Descartes And John Locke s Views On Consciousness, Self,...

Seventeenth century philosophers Renà © Descartes and John Locke endeavored to question the views on consciousness, self, and personal identity. They examined belief in God, the certainty of knowledge, and the role of mind and body. The goal of this paper is to deliberate John Locke’s and Renà © Descartes views on â€Å"self† and personal identity and how each come to examine how knowledge is captured. Renà © Descartes and John Locke both present arguments that are rational in the discussion of consciousness, self, and personal identity, but each lack conclusive evidence that would provide the proof necessary to believe one or the other philosophies are true. Renà © Descartes examined our very existence and our perceptions of truth. He debated the†¦show more content†¦Locke rationalizes, an older person may not remember their â€Å"self† as young child, but they have memories from when they were middle-aged. When they were middle-aged, they remember their â€Å"self† as a young child, therefore their consciousness can be linked. One way in which Descartes and Locke differ is their opinions of how knowledge is attained. Descartes ascertained that you could only gain knowledge through reasoning and not reasoning and senses together. He concluded that senses can deceive us and should not be trusted. Descartes states, â€Å"I will suppose, then, that everything I see is fictitious. I will believe that my memory tells me nothing but lies. I have no senses. Body, shape, extension, movement and place are illusions. So what remains true? Perhaps just the one fact that nothing is certain!† (Descartes). Descartes identified the mind as a thinking substance and bodies as material substances. Descartes is a rationalist, as he believed knowledge could be gained without experiencing it in the real world. Conversely, Locke felt that individuals gained knowledge through real world experiences. He believed in two kinds of complex ideas: ideas of substances and ideas of modes. In TheShow MoreRelatedPropelling Rational Thought Over Compelling Empiricism1459 Words   |  6 PagesIn this paper I intend to examine the rationalist philosophy of Rene Descartes and fundamental empiricism of John Locke’s philosophical arguments, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, his identity and attempt to explain distinctions between the two. As I lay the framework of my argument it is important to understand the precepts that serve as the underpinning for the views considered by Descartes and Locke respectively. Rationalism and empiricism are two modes of thought thatRead MorePersonal Statement : Personal Identity1267 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Identity Many ancient philosophers were fascinated with the idea of the personal identity. This is often referred to as the â€Å"self†. The â€Å"self† is considered to be something that is not physical, therefore the search to discover the â€Å"self† is not concrete. With the â€Å"self† being something that has no physical element, many philosophers have different opinions on what the â€Å"self† is and how it functions. â€Å"Someone s personal identity in this sense consists of those features she takes to â€Å"defineRead MoreRene Descartes s Philosophy And The Science Of Philosophy1114 Words   |  5 PagesRene Descartes was a rationalist who is considered the father of modern philosophy, primarily because his ideas departed from current understanding in the early 17th century, which was more feeling based (Biography.com). He was born on March 31, 1956, in France and was a very educated man. His mother sent him to a boarding school which was consi dered college at an early age of 8. Additionally, by the age of 22 he had obtained his degree as a lawyer. To further this, he believed that all truths wereRead MoreThe Philosophical Beliefs Of Substance Dualism And Modern Materialism953 Words   |  4 PagesSubstance Dualism and modern Materialism The tradition of Substance Dualism was formulated by Rene Descartes to define the differing modes of the soul that function in the human mind. The dualistic aspect of this philosophy is based on the presence of a higher power, such as God, that provides the essence of the mind through the soul, yet the human body is separated from this process. Therefore, Descartes sought to divide the mind from the material body as a method of defining the limitations of theRead MoreEssay on Consciousness As Determined Th1030 Words   |  5 Pages Consciousness is understood in a variety of ways. In one belief, a person is conscious when awake, but unconscious when sleeping or comatose. Yet people also do things requiring perception and thought unconsciously even when they are awake. A person can be conscious of their physical surroundings, pain and even a wish or fantasy. In short a creature is conscious if it is aware of itself and that it is a physical and emotional being. Consciousness is a psychological condition defined by the EnglishRead MoreThe wonders of self awareness1468 Words   |  6 Pages Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to recognize oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals. In philosophy An early philosophical discussion of self-awareness is that of John Locke. Locke was apparently influenced by Renà © Descartes statement normally translated I think, therefore I am . In chapter XXVII On Identity and Diversity of Locke s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding he conceptualized consciousness as the repeatedRead MorePersonal Identity - Memory Theory vs Body Theory vs Soul Theory1634 Words   |  7 PagesPersonal Identity REFERENCE: Perry, Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality. . Thesis . Identity refers to â€Å"a relation that everything has to itself and to no other thing†, and our perception of personal identity is the knowledge that we are ourselves, and who we have been – basically, that I am the same person I was last week, last year, etc. Leibniz’s Law states that if one thing (A) is identical to another (B) at one given point in time, they share the exact same properties, makingRead MorePostmodernism and Identity in Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World2797 Words   |  12 Pagesand Identity in Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Since the Age of Enlightenment, the ideas of identity and consciousness have been explored by philosophers, psychologists, writers, and more. Since then, the definition of what identity is has changed and evolved, leaving the true, overarching definition unknown. In his novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, Japanese author Haruki Murakami explores the ideas of identity and the consciousness throughRead MoreDevelopmental Psychology : An Introduction2958 Words   |  12 Pagesovertime (Lerner, Lewin-Bizan, Warren, 2011). Most uniquely, it is a field that looks at change over time and what instigated those changes (Miller, 2011). The discipline itself has two main goals: to describe the behavior at each point in the person s development, and to identify the causal factors involved in producing changes in behavior (Vasta et al. 1998). Developmental psychology as a field has informed many other subfields of psychology as well including educational psychology, child psychopathologyRead MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 Pagesknowledge in order to pursue it; the explication of the concept of justice, and its relation to various political systems[8]. In this period the crucial features of the philosophical method were established: a critical approach to received or established views, and the appeal to reason and argumentation. [pic] [pic] St. Thomas Aquinas [edit] Medieval philosophy (c. A.D. 500–c. 1350) Main article: Medieval philosophy Medieval philosophy is the philosophy of Western Europe and the Middle East during what

Up From Slavery 18th Century Colonial America Under The...

In the documentary, Up from Slavery: 18th century Colonial America Under the Rule of the British Empire, the story of slavery begins on the coast of West Africa where thousands of African people are unceasingly enslaved and placed upon overcrowded ships on which they must endure the cruelest of conditions. Many did not live through the journey due to disease, malnutrition, or in some cases murder, such as the Zong Massacre where 132 slaves were thrown overboard in a monstrous act committed by the captain all for the sake of an insurance claim. Out of the 12 million slaves who endured the grueling Middle Passage, only about 5,000 were transported to the United States. However, by the time of the Civil War, that number increased to 4 million†¦show more content†¦Oftentimes, due to the strenuous labor required to work the plantations, southern plantation owners used mostly male slaves. The lack of female slaves caused a lower reproduction rate and required more importation of s laves. Lastly, the North constituted a third type of system. With an unsuitable climate for the large cultivation of a single crop, the North put slaves on small farms or to work in the household. Despite the idea that the North resisted slavery, places such as Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island served as centers for the North American slave trade. Not only was slavery divided up into different systems, but the roles of the slaves varied greatly. Field slaves were subjected to strenuous labor and strict overseers. They usually worked from dusk until dawn without receiving a day off. On the other hand, household slaves took care of the children, chores, and food and were sometimes seen as part of the family. There is a misconception that household slaves had an easier life than those working in the fields. However, regardless of whether or not someone was a household slave or a field slave, they were slaves nonetheless. The documentary fuels these misconceptions by making things seem right that Washington only worked his slaves six days a week, giving them Sunday off, and was known to have treated them well. Whether or not slave masters treated their slaves well, slaves all faced the possibility of excessiveShow MoreRelatedHuge Divisions in Haiti Lead to Unrest1314 Words   |  5 PagesThe ridged class, race and social structures in Haiti led to huge divisions in Haitian society and unrest. The majority of the population were slaves and slavery played a massive role in the Haitian economy and its abolishment had a massive impact. The events occurring in Europe, the French revolution for example, led to the slave revolt and ultimately the independence of Haiti in 1804. The rebellion in Haiti undoubtedly had an important role in world history. Between 1756 and1763, the economy ofRead MoreEmpire Notes3827 Words   |  16 PagesEmpire Niall Ferguson Introduction * To the British, as to people in the rest of the world, imperialisms golden age is now considered a stain on human history, an era of slavery and racism and the plunder of native lands and peoples. The notion that imperialism is inherently evil, and that no empire can be a good empire, is an axiom in todays geopolitics. * Examines the British Empire from an economic perspective, controversially concluding that the British Empire was, on balance, aRead MoreEmpire Notes3812 Words   |  16 PagesEmpire Niall Ferguson Introduction * To the British, as to people in the rest of the world, imperialisms golden age is now considered a stain on human history, an era of slavery and racism and the plunder of native lands and peoples. The notion that imperialism is inherently evil, and that no empire can be a good empire, is an axiom in todays geopolitics. * Examines the British Empire from an economic perspective, controversially concluding that the British Empire was, on balance, a goodRead MoreInequality: Race And Racism. The Race Is A Social Construct1371 Words   |  6 Pageswhen the British encountered the aboriginal people in Tasmania during the expansion of British empire and trade. The British noticed great physical and cultural differences between themselves and the Tasmanians. The British considered the natives of Tasmania as uniquely savage and primitive and hence thought that they could be treated as animals. The Tasmanians were killed, kidnapped and raped. What happened in Tasmania was not the only event of brutality of British Colonization, colonial expansionRead MoreThe United States And The American Revolution1382 Words   |  6 Pages Throughout American history, there have been countless monumental events. Learning about the past is a great way to understand where you came from, what happened to make the world how it is today, and to feel connected to your country and your roots. In 1607, the thirteen colonies were founded. These colonies were classified into three different groups, the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. The states included in these groups were New Hampshire, MassachusettsRead MoreInterpretation Of Africa s History Through Maps1493 Words   |  6 Pagescontinent made up of 54 independent countries, and it’s the world’s oldest populated area. Africa’s is more than three times the size of the United States, and over time there has been a great deal of trade and movement of goods and people including transatlantic slave trade. The following maps show the changing relationships of Africa to the rest of the world and provide a different historical interpretation then the many misconceptions most people have of it being backwards, disconnected from global trendsRead MoreChristianity s Influence Within The United States1212 Words   |  5 Pagesfocus would be where Christian influences came from when Christian influences were first introduced to the government, how Christian influences impacted the government. When writing about where Christian influences came from, to support this topic I would use, â€Å"If we are talking about 13 colonies belonging to the British Empire, whose king presided over an imperial church, then yes, British citizens residing in those colonies lived under Christian rule. Those colonies were founded as outposts of aRead MoreThe Declaration of Independence Essay5844 Words   |  24 PagesAmerican revolutionary government and officially declared war against Great Britain. The primary purpose of the declaration was to assist the Second Continental Congress in obtaining aid from foreign countries. The document also clearly outlines the history of abuses the colonists had suffered under British rule since the end of the French and Indian war in 1763. Prior to the French and Indian war, the colonists had enjoyed over a hundred years of salutary neglect. In other words, although lawsRead MoreEmancipation and Apprenticeship3508 Words   |  15 PagesEmancipation and Apprenticeship Pre-18th Century Attitudes to Slavery Like other people of the time, Europeans believed that the enslavement of another person was justifiable as long as a reasonable explanation could have being given for the enslavement. In Africa itself, slavery was acceptable and people were taken as slaves in three ways: as prisoners in war, as a punishment for a crime and as a payment for debt. An English philosopher, John Locke stated that slavery is only justifiable when a personRead MoreComparing The Government, Religion, Geography, And Economy Of The Three English Colonial Regions1924 Words   |  8 PagesAP United States History Summer Reading Assignment Chapter 3: Q1: Compare and contrast the government, religion, geography, and economy of the three English colonial regions (the Chesapeake area, New England, and Pennsylvania). Be sure to consider the role of race, gender, and ethnicity. A1: Though the three English colonial regions—the Chesapeake area, New England, and Pennsylvania—were all relatively close to each other, there were stark differences between them. To begin with, they all had very

Death Penatly Essay Example For Students

Death Penatly Essay Abolitionists claim that capital punishment does not deter murderers from killing or killing again. They base most of their argument against deterrence on statistics. States that use it extensively show a higher murder rate than those that have abolished the death penalty. Also, states that have abolished the death penalty and then reinstituted it show no significant change in the murder rate. They say adjacent states with the death penalty and those without show no long term differences in the number of murders that occur in that state. And finally, there has been no record of change in the rate of homicides in a given city or state following a local execution. Any possibly of deterring a would-be murderer from killing has little effect. Most retentionists (people for capital punishment) argue that none of this statistical evidence proves that capital punishment does not deter potential criminals. There is absolutely no way prove, with any certainty, how many would-be murderers were in fact deterred from killing They point out that the murder rate in any given state depends on many things besides whether or not that state has capital punishment. They cite such factors as the proportion of urban residents in the state, the level of economic prosperity, and the social and racial makeup of the population. But a small minority is ready to believe in these statistics and to abandon the deterrence argument. But they defend the death penalty base on other arguments, relying primarily on the need to protect society from killers who are considered high risks for killing again. Incapacitation is another controversial aspect of the death penalty. Abolitionists say condemning a person to death removes any possibility of rehabilitation. They are confident in the life-sentence presenting the possibility of rehabilitating the convict. But rehabilitation is a myth. The state does not know how rehabilitate people because there are plenty of convict murderers who kill again. The life-sentence is also a myth because overcrowding in the prisons. Early parole has released convicted murderers and they still continue murder. Some escape and murder again, while others have murdered someone in prison. There are countless stories in prisons where a violent inmate kills another for his piece of chicken. Incapacitation is not solely meant as deterrence but is meant to maximize public safety by remove any possibility of a convict murderer to murder again. The issue of execution of an innocent person is troubling to both abolitionists and retentionists alike. Some people are frightened of this possibility enough to be convinced that capital punishment should be abolished.This is not true at all. The execution of innocent people is very rare because there are many safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty. There is legal assistance provided and an automatic appeal for persons convicted of capital crimes. Persons under the age of eighteen, pregnant women, new mothers or persons who have become insane can not be sentenced to death. Retentionists argue almost all-human activities, ranging trucking to construction, costs the lives of some innocent bystanders. These activities can not be simply abandoned, because the advantages outweigh the losses. Capital punishment saves lives as well as takes them. We must accept the few risks of wrongful deaths for the sake of defending public safety. Abolitionists say the cost of execution has become increasingly expensive and that life sentence is more economical. A study of the Texas criminal system estimated the cost of appealing capital murder at $2,316,655. This high cost includes $265,640 for the trial; $294,240 for the state appeals; $113,608 for federal appeals (over six years); and $135,875 for death row housing. In contrast, the cost of housing a prisoner in a Texas maximum-security prison single cell for 40 years is estimated at $750,000. This is a huge amount of taxpayer money but the public looks at it as an investment in safety since these murders will never kill again. Retentionists argue that these high costs are due to the lengthy time and the high expense result from innumerable appeals, many over technicalities which have little or nothing to do with the question of guilt or innocence, and do little more than jam up the nations court system. If

Perfume free essay sample

Identify all the things that happen to Grenouille in these chapters that you feel either shouldn’t happen to a child or are insensitive. Explain or attempt to justify these events. Within the pages of the first few chapters, Grenouille’s birth and early childhood is narrated. Grenouille is coldly dismissed at birth. He was brought to the world, by his mother on heap of fish guts, only for her to abandon him. No child should ever have to endure such cruel rejection, no human should ever be left to die in such a grotesque manner. Grenouille however survives and is placed under the care of a wet nurse, who put him into anothers arms in complain of him drinking too much milk and being too much of a liability. Grenouille was passed on from one wet nurse to another, never being shown any affection. He was not treated as a child should be, never allowed to received a mother’s love. The last wet nurse that was given the responsibility of caring for Grenouille, handed him over to Father Terrier, in accusation of the infant being a devil due to his lack scent. She claimed he did not smell of a normal child, that he gave off no smell whatsoever. At the harmless age of a month, Grenouille was accused of being a monster. Father terrier however disregards the wet nurse’s absurd allegations. The novel progresses however, with Father Terrier wanting to rid the baby, as he felt Grenouille had violated him, almost as if he had the ability to penetrate his innermost thoughts, as if he could see what was within Father Terrier with his nose. Grenouille was thrown around for the way he made people feel, however he never brought no harm upon people this early in the book. Father Terrier then puts him in Madame Gaillard’s orphanage. Here he was given a roof for a long time, however he was not welcome by the other children. Many attempts were made at his life, bricks were piled on him, in attempt to suffocate him, however Grenouille managed to survive each and every one of these attempts. Grenouille’s presence made the children feel uncomfortable, just as Father Terrier had felt. There was a coldness, a darkness about Grenouille. However the attempts at murdering him, were made only on the basis of how Grenouille’s presence made the other children feel. Grenouille up till this point had not done anything wrong; he had caused no harm to any of those around him. A few years later however, Madame Gaillard no more received money on Grenouille’s behalf, and so sent him off to work for a man under harsh conditions. Here he contracted a disease leaving him a cripple, bearing permanent scars. Grenouille withstood all these things, a child should never deserve. What is the significance about the context in which Grenouille is introduced in Part One Pg 16. Why does Father Terrier refuse the wet nurses accusations of Grenouille being a devil? â€Å"He’s possessed by the Devil† â€Å"Impossible! It is absolutely impossible for an infant to be possessed by the devil. An infant is not a human being, it is a pre-human being and does not yet possess a fully developed soul. Which is why it is of no interest to the devil. Does some evil stench come out from him? † These are the words Father Terrier speaks in retort of Jeane Beusse, the wet nurse’s accusations. According to Father Terrier, a devil would only possess one with a fully developed soul and has no interest in possessing an infant due to its lack of one. Father Terrier also believes in the devil carrying a foul odor, and hence the nurse’s claims of the baby being odd in that, his flesh carries no scent, only re-affirms his stand on the baby being ordinary, and unaffected whatsoever by the devil. Terrier believes, that the baby not smelling at all, a sign of good health. Father Terrier is also a strong believer of children being God sent, and hence them being possessed is completely out of the question. Terrier also claims the olfactory sense a primitive one, a sense that cannot be trusted. â€Å"The fool sees with his eyes rather than his nose†. Pg 18. Is Father Terrier responsible for Grenouille? Father Terrier is not officially given the responsibility of taking care of little Grenouille, however takes it upon himself to care for him. In some ways he is responsible for Grenouille, as he took him in from the wet nurse, and so in a way is making a commitment towards caring for him. Therefore it is his duty to take care of him to the best of his ability. Father Terrier also sympathizes with Grenouille as he believes a child should not be treated the way Grenouille was. Father Terrier also imagines himself being the child’s father, he feels sentimentally connected to the baby, adding to the responsibility he has over him. Pg 18. What do you make of the actions of the baby and Terriers   response to it? The child awoke, his nose first. Little Grenouille perceived Terrier through his nose. It seemed almost as if the little infant was scrutinizing Father Terrier. The baby’s actions seem as though he can penetrate Father Terrier’s innermost thoughts, as if he can see through Father Terrier’s exterior, see what he really is. Father Terrier feels violated, and feels ashamed, as this baby with no scent, who is innocent, sees through Father Terrier, a man with odor, as everyone at the time. The odor is used as a metaphor for what Father Terrier has to hide. The baby in his arms has no odor, and so has nothing to hide, however Father Terrier is odorous, hence explaining his sense of being violated. Forever crinkling, and puffing and quivering†. These are the words used to describe the baby’s nose after smelling Father Terrier. One crinkles their nose, and puffs air outwards, upon smelling something foul. As smell is used here as a metaphor of who Father Terrier really is, as the baby perceives him through his nose, the baby perceives him as someone who is foul and repulsive. Father Terrier is threatened by the baby , and feels uncomfortable in its presence leading to his hurried notion to find another to take care of the child. Pg 20. ‘Gone was the homely thought that this might be . Explain what happens. 1. Pg 24. This is a challenging page. What does it infer about the teller of Grenouilles tale and his attitude towards him? How do you feel about Grenouille after this? 2. Pg 28-29. These pages relate to Grenouilles language acquisiton. What is particularly noticeable about his vocabulary growth? 3. Pg 35. What happens to Madame Gaillard? What is ironic about this? Look particularly at the last sentence of Chapter 5.