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• Rene Descartes:

  • French philosopher known for his contributions to the philosophy of embodiment
  • Concept of the dualistic relationship between mind and body
  • Ground-breaking works in rationalism, metaphysics, and epistemology
  • Born on March 31, 1596, in La Haye, Touraine, France
  • Died on February 11, 1650, in Stockholm, Sweden
• Descartes' Education:

  • Sent to the Jesuit college at La Fleche in 1606
  • Attended Poitiers in 1614, where he obtained a law degree in 1616 and became a lawyer
  • Went to Breda in the Netherlands in 1618, spending 15 months as an informal student of mathematics and military architecture
• Cartesian Doubt and Method:

  • "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am)
  • Systematically doubting everything to search for certainty
  • Goal is to tear down all beliefs to build up a new set with a more justifiable foundation
• Notable Works by Descartes:

  • "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Understanding": lays out the foundations of his philosophical system
  • "Meditations on First Philosophy": questions and reconsiders the foundations of knowledge, existence of the external world, and of God
• Concept of the Self:

  • Leads to the development of the "I" or the sense of individuality
  • The self is a thinking mind capable of reason and introspection
  • The "Thinking Self" has Cartesian beginnings and ways to know reality
  • Involves the existence of a benevolent God, reason, and deduction
• Dualism:

  • Internal world refers to the realm of our own mind and consciousness, where reason and logic are applied
  • External world refers to the outer realm of physical objects, spaces, and events where our senses operate
  • The self is a mental substance separate from the physical world, with thinking consciousness as the ultimate basis of self
• Summary of Rene Descartes:

  • French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher in the late 16th century
  • Made significant contributions to the philosophy of embodiment with his concept of a dualistic mind-body relationship
  • Known for his work on algebra and geometry, developing the concept of algebraic equations and the C
• Descartes developed the concept of algebraic equations and the Cartesian Plane
• Descartes argued that the thinking consciousness is the ultimate basis of a self
• Descartes believed that the self is separate from the physical body and the external world
• Locke characterized the mind as a blank slate (tabula rasa) at birth
• Locke argued against the presence of intrinsic concepts, claiming that the mind is an empty slate from birth
• According to Locke, consciousness is the fundamental component of the self
• Locke stated that personal identity is created by consciousness and the persistence of memories
• According to John Locke, a person's identity is not defined by the physical body but by consciousness and memory
• Conscious decisions and comprehension are used to evaluate a person's actions, emphasizing moral reasoning, growth, and personal accountability
• Individuals build their identities and knowledge through experience, agency, and responsibility
• Locke believed that individuals are born with certain inalienable natural rights, including life, liberty, and property
• The preservation of mankind is the most basic human law of nature according to Locke
• Locke's moral philosophy is based on objective moral rules that can be discovered through reason, known collectively as natural law
• Reparation and restraint are purposes appropriately served by punishment according to Locke
• Locke argued that individuals have both rights and a duty to preserve their own lives and should be free to make choices as long as they do not interfere with the liberty of others
• Locke did not accept a divine theory of morals and believed that moral principles are not true simply because they are willed by God
• Locke's moral philosophy is characterized by intellectualism rather than voluntarism
• David Hume is a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist
• Hume wrote a great deal of essays, letters, and other shorter works on a variety of subjects
• Hume's theory of knowledge centers on the idea of matters of fact
• For Hume, there is a necessary connection only through experience, which is based on habit
• According to Hume, there is no reason to suppose that we are "selves" or "minds" or "souls"
• Hume argues that the idea of the self is a mere fiction and that we are just a bundle of impressions
• Kant explores the limits and possibilities of human knowledge, arguing that our understanding structures our experience of reality
• Human Autonomy:

  • Kant's central idea is human autonomy, emphasizing the role of reason in shaping our understanding of the world and moral principles
• Critique of Pure Reason:

  • Kant investigates the nature of morality, proposing the categorical imperative as the basis for ethical decision-making
• Critique of Practical Reason:

  • Kant discusses aesthetics and teleology, exploring the nature of beauty and the role of judgment in experiencing the world
• Critique of the Power of Judgment:

  • Kant's philosophy introduces the concept of transcendental idealism, suggesting that our knowledge is shaped by both empirical sensations and a priori concepts
• Transcendental Idealism:

  • Kant's philosophy includes concepts such as "human understanding," "general laws of nature," "human reason," "moral law," "belief in God, freedom, and immortality," "foundation of human autonomy," and "teleological"
• Kant reconciles the tension between reason and experience in shaping our understanding of reality by:
• Gilbert Ryle, a British philosopher, challenges the traditional distinction between body and mind by:
• Ryle's key concepts and contributions include:
• Adverbialism, which challenges the belief that our bodies and brains are distinct