Introduction to Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Philosophy Essay I. Pre-Socratic Period also known as the Cosmological Period (cosmos meaning universe) *questions about human existence and subsistence (basic needs) Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers: Anaxagoras Thales (he held that water is the fundamental stuff of all things, saying â€Å"All is water†) Anaximander Xenophanes Heraclitus Anaximenes Empiricism – a theory which states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience II. Socratic Period also known as the Era of Scientific Discoveries III. Church Period also known as the Theological/Dogmatic Period. Dogmatic – from the word dogma (teachings of the Catholic church) Martin Luther – the most controversial bishop during his time; he questioned the teachings of the Catholic church IV. Rebellion Period also known as the Period of Protestantism *Martin Luther started Protestantism and established the Lutheran church; he questioned the indispensability of the pontis and the institution of the sacraments (holy order and marriage) division of the Catholic church: Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox 4 legal systems: English law Roman law Arabic/Mohammedan law Anglo-American law. V. Renaissance Period renaissance meaning rebirth also known as the Arts and Literature Period (which focused on religion) VI. Modern Period also known as the Period of Industrialization ? introduction to machines ? social problem of unemployment arose ? battle between man and machines 2 social classes: ? bourgeoisie – the ruling class of the two basic classes of capitalist society, consisting of capitalists, manufacturers, bankers, and other employers. The bourgeoisie owns the most important of the means of production, through which it exploits the working class ?proletariat the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive, the lowest or poorest class of people Friedrich Engels – mentor of Karl Marx *. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels campaigned for a classless society known as communism communism the political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e. g. , mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society; people don’t have private ownership. Das Kapital – one of the major works of the 19th-century economist and philosopher Karl Marx (1818–83), in which he expounded his theory of the capitalist system, its dynamism, and its tendencies toward self-destruction. He described his purpose as to lay bare â€Å"the economic law of motion of modern society. † Lenin and Stalin – leaders of the Russian Revolution who first introduced communism COMMUNISM (zero ownership) SOCIALISM (ownership by few) DEMOCRACY (controlled by the majority of people) Definition of Philosophy from the words â€Å"de finire† meaning â€Å"to limit† 3 types of definition: 1. Etymological – derived from the word â€Å"etymos† meaning â€Å"origin† Etymology of Philosophy by Pythagoras philia (love) sophia (wisdom) greek words 2. Nominal – derived from the word â€Å"nomen† meaning â€Å"name† 3. Real definition – maybe conceptual or operational definition Real definition of Philosophy a science of beings that investigates the ultimate causes of things, events, etc. , with the aid of human reason alone *philosophers investigate by asking questions human reason – the instrument in philosophy branches of science: ? natural ? social ? Physical botany philosophy e. g. physics e. g. e.g. beings – subject matter of philosophy; anything that exists 2 types of beings: a) potential – exists without intrinsic contradiction b) actual – exists with intrinsic contradiction uncreated God (theology focused on the study of God) created living man plants animals soul soul soul rational vegetative sensitive non-living universe (cosmology study of the universe) outside the universe (metaphysics from the word meta meaning beyond) principles of life soul life spirit – principle of unity what makes man unique? his characteristics characteristics of man: ? body and soul (rational psychology – study of soul existence) ? body without soul – corpse ? soul without body – ghost ? intellect – to know the â€Å"truth† (logic – correct reasoning; epistemology – validity of human knowledge) ? will – in search of â€Å"good† (ethics or moral philosophy) branches of philosophy connected to man rational psychology deals with spirituality and religion logic deals with mental and psychological circumstances epistemology deals with physiological/bi ological aspect ethics deals with the physical aspect of man Phenomenological method – method of knowing man. Edmund Husserl – a mathematician, modern philosopher, and the main proponent of phenomenology steps in phenomenological method: i. epoche – method of bracketing man’s natural attitudes (e. g. , biases or prejudices) ii. eidetic reduction – from the word â€Å"eidos† meaning â€Å"essence†; method of reducing the events to its essence to know the real importance of the phenomenon iii. phenomenological transcendental reduction – method of reducing the essence to its subject ? to the very activity itself love – disinterested giving of oneself to other being kinds of love: fraternal. paternal/maternal erotic romantic Understanding the Nature of Philosophical Inquiry *on the distinction between philosophy and natural science natural science ? scientific investigation â€Å"What is Philosophy† by Lauer, S. J. (philosophy in physical science) *can philosophy be taught? philosophy can be defined by doing it *why do we harm philosophy when we define it? philosophy is essentially a dynamic process, the attempt to define it is to stop the process *philosophy is an attitude, a way of life, responsible thinking and not a discipline; not a body of knowledge.

Leda and the Swan Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

In William Butler Yeats poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan†, he uses the fourteen lines of the traditional sonnet form in a radical, modernist style. He calls up a series of unforgettable, bizarre images of an immediate physical event using abstract descriptions in brief language. Through structure and language Yeats is able to paint a powerful sexual image to his readers without directly giving the meaning of the poem. â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is a violent, sexually explicit poem with its plain diction, rhythmic vigor, and allusions to mystical ideas about the universe, the relationship of human and divine, and the cycles of history. It can be seen as a poem about the way a single event is to be understood as part of a larger scheme; the result of the god’s assault on Leda is the birth of Helen of Troy...

K-12 Curriculum Essay

Poverty * One of the biggest problems we Filipinos suffer. In reality, PHILIPPINES IS NOT A POOR COUNTRY. The problem is that wrong people mismanage and misgovern the budget of our country. Because of this mismanagement, citizens suffer and pay the price. And now, they’re implementing this curriculum that would be another burden to us Filipinos. If 10 years is already a big thing for parents, then what more is 12 years of sending their children to schools? Yes, there are public schools all around our country, but think about it. Many parents are minimum-wage-earners and aside from the education of their children, there are still other important things included in their monthly budget. So why add 2 more years in the basic education of an average Filipino? Lack of Excellent teachers * In our present time, we see that teachers are indemand and in the curriculum they implemented, teachers are needed. MORE EXCELLENT teachers are needed to be able to produce globally competitive students. There are many taking Education as their course but where are they? Most of them are working overseas. A proof that Philippines doesn’t need to adopt the education system of other countries for Filipinos to be successful and productive citizens. Now that K-12 program is already in use, the government should figure out how and where can they get the people to produce competitive, bright students. Lack of facilities, classrooms and equipments * We all have to accept the fact that in terms of facilities, classrooms and equipments in the schools in the Philippines, our country is underprivileged. For a good quality of education, a comfortable place to study is a big factor affecting this. Even before, classrooms are already inadequate, just think about adding more years in high school. Before the government have decided about a new education system, it could have been better if they solved the problems in the education in the Philippines first. We already have a good quality of education in our country, there are just some points we need to improve. Better education is needed not MORE education. If the government just used the allotted budget for this project to solve other economic issues, it could have helped more Filipinos. To cut everything short, there is just one thing I’d like you to comprehend. The answer to the question is simply NO.

Aztlan, The Mythical Homeland of the Aztec-Mexica

Aztlà ¡n (also spelled Aztlan or sometimes Aztalan) is the name of the mythical homeland of the Aztecs, the ancient Mesoamerican civilization also known as the Mexica. According to their origin myth, the Mexica left Aztlan at the behest of their god/ruler Huitzilopochtli, to find a new home in the Valley of Mexico. In the Nahua language, Aztlan means â€Å"the Place of Whiteness† or â€Å"the Place of the Heron.† Whether it was a real place or not is open to question. What Aztlan Was Like According to the various Mexica versions of the stories, their homeland Aztlan was a luxurious and delightful place located on a large lake, where everyone was immortal and lived happily among abundant resources. There was a steep hill called Colhuacan in the middle of the lake, and in the hill were caves and caverns known collectively as Chicomoztoc, where the ancestors of the Aztec lived. The land was filled with vast quantities of ducks, herons, and other waterfowl; red and yellow birds sang incessantly; great and beautiful fish swam in the waters and shade trees lined the banks. At Aztlan, the people fished from canoes and tended their floating gardens of maize, peppers, beans, amaranth, and tomatoes. But when they left their homeland, everything turned against them, the weeds bit them, the rocks wounded them, the fields were filled with thistles and spines. They wandered in a land filled with vipers, poisonous lizards, and dangerous wild animals before reaching their home to build their place of destiny, Tenochtitlan. Who Were the Chichimecas? In Aztlà ¡n, the myth goes, the Mexica ancestors dwelled in place with seven caves called Chicomoztoc (Chee-co-moz-toch). Each cave corresponded to one of the Nahuatl tribes which would later leave that place to reach, in successive waves, the Basin of Mexico. These tribes, listed with slight differences from source to source, were the Xochimilca, Chalca, Tepaneca, Colhua, Tlahuica, Tlaxcala and the group who were to become the Mexica. Oral and written accounts also mention that the Mexica and the other Nahuatl groups were preceded in their migration by another group, collectively known as Chichimecas, who migrated from the north to Central Mexico sometime earlier and were considered by the Nahua people less civilized. The Chichimeca do not apparently refer to a particular ethnic group, but rather were hunters or northern farmers in contrast to the Tolteca, the city dwellers, the urban agricultural populations already in the Basin of Mexico. The Migration Stories of the battles and interventions of the gods along the journey abound. Like all origin myths, the earliest events blend natural and supernatural events, but the stories of the migrants arrival at the Basin of Mexico are less mystical. Several versions of the migration myth include the story of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui and her 400 Star Brothers, who attempted to kill Huitzilopochtli (the sun) at the sacred mountain of Coatepec. Many archaeologists and historical linguists support the theory of an occurrence of multiple in-migrations to the basin of Mexico from northern Mexico and/or the southeastern United States between 1100 and 1300 CE. Evidence for this theory includes the introduction of new ceramic types in central Mexico  and the fact that the Nahuatl language, the language spoken by the Aztec/Mexica, is not indigenous to Central Mexico. Moctezumas Search Aztlan was a source of fascination for the Aztecs themselves. The Spanish chroniclers and codexes report that the Mexica king Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (or Montezuma I, ruled 1440–1469) sent an expedition to search for the mythical homeland. Sixty elderly sorcerers and magicians were assembled by Moctezuma for the trip, and given gold, precious stones, mantles, feathers, cacao, vanilla and cotton from the royal storehouses to be used as gifts to the ancestors. The sorcerers left Tenochtitlan and within ten days arrived at Coatepec, where they transformed themselves into birds and animals to take the final leg of the journey to Aztlan, where they re-assumed their human form. At Aztlan, the sorcerers found a hill in the middle of a lake, where the inhabitants spoke Nahuatl. The sorcerers were taken to the hill where they met an old man who was the priest and guardian of the goddess Coatlicue. The old man took them to the sanctuary of Coatlicue, where they met an ancient woman who said she was the mother of Huitzilopochtli and had suffered greatly since he left. He had promised to return, she said, but he never had. People in Aztlan could choose their age, said Coatlicue: they were immortal. The reason the people in Tenochtitlan were not immortal was that they consumed cacao and other luxury items. The old man refused the gold and precious goods brought by the returnees, saying these things have ruined you, and gave the sorcerers waterfowl and plants native to Aztlan and maguey fiber cloaks and breechcloths to take back with them. The sorcerers transformed themselves back into animals and returned to Tenochtitlan. What Evidence Supports the Reality of Aztlan and the Migration? Modern scholars have long debated whether Aztlà ¡n was a real place or simply a myth. Several of the remaining books left by the Aztecs, called codexes, tell the story of the migration from Aztlan—in particular, the codex Boturini o Tira de la Peregrinacion. The tale was also reported as oral history told by Aztecs to several Spanish chroniclers including Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Diego Duran, and Bernardino de Sahagun. The Mexica told the Spanish that their ancestors had reached the Valley of Mexico about 300 years before, after having left their homeland, traditionally located far north of Tenochtitlan. Historical and archaeological evidence shows that the migration myth of the Aztecs has a solid basis in reality. In a comprehensive study of the available histories, archaeologist Michael E. Smith found that these sources cite the movement of not just the Mexica, but several different ethnic groups. Smiths 1984 investigations concluded that people arrived in the Basin of Mexico from the north in four waves. The earliest wave (1) was non-Nahuatl Chichimecs sometime after the fall of Tollan in 1175; followed by three Nahuatl-speaking groups who settled (2) in the Basin of Mexico about 1195, (3) in the surrounding highland valleys about 1220, and (4) the Mexica, who settled among the earlier Aztlan populations about 1248. No possible candidate for Aztlan has yet been identified.   Modern Aztlan In modern Chicano culture, Aztlà ¡n represents an important symbol of spiritual and national unity, and the term has also been used to mean the territories ceded to the United States by Mexico with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848, New Mexico and Arizona. There is an archaeological site in Wisconsin called Aztalan, but it is not the Aztec homeland.   Sources Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Berdan, Frances F. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.Elzey, Wayne. A Hill on a Land Surrounded by Water: An Aztec Story of Origin and Destiny. History of Religions 31.2 (1991): 105-49. Print.Mundy, Barbara E. Place-Names in Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Ethnohistory 61.2 (2014): 329-55. Print.Navarrete, Federico. The Path from Aztlan to Mexico: On Visual Narration in Mesoamerican Codices. RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics.37 (2000): 31-48. Print.Smith, Michael E. The Aztecs. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Print.---. The Aztlan Migrations of the Nahuatl Chronicles: Myth or History? Ethnohistory 31.3 (1984): 153-86. Print.Spitler, Susan. Mythic Homelands: Aztlan and Aztlan. Human Mosaic 31.2 (1997): 34-45. Print.