered class struggle and this limits his influence on history itself. Ironically, his idea of a better working society collapsed and Capitalism was put in its place.