Presentation / Essay (Pre-University) from the year 2014 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the 17th and 18th Centuries, grade: A, , language: English, abstract: Synthesizing information from various sources, this paper reflects upon the life of René Descartes, as well as the results of his work. Efficacy of Descartes’ postulation is concluded in relation to the impact made upon the world, citing present reflections of the statement “Cogito, Ergo Sum”. The history of Descartes’ early life, his progression into philosophy, and modern influences are utilized to portray his greatest work, and profound effects upon the world. The importance of the Cogito is discussed in depth and in relation to modern society’s interpretation of Cartesian philosophy. The background of Cartesian philosophy, explanations of the process, and meaning of ideas, serve to define the crux of the Cogito itself. Several postulates of famous philosophers contradicting Descartes’ ideas of solipsism are included, as well as modern interpretations by famous authors, such as David Foster Wallace.

Perhaps the most famous proposition in the history of philosophy is Descartes' cogito 'I think, therefore I am'. Husain Sarkar claims in this provocative interpretation of Descartes that the ancient tradition of reading the cogito as an argument is mistaken. It should, he says, be read as an intuition. Through this interpretative lens, the author reconsiders key Cartesian topics: the ideal inquirer, the role of clear and distinct ideas, the relation of these to the will, memory, the nature of intuition and deduction, the nature, content and elusiveness of 'I', and the tenability of the doctrine of the creation of eternal truths. Finally, the book demonstrates how Descartes' attempt to prove the existence of God is foiled by a new Cartesian Circle.

This book provides a case for the de-stigmatisation of ethnophilosophy by demonstrating its continuing relevance in contemporary African philosophy. The book brings together established and brilliant young scholars who defend ethnophilosophy as a unique source of African philosophy with the capacity to colour African philosophical scholarship, thereby distinguishing African philosophy from other philosophical traditions of the world and setting the stage for philosophical dialogue in the 21st century characterised by multiculturalism and globalisation. The volume addresses the future of African philosophy by closely linking the past of this tradition with the exciting projects of the contemporary system builders whose works emerge from the ethnophilosophical while transcending it. The book is aimed at African philosophy experts, scholars of intercultural philosophy, African studies scholars and graduate students of African and intercultural philosophy.

Can you master the ideas of Plato, Kant, Nietzsche and Sartre? What does 'I think, therefore I am' really mean? Do you know the arguments for and against the existence of god? And what do the great philosophers tell us about knowledge and truth, good and evil? Take Get Smart: Philosophy and learn to think and talk like history's greatest philosophical minds. Packed with bite-sized briefings, shortcuts and bluffs, Get Smart: Philosophy demystifies 50 key philosophical concepts and provides you with all you need to speak out about the very biggest ideas, including: The nature of reality; Free will; Ethics; Philosophy of the mind; Justice and liberty; Relativism; Utilitarianism; Capitalism and democracy; Paradoxes and fallacies; The Social Contract; Existentialism; Metaphysics; Chinese philosophy; Beauty and art; Artificial intelligence; Human rights; Analytic, Linguistic and Continental philosophy . . . and many more.

Descartes' Meditations is one of the most commonly studied texts in introductory philosophy courses. Rather than simply telling the reader what to think, Meditations invites them to undertake a philosophical journey for themselves. This book is designed to accompany readers on that journey; it prepares them for its demands, helps them to engage with each stage of the text, and suggests ways through the more difficult passages. Brandhorst offers students a fresh approach by bringing to life the path of self-discovery encapsulated in the work and maintaining the focus on metaphysics. Readers are guided through the text step-by-step, which encourages careful reading and presents them with the opportunity to learn to philosophise for themselves. This book engages with what the text says, rather than what is said about the text, in order to help readers discover - or rediscover - for themselves what Meditations has to say.

A comprehensive yet accessible account of the major figures and movements of modern European philosophy Modern European Philosophers explores the great Western thinkers of the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Author Wayne Pomerleau presents a thorough historical treatment of the key ideas and arguments of twenty-one influential philosophers such as René Descartes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Søren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Balancing depth and accessibility, topically organized chapters examine the work of a particular philosopher concerning epistemology, reality, the divine, human nature, freedom versus determinism, ethical theory, and various issues of society. Each chapter includes a brief topic overview and summary, biographical background, textual references, and direct quotations from primary sources. Examines early modern rationalism, early modern empiricism, German idealism, and anti-idealist alternatives Covers Rousseau, Hobbes, Leibniz, Schopenhauer, Hume, Hegel, Marx, and other major European thinkers Contains an introductory chapter with background information on ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, and renaissance thinkers Includes integrated coverage of nine women philosophers of modern Europe to illustrate alternative perspectives Modern European Philosophers is an excellent primary or supplementary text for undergraduate and graduate courses on the history of modern philosophy and a useful resource for general readers looking to learn about the modern Western intellectual tradition.

Explore the mind and world of the brilliant neurosurgeon-turned-Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Stephen Strange Marvel Comics legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko first introduced Doctor Stephen Strange to the world in 1963—and his spellbinding adventures have wowed comic book fans ever since. Over fifty years later, the brilliant neurosurgeon-turned-Sorcerer Supreme has finally travelled from the pages of comics to the big screen, introducing a new generation of fans to his mind-bending mysticism and self-sacrificing heroics. In Doctor Strange and Philosophy, Mark D. White takes readers on a tour through some of the most interesting and unusual philosophical questions which surround Stephen Strange and his place in the Marvel Universe. Essays from two-dozen Philosophers Supreme illuminate how essential philosophical concepts, including existentialism, epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics, relate to the world of Doctor Strange. Fans will find answers to all their Strange questions: How does Doctor Strange reconcile his beliefs in science and magic? What does his astral self say about the relationship between mind and body? Why is he always so alone? And what does he mean when he says we’re just “tiny momentary specks within an indifferent universe”—and why was he wrong? You won’t need the Eye of Agamotto to comprehend all that is wise within. Doctor Strange and Philosophy offers comic book fans and philosophers alike the chance to dive deeper into the world of one of Marvel’s most mystical superheroes.

From the academy to pop culture, our society is in the throes of change rivaling the birth of modernity out of the decay of the Middle Ages. We are now moving from the modern to the postmodern era. But what is postmodernism? How did it arise? What characterizes the postmodern ethos? What is the postmodern mind and how does it differ from the modern mind? Who are its leading advocates? Most important of all, what challenges does this cultural shift present to the church, which must proclaim the gospel to the emerging postmodern generation? Stanley Grenz here charts the postmodern landscape. He shows the threads that link art and architecture, philosophy and fiction, literary theory and television. He shows how the postmodern phenomenon has actually been in the making for a century and then introduces readers to the gurus of the postmodern mind-set. What he offers here is truly an indispensable guide for understanding today's culture.