Essays and Research Papers on More Philosophers

This 5 page report discusses two philosophical propositions: first, every event has a cause; and, second, an immortal soul exists distinct from the body. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and David Hume (1711-1776) were two of the 18th century Western world’s philosophers who were particularly concerned with issues relating to what is “right” or “good” and what best serves the needs of ...

This 5 page report discusses Immanuel Kant’s meaning regarding the “two pure forms of sensible intuition” being “a priori knowledge” and “time” as discussed in his Critique of Pure Reason published in 1781. Kant (1724-1804) believed individual thought to be the framework by which the individual was able to determine the appropriate category into which one thought process or pattern would fit ...

16 pages in length. Considers the views of Locke, Smith and Marx and looks at liberalism, capitalism as well as fascism. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

Within the field of philosophy there is a secondary domain that aligns itself with semantics as a way of examining and understanding the world. Semantics is generally thought to belong to the same basic genre as symbolic logic. This 5 page paper explores the relationships between necessary truth, contingent truth, 'a priori' knowledge and 'a posteriori' knowledge. ...

A 5 page paper which analyzes St. Augustine's 'Confessions.' Also discussed is the relevancy of his work today as it relates to modern life and Christianity. Bibliography lists 4 additional sources.

6 pages in length. Is there philosophy after the twentieth century's end of philosophy? Indeed, if humanity is to continue in a forward progression, one might readily argue that there had better be philosophical thought in the twenty-first century. Contemporary philosophy is spawned from the past; without historical influence, today's world would ...

This 5 page paper provides an overview of this feminist philosopher's work and ideas. There is an attention to ethics and morality and how it is important in daily life. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

5 pages in length. Martin Heidegger brings up interesting philosophical arguments in his book Being and Time. We see therein the virtual destruction of tradition as we know it. Heidegger has a way of analyzing Dasein within Being and Time such that we see his way is not the traditional way of investigating human knowledge. ...

This 7 page paper considers the issue of whether moral claims are justifiable or if they aren't, why such justification is impossible. This paper integrates the views of Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Nietzche and Foucault, and considers one specific example relative to the justifications offered for moral claims. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 7 page paper considers the presentation of the concept of the crucial choice defined by MacIntyre in his work After Virtue relative to the perspectives a number of philosophers, including Aristotle, Nietzche, Foucault and Habermas, as the relate to the notion of choice and the moral concepts. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 5 page report discusses the ideas and ideals of Karl Marx as they relate to alienation. Karl Marx spent his entire life working for revolution, in the midst of a revolutionary situation, and he was attempting to build a modern form of political and cultural organization that would further his aims. The basis of Marx’s view of contemporary ...

This 5 page report discusses the meaning of the “social contract” in terms of the thinking of John Locke (1632-1704) and Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). Each had very definite views on what he perceived to be the true “social contract” among human beings. This paper very briefly outlines each. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

This 5 page report discusses two separate questions. First: Does John Stuart Mill or Karl Marx chart a better course toward happiness for the worker? Second: the issue discussed is regarding the connection between authority and freedom in the work of Plato. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page report discusses some of the thinking regarding whether truth is a relative or an absolute concept. Philosophy, in general, revolves around the fervent desire to determine what truth is. Whether or not the discussion is related to government or religion, morality or the act of being, it still is an effort to define what is ...

This 5 page report discusses the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and his beliefs regarding “eternal recurrence,” the idea that there is infinite time and a finite number of events, and eventually the events will recur again and again infinitely. The world is an eternal process of coming to be and passing away. The process, however, has no beginning or end. Eventually ...

This 3 page paper explores the positions of two philosophers of radically different time periods: Socrates (c469-399-BC) and twentieth century, philosopher and theologian Matthex Fox. Anyone who wants to contemplate the nature of things - spiritual or worldly - needs to realize that there are times when one will be forced to ...

This 5 page report discusses the characteristics of the Enlightenment, Romantic, and Existentialist schools of thought and the ways in which such characteristics have shaped contemporary views of human nature. Without these “movements,” the Eurocentric world, including the United States would believe a significantly different set of premises regarding human nature and Western philosophies would certainly be changed. Philosophers after the ...

This 5 page paper looks at the teaching of this follower of Confucius. His views on human nature are considered and illustrated using quotes from his own teachings. The bibliography cites 4 sources.

This 8 page paper answers four distinct questions posed by a student related to evolution and creationism. Many subjects are addressed. Concepts included are logical positivism, Darwinian evolution, intentional design theory, the fossil argument and more. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page paper explores just what morality is and is not by looking at concepts such as utilitarianism and emotivism, among others. Several philosophers are included such as Nietzsche, Bentham and Ayer. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 3 page report discusses 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume and his ideas relating to “why utility pleases.” The foundation of David Hume’s thinking and philosophy regarding morality is the concept of sympathy, which (the modern reader must understand) determines what serves as the basis of interaction between people and the wellspring of human happiness. Utilitarianism is the doctrine that ...

This 3 page report discusses the question of whether or not it is rational to believe that a person will die if he or she is in a head-on collision at 100 miles per hour. Considering such a question in the framework of David Hume’s account of causation, it is important to understand that Hume’s 18th century experiences of the ...

6 pages in length. In humanity's quest to embrace the concept of Utopia, Niccol's treatment of the human condition would typically inspire one to envision a world where people live life in accordance with the rule of reason; however, the writer's intent was quite the opposite. Utilizing "Gattaca" as a metaphor for Utopia ...

5 pages in length. Morality is possible only if there's a God, inasmuch as there exists no objectivity in the concept of morality; rather, it is merely a matter of opinion or feeling. Sure, people can reach consensus about empirical, scientific matters of fact. But moral matters aren't matters of fact. ...

A 6 page paper which examines the character of Meursault in Albert Camus' book "The Stranger" and argues that he did not live a meaningful life as put forth through the notions of Vicktor Frankl in "The Meaning of Life." The views of Frankl are that by creating a work or doing a deed; by experiencing something or encountering ...