...Descartes’ Discourse on the Method (Part IV) Vernon McDaniel Strayer University Humanities 112 Dr. Jane El-Yacoubi April 7, 2015 After reading Discourse on the Method (Part IV) it becomes clear that Descartes begins with a proof of one basic conclusion and ends with a proof of something much grander. In other words, Descartes claims that in practical life it is pretty much common for people to make erroneous judgments, conclusions or infer from erroneous perceptions. Therefore, Descartes now wants to devote himself “solely to the search for truth” (Discourse on the Method, Part IV, p.14). In order to achieve this end, Descartes claims: “I thought I needed to do the exact opposite—to reject as if it were absolutely false everything regarding which I could imagine the least doubt, so as to see whether this left me with anything entirely indubitable to believe.” So, the one basic conclusion for Descartes is “one sometimes has to act on opinions that one knows to be quite uncertain just as if they were unquestionably true” (Discourse on Method, Part IV). He offers several proofs for this basic conclusion based on his method of doubting everything so as to reach a conclusion on that which is indubitable or cannot be absolutely doubted. So, he rejects he evidentiary value of senses He also rejects deductive arguments because logical fallacies are common and people tend to reason erroneously. He rejects the evidence of everything...
Words: 463 - Pages: 2
...JOHN STUART MILL – UTILITARISM • JOHN RAWLS – CONGRATURIANISM • TOM REGAN: RIGHTS THEORY (BONUS THEORY ) • TENTATIVE COMPARISON (TABLE & GRAPH) • CRITICISM AGAINST DEONTOLOGY: “ “ UTILITARIANISM “ “ RIGHTS “ “ CASUIST “ “ VIRTUE • CONCLUSION • REFERENCES CRITICISMS OF ETHICAL THEORIES INTRODUCTION The art of critiquing is basically to appraise a work i.e articles, write-ups, novels etc. Critiquing does not aim to condemn or castigate a paper but to seek the flaws, identify the various meanings, put up better explanations on the subject, seek the weaknesses and strengths and give opinions to enhance the quality of the discourse. The topic of this discourse is ETHICAL THEORIES CRITICISM. We shall examine the definition of ethics, the meaning of ethical theories, types of ethnical theories and the various submissions of famous scholars, its relevance to the society interactivity and criticize them in comparison with what obtains in the modern day. DEFINITION Ethical theories and principles are the...
Words: 3492 - Pages: 14
...link: descartes DESCARTES (1596-1650) AND THE CARTESIAN DOGMA OF A MECHANICAL UNIVERSE theme: Descartes is usually regarded as the founder of modern philosophy. His belief in the certainty of knowledge or 'truth' - the 'Cartesian belief' - was the basis for his method of analytic reasoning - the 'Cartesian method' - which he claimed was a function of the 'soul' - 'Cartesian doctrine'. He viewed the universe as a machine designed by divine reason or 'God' - the 'Cartesian dogma'. Descartes' perception of 'human nature'... The "essence of human nature lies in thought, and all the things we conceive clearly and distinctly are true". In this way Descartes demonstrated the value of error and proved his doctrine - the 'Cartesian doctrine' - that human reason was a valid means of searching for certain knowledge or 'truth'. "Most ancient civilizations knew what we have forgotten: that knowledge is a fearful thing. To know the name of something is to hold power over it. In ancient myths and legends, eating from the tree of knowledge meant banishment from one garden or another. In the modern world, this Janus-like quality of knowledge has been forgotten. Descartes, for example, reached the conclusion that 'the more I sought to inform myself, the more I realized how ignorant I was.' Instead of taking this as a proper conclusion of a good education, Descartes thought ignorance was a solvable problem and set forth to find certain truth through a process of radical skepticism." (Miller...
Words: 3190 - Pages: 13
...|By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: | | |describe the scientific method and its effect on Western Europe | | |distinguish between the scientists Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, and Harvey and their works | | |compare the political theories of Hobbes and Locke | | |explain how science and philosophy influenced one another during the Enlightenment | | |explain the term enlightened despot, using the model of Frederick II of Prussia | | |Click here for the course glossary | | |Click here for a Timeline of The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution | | |This lesson discusses European society between 1600 and 1800--an era marked by the power of ideas and rational | | |thinking. The term Scientific Revolution is used to describe the growing acceptance and influence of the scientific| | |method and the belief that reason and inquiry can explain and even change the world. The term Enlightenment is | | |perhaps a more accurate name...
Words: 7624 - Pages: 31
...Pre-Socratic Period Thales of Miletus Background: Thales of Miletus (fl. c. 585 BC) is regarded as the father of philosophy. Thales of Miletus was considered one of the Seven Wise Men of ancient Greece. Thales was the first of the Greek natural philosophers and founder of the Ionian school of ancient Greek thinkers. Works/Writings/Philosophy: His is said to have measured the Egyptian pyramids and to have calculated the distance from shore of ships at sea using his knowledge of geometry. He also predicted an eclipse of the sun. In geometry Thales has been credited with the discovery of five theorems like the one that a triangle inscribed in a semicircle has a right angle. He tried to discover the substance from which everything in nature is made off and suggested water. Thales is important in bridging the worlds of myth and reason. He initiated the revolutionary notion that to understand the world one needed to know its nature and that there was an explanation for all phenomena in natural terms. That was a giant step from the assumptions of the old world that supernatural forces determined almost everything. While considering the effects of magnetism and static electricity, he concluded that the power to move other things without the mover itself changing was a characteristic of "life", so that a magnet and amber must therefore be alive in some way (in that they have animation or the power to act). If so, he argued, there is no difference between the living and the dead...
Words: 17879 - Pages: 72
...Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason and Seeking Truth in the Field of Science René Descartes ************* Introduction The cultural turn that symbolically and philosophically separates Aristotle/Medieval views from the "modern" era can be found in Descartes' writings. Born just before 1600, he witnessed and participated in the beginnings of modern science, especially with its empirical [The method of philosophical inquiry that holds that the human mind can only understand the world by beginning with the experiences of the senses.], mechanistic [ The description of the motion of the universe in terms of the scientific notion of cause and effect alone. The image of the universe is that of a machine or mechanism that runs according to its construction and cannot deviate from it.] and mathematical under-girding. This Discourse on Method is, to some extent, an autobiography of an individual's evolution from the old system to the new. This text was formally the first of his publications, around mid-1637, however it shows indications of being written perhaps ten years earlier. He claims he is not intending to reveal the "method" but only to "reveal how I have tried to direct my own [mind]." Much of the method is applied in the Meditations. But, here it is more historically positioned. It is important to remember that this text contains elements that were highly controversial at the time-views which even contributed to Galileo's house arrest under the Inquisition...
Words: 21458 - Pages: 86
...In Other Words This book addresses the need for a systematic approach to the training of translators and provides an explicit syllabus which reflects some of the main intricacies involved in rendering a text from one language into another. It explores the relevance of some of the key areas of modern linguistic theory and illustrates how an understanding of these key areas can guide and inform at least some of the decisions that translators have to make. It draws on insights from current research in such areas as lexical studies, text linguistics and pragmatics to maintain a constant link between language, translation, and the social and cultural environment in which both language and translation operate. In Other Words examines various areas of language, ranging from the meaning of single words and expressions to grammatical categories and cultural contexts. Firmly grounded in modern linguistic theory, the book starts at a simple level and grows in complexity by widening its focus gradually. The author explains with clarity and precision the concepts and theoretical positions explored within each chapter and relates these to authentic examples of translated texts in a variety of languages, although a knowledge of English is all that is required to understand the examples presented. Each chapter ends with a series of practical exercises which provide the translator with an opportunity to test the relevance of the issues discussed. This combination of theoretical discussion and...
Words: 109520 - Pages: 439
...Introduction The business as per the generally acceptable notion is a profit making entity and takes into account function of monetary transactions as the criteria measure for the success of its operational activities. Corporate social responsibility in the past is considered as unwanted activities which are imposed on business by law and governing bodies as unnecessary burden which is against the basic principle of profit making for the business organizations. Business organizations have been considered as bodies that meet the demand of the consumers by supplying their goods and services, and have the responsibility for generating wealth and employment opportunities. (Mette Morsing & Carmen Thyssen, 2003) In recent times after the increase in concern about the ecological imbalances and the impact of business on the environment, this above view is however changing and more and more entities are taking corporate social responsibility activities and few of them are also able to align their business goals in order to generate profits. The modern business also debates over the business responsibility towards the Shareholder’s and owners versus Stakeholders (employees, consumers, suppliers and shareholders) in the present day scenario. After taking the consideration of responsibility towards stakeholders, businesses are coming closer to the society and are altering the function of business organizations taking into considerations the business’ wider role. The wider role define...
Words: 58584 - Pages: 235
...autoethnographic and life-history approach, Mike Hayler develops a theoretically informed discussion of how the professional identity of teacher educators is both formed and represented by narratives of experience. The book draws upon analytic autoethnography and life-history methods to explore the ways in which teacher educators construct and develop their conceptions and practice by engaging with memory through narrative, in order to negotiate some of the ambivalences and uncertainties of their work. The author’s own story of learning, embedded within the text, was shared with other teacher-educators, who following interviews wrote self-narratives around themes which emerged from discussion. The focus for analysis develops from how professional identity and pedagogy are influenced by changing perceptions and self-narratives of life and work experiences, and how this may influence professional culture, content and practice in this area. Autoethnography, Self-Narrative and Teacher Education Autoethnography, Self-Narrative and Teacher Education STUDIES IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND WORK The book includes an evaluation of how using this approach has allowed the author to investigate both the subject and method of the research with implications for educational research and the practice of teacher education. Audience: Scholars and students of education and the education of teachers, researchers interested in autoethnography and self-narrative. ISBN 978-94-6091-670-0 ...
Words: 18203 - Pages: 73
...expresses than words written about those expressions could ever be. That music has the power to express, convey and illicit powerful emotions is without question, however the issue of music's moral and ethical power, and how that power affects individuals and societies, is one that receives too little attention in our post-modern world. Ancient cultures held strong beliefs in the moral and ethical power of music and as such it was imperative for artists within those cultures to exercise a certain moral and ethical responsibility in their creative endeavors. As a professional musician for over thirty years I concur with that premise and it is primarily from the axiological, rather than a theoretical or aesthetic viewpoint that I approach this discourse. The responsibility of artists to the social environment in which they live and work is something that I have always had strong sentiments. As we now find ourselves beginning a new millennium, questions with regards to music's origins, its spiritual, religious and mystical properties, its moral and ethical power, its transcendent qualities, the role of the arts and artists and the importance of art in general, and music in particular, are questions that I believe any thinking, caring, probing musician should seriously contemplate. At the outset of the twenty-first century it is undeniable that the pervasiveness of popular culture and the values it engenders has had an adverse effect on our societies. In light of the current climate of...
Words: 8756 - Pages: 36
...A Study on Work Life balance in 24/7 Environment in SERCO Dissertation Submitted to the D.Y. Patil University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Submitted by: Nazneen Sheikh (Roll No. MBAHR 014137) Research Guide: Ms. Vidhya Kshirsagar Assistant Professor School of Management D.Y. Patil University CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai. December 2015 1 DECLARATION I hereby declare that the dissertation “A Study on Work Life balance in 24/7 Environment in SERCO" submitted for the MBA Degree at D.Y. Patil University’s School of Management is my original work and the dissertation has not formed the basis for the award of any degree, associate ship, fellowship or any other similar titles. Place: Mumbai Date: (Nazneen Sheikh) Signature of the Student 2 Certificate This is to certify that the dissertation entitled “A Study on Work Life balance in 24/7 Environment in SERCO” is the bona fide research work carried out by Ms. Nazneen Sheikh student of MBA, at D.Y. Patil University’s School of Management during the year 2015-2016 , in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master in Business Management and that the dissertation has not formed the basis for the award previously of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship or any other similar title. Asst. Prof. Vidhya Kshirsagar (Guide Name) (Dr. R. Gopal, Director, School of Management, D.Y. Patil University) Place: Mumbai Date: ...
Words: 19022 - Pages: 77
...hence have comparable and compatible goals. However, both in academia and in popular media the critique on multiculturalism has grown and is often accompanied with arguments related to gender equality and/or feminism. According to political scientist Susan Moller Okin for example there are fundamental conflicts between our commitment to gender equality and the desire to respect the customs of minority cultures or religions. If we agree that women should not be disadvantaged because of their sex, she argues, we should not accept group rights that permit oppressive practices. Okin’s claims led to a complex and highly important debate both in academia and in public debates. The main aim of this thesis is to explore in depth the different discourses about multiculturalism and feminism and develop a more inclusive and nuanced...
Words: 97145 - Pages: 389
...1575 ESSAYS by Michel de Montaigne translated by Charles Cotton I. OF CUSTOM, AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT EASILY CHANGE A LAW RECEIVED. HE seems to have had a right and true apprehension of the power of custom, who first invented the story of a countrywoman who, having accustomed herself to play with and carry, a young calf in her arms, and daily continuing to do so as it grew up, obtained this by custom, that, when grown to be a great ox, she was still able to bear it. For, in truth, custom is a violent and treacherous schoolmistress. She, by little and little, slily and unperceived, slips in the foot of her authority, but having by this gentle and humble beginning, with the benefit of time, fixed and established it, she then unmasks a furious and tyrannic countenance, against which we have no more the courage or the power so much as to lift up our eyes. We see her, at every turn, forcing and violating the rules of nature: "Usus efficacissimus rerum omnium magister." I refer to her Plato's cave in his Republic, and the physicians, who so often submit the reasons of their art to her authority; as the story of that king, who by custom brought his stomach to that pass, as to live by poison, and the maid that Albertus reports to have lived upon spiders. In that new world of the Indies, there...
Words: 179434 - Pages: 718
.... ReseaRching and WRiting a disseRtation a guidebook foR business students Colin Fisher second edition . Researching and Writing a Dissertation: A Guidebook for Business Students . We work with leading authors to develop the strongest educational materials in management, bringing cutting-edge thinking and best learning practice to a global market. Under a range of well-known imprints, including Financial Times Prentice Hall, we craft high-quality print and electronic publications which help readers to understand and apply their content, whether studying or at work. To find out more about the complete range of our publishing, please visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk . Researching and Writing a Dissertation: A Guidebook for Business Students Second edition Colin Fisher with John Buglear Diannah Lowry Alistair Mutch Carole Tansley . Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies throughout the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk First published 2004 Second edition 2007 © Pearson Education Limited 2004 © Pearson Education Limited 2007 The right of Colin Fisher to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical...
Words: 142971 - Pages: 572
...´ NOELLE J. MOLE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Living it on the skin: Italian states, working illness A B S T R A C T In this article, I examine the codification of an Italian work-related illness caused by mobbing, a type of psychological harassment that emerged at the moment neoliberal policies transformed Italy’s historically protectionist labor market. I trace how the medicalization of mobbing has expanded workers’ access to compensation, resources, and discursive tools for criticizing neoliberal labor conditions, even as it has produced new structures of surveillance. I unravel the neoliberal politics of a state that protects workers’ health yet governs worker–citizens through an apparatus of medical experts. I find that workers’ labor problems are experienced and managed as bodily problems in ways important to remaking Italian citizenship. [neoliberalism, state, labor, biopolitics, citizenship, bodies, Italy] An institution, even an economy, is complete and fully viable only if it is durably objectified . . . in bodies. —Pierre Bourdieu1 It was the spirit of capitalism made flesh. —Upton Sinclair2 n 2003, a new psychophysical disturbance, organizational coercion pathology (disturbi psichici e fisici da costrittivit` organizzativa sul a lavoro), or OCP, became a work-related illness that was insurable by an Italian state public-health institution (Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro [INAIL] 2003).3 Telltale symptoms, often likened to those...
Words: 18731 - Pages: 75
