As Burke's Influence On Descartes

In his Discourse on Method, Rene Descartes asserts that all human beings are equal in their ability to reason and that any differences in opinion are not a result of a difference in ability to reason, but in the application of the reasoning. Descartes begins his argument for this claim by stating that rational thought and reason is what separates humans from animals, and that if all people have this ability to reason, then that must be the distinguishing feature of humanity. He goes on to explain that while individuals may differ within a species in regard to their non-essential qualities, they will not differ in the species’ distinguishing feature. This rule accounts for the diversity within humanity as a species (such as differing hair colors, heights, and weights) while equalizing humanity’s ability to reason. From these premises, Descartes concludes that all humans must have an equal ability to reason and that differences in thought are merely a result of differences in the application of the individual’s reasoning.

Burke's definition of man states: "Man is the symbol-using (symbol-making, symbol-misusing) animal, inventor of the negative (or moralized by the negative), separated from his natural condition by instruments of his own making, goaded by the spirit of hierarchy (or moved by the sense of order), and rotten with perfection". Burke's definition claims that humans are different from other beings by the use of symbols to communicate, the use of the negative in the communication system, the departure from nature by the techniques and tools, the existence in ascending and descending social structures, and the limitless desire to become far better than it is. Burke believed symbol use was the main thing that described humans. Our existence is formed symbolically, we exchange symbols more than anything else, and all of our being is filled with symbols. Burke did not like using the word “inventor,” because he felt that language designed man. He stated that negatives do not exist in nature. Burke believes that tools and technology have taken humans out and away from nature. Burke thought technology was deceptive and destructive.

In Daniel Garber’s article, “Descartes against his teachers: The Refutation of Hylomorphism”, the metaphysics of the early scholastics is presented to show the similarities and differences between what Descartes was taught through scholasticism and what he came to refute. Through analysis of the article I will present what Descartes considered to be the central ideas of scholastic metaphysics, as well as show what he chose reject from that doctrine, why he chose to reject it, and what he chose to retain, in the development of Cartesian metaphysics.

Descartes’ “evil genius scenario” provides the possibility for the existence of an evil genius that is in control of our world in place on an omnipotent god. By in control, I mean that he would in some magical way compose our lives by his own will, thus making any certain knowledge about material objects impossible. This scenario presents some real questions with Descartes’ argument because it basically completely rules out the possibility of any god.

Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, in London (Fraistat et al.). At the twilight of the Age of Enlightenment, Shelley was influenced heavily by romanticism ideology. Individualism, idealism, and interest in the world of nature were prominent ideas during Shelley’s lifetime (“Brief Guide”). Compared to the industrial revolution, where citizens sought to better society as a whole, romantic ideologies thought societies could permanently damage an individual. The themes of isolation and community are noticeable throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

During the previously mentioned inflection point experienced during the 18th and 19th centuries, civilization’s marginal pursuit of knowledge became an obsession of not only the traditionally defined genius, an individual endowed with intellect in each of their endeavors, but of the brief employment of acute genius contained within each human in periods of crisis or enlightenment. While Industry allowed for any person with the capacity of imagination to obsess over the pursuit of knowledge, it also created an artificial partition between mankind and ecology as did Frankenstein’s creature in Shelley 's novel. “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow”(Shelley, 31) writes Shelley as she bestows the reader with an introspective approach to the analysis of the

An allusion that Shelley uses is Adam and Eve, which characterizes Victor as the powerful creator. Since he is the creator, his “god like” figure is recognized by him and his creature. After Victor’s brother William dies,

Shelley’s commentary on humanity’s intense ambition for greater knowledge, laced with the sorrowful dangers of isolation and creation paint a picture of humanity’s ultimate desire for companionship and societal order. On the other hand, Camus creates a picture of total chaos; a confusing, accidental world of the absurd where a detached, amoral protagonist strives to find the useless meaning of life. Oftentimes, humanity struggles to understand its overall position within the universe. If the universe fails to answer our own questions, at least humanity can fumble around together in

Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy is an epic poem that begins with the Inferno. The Inferno is an extremely influential part of European literature. The structure of story is for many people a piece of the vision of Hell. Religiously, this poem has had great prevalence. Dante paints a picture of the Hell that is both unsettling and justifiable. A whole world is created through his poem. The levels and intensity of sin is pondered. Crime is put to a level of small to large scale. Those that are intentional and calculated are deemed more heinous than those that are out of passion. There are many reasons why this piece of literature make me think and develops my own ideas of what lies beyond this world. Dante’s Inferno causes

When talking about both primary and secondary qualities, the topic can automatically relate back to two Corpuscularian philosophers: Robert Boyle and Rene Descartes. Both Boyle and Descartes advocate the distinction between both primary and secondary qualities. It should be noted that Boyle was influenced by Descartes’, thus Boyle’s ideas were built from Descartes’ theories. In one case, Descartes’ proposes the idea that there is not a possibility of a void, but Boyle experimented with this idea and concluded that there could be a vacuum. This denial of the vacuum by Descartes is the one difference in which Descartes’ did not support the idea’s of corpuscularism. Relating back to secondary qualities, these qualities are given the characteristics

Shelley was part of the Romantic Movement that originated in 18th century Europe. The Romantics, including Shelley, are characterized by a strong sense of individualism. They also typify themselves as stressing the beauty of nature, death, and their love for Shakespearean works. Another strong

During the enlightenment period, many ideas came about pertaining to the balance between nature and science. Mary Shelley, an English writer during this time period, used Gothic and Romantic elements of writing to convey the relation between the natural world and what she saw as the corrupted world of scientific study and industrialization; with large influence from her father who was a political philosopher and her husband, another Romantic poet. In one of Shelley’s most famous works, Frankenstein, an epic battle between man and the supernatural unfolds. Doctor Victor Frankenstein devotes his studies to reviving the dead, and achieves this goal after long seclusion from the outside world. When he finally looks upon his creation, he is appalled by the monstrous wretch he has brought into this world. The Monster ends up alone and is rejected by all mankind, even though he begins as a benevolent and kind being. This novel mainly focuses on the destruction of Victor Frankenstein as well as the Monster, which directly accentuates Mary Shelley’s warning to society. Her warning is that when science conflicts with the laws of the universe and nature, it becomes destructive.

So, what is Mary Shelley’s final message? Through analysis of the text and looking at influential figures such as the French philosopher Rousseau, on Shelley’s beliefs in the nature nurture

What makes humankind unique? In order for me to answer that question, I am going to have to go biblical on you. I mean, besides the obvious examples that quickly pop into my head such as our ability to speak, walk upright on two legs, and use our imaginations. The bible makes a very clear distinction between animals and men. “God provides that seed with the body he wishes; he gives each seed its own proper body. And the flesh of living beings is not all the same kind of flesh, human beings have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another, and fish another (1 Corinthians 15:38-39, GNT). There are many ways which humans differ from other species. In the scientific world, man is also an animal, given the distinction of being Homo

Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, complies with all the fundamental principles associated with Romanticism; use of the supernatural and sublime, especially with regards for nature, thus leading to pantheism, compassion and a sense of morality towards humankind, individual freedom and rebellion against contextual societal constraints. Shelley, however, defies the Romantic principle of individual creativity, evident from the constant references to authentic Romantic works such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (which will be referred to