Essay on Descartes Failure - 4852 Words

Descartes Failure In his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes strives first and foremost to provide an infallibly justified foundation for the empirical sciences, and second to prove the existence of God. I will focus on the first and second meditations in my attempt to show that, in his skepticism of the sources of knowledge, he fails to follow the rules he has set out in the Discourse on Method. First I claim that Descartes fails to draw the distinction between pure sensation and inference, which make up what he calls sensation, and then consider the consequences of this failure to follow his method. Second, I will show that in his treatment of thinking Descartes fails to distinguish between active and passive thinking.†¦show more content†¦His goal is the betterment of the human condition. A useful metaphor for explaining the Cartesian system is the ‘tree of knowledge’.[3] According to Descartes the roots of knowledge are metaphysics, to which he applies himself in the Meditations. From the metaphysics grow the physics; for they are justified by the metaphysics; the physics are the trunk of the tree. From the physics branch off mechanics, medicine and morals, the fruits of which take the form of utility, that is, applied science, medicine, and applied ethics (on an interpersonal, or international level). The development of these fruits leads to the improvement of the human condition: freedom from pain, sickness and suffering through medicine, reduction of stresses on the body and freedom from physical labour through applied science (which makes our work easier), and freedom from anxiety and mental strain through the development of applied ethics (which helps us to avoid and resolve conflicts on many levels). Descartes uses a reductionistic method. In my criticism I will take up this method as well. Descartes can be criticized on the grounds that this may not be the best method, and is not the only one that has been proposed as appropriate to the task of justifying beliefs.[4] Descartes uses a first person method often called epistemic individualism, in which he takes up the position of anShow MoreRelatedThe Role of God in Descartes Epistemology1356 Words   |  5 Pagesepistemology. Throughout this essay, I aim to critically examine the role of God in Descartes’ epistemology. Renà © Descartes’ epistemological contribution to western philosophy attempted to inaugurate a coherent method of questioning whereby knowledge of the world is attained independently of the authority of the Church or Bible. Strangely enough this separation had no intention on removing god from our lives or minds. Descartes’ project was to prove the existence of God, and to establish that on ly God canRead MoreAnalysis Of Rene Descartes869 Words   |  4 Pages Rene Descartes is known as the philosopher of the modern period which starts around the time 1600’s. He is also known as the â€Å"Father of Modern Philosophy†, whereas he is also considered one of the critics of the philosophy of Aristotle. In his mediation of philosophy he has discussed different ideas about the human existence. In the mediations, he has questioned an individual’s idea of perceptions, where he develops the idea of skepticism. Unlike Aristotle, he believes that mind is the first realityRead More Rene Descartes Essay1271 Words   |  6 PagesI think, therefore I am Rene Descartes was a man obsessed with finding things out for himself, an intellectual who contributed to the field of psychology. Born in the 16th century, Descartes grew up in a society where ideas, thoughts and perceptions were not questioned but were supposed to be understood and supported. While growing up and through his studies, Descartes began to make strides in the fields of philosophy, mathematics and science. Descartes was a man who challenged accepted ideasRead MoreDescartes Fourth Meditation On The Existence Of God1382 Words   |  6 PagesIn Descartes’ Fifth Meditation, he delivers an argument that has come to be known as the Ontological Argument. It is here that Descartes argues for the existence of God, through a priori reasoning. In order to understand both the strengths and weakness of this argument, I will first break it down into its main premises. From here, I will argue that despite the simplicity and use of reasoning in the argument, the weaknesses ou tweigh the strengths, and ultimately that the argument fails. To allow forRead More How Descartes Tries to Extricate Himself from the Skeptical Doubts He Has Raised4647 Words   |  19 PagesHow Descartes Tries to Extricate Himself from the Skeptical Doubts He Has Raised [All page references and quotations from the Meditations are taken from the 1995 Everyman edition] In the Meditations, Descartes embarks upon what Bernard Williams has called the project of Pure Enquiry to discover certain, indubitable foundations for knowledge. By subjecting everything to doubt Descartes hoped to discover whatever was immune to it. In order to best understand how and why DescartesRead MoreThe Dream Argument by Rene Descartes Essay1008 Words   |  5 Pagesmeditations, is his Dream Argument. Descartes believes that there is no way to be able to distinguish being in awake from being in a state of dreaming. In fact you could actually be in a dream right now. Rene Descartes’s theory that one is unable distinguish being awake from dreaming, as interesting as it is, can be at times a little farfetched, along with a few contradictions to himself, Descartes’s dream argument does not entitle himself to any sort of claim. Descartes wrote the Meditations on FirstRead MoreRene Descartes Ontological Argument957 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Cogito ergo sum† (â€Å"I think, therefore, I am†) (Descartes, Miller, Miller, 1983). Renà © Descartes was a philosopher of the 17th century who made major contributions to the field. Everything from his metaphysical arguments of existence of man to his proofs for the existence of God are still discussed and debated today. In the field of religion, most famous is his Ontological proof for the existence of God. In other words, proof that one can know God a priori, with no experience whatsoever. FollowingRead MoreBlaise Pascal, A 17Th Century Philosopher Known For His1464 Words   |  6 Pagesof mankind ultimately causes him to contradict the beliefs of Descartes who strives to find â€Å"just one thing, however slight, that is certain and unshaken† in order to distinguish true from false with absolute certainty by identifying a firm, solid, indubit able foundation of knowledge (Descartes 63). Almost every claim made by Pascal, including his claim that there is â€Å"no truth that is constant or satisfying†, would have left Descartes in a world of error and turmoil if they proved to be true (PascalRead MoreDescartes’ Cogito Argument Successfully Shows the Evil Demon Argument is Unsound888 Words   |  4 PagesDoes Descartes’ Cogito argument successfully show that the Evil Demon Argument is unsound? In this essay I will attempt to show that the philosopher, Renà ¨ Descartes’ Cogito Argument successfully proves the Evil Demon Argument to be unsound. By an analysis of the structure of the arguments and what they prove, I will show the evil demon argument to be unsound. An argument is unsound when the premises as false and the argument is invalid. This analysis of both structure and content will eventuateRead MoreEssay on Rene Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy2121 Words   |  9 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Descartes believes that knowledge comes from within the mind. This is a single indisputable fact to build on that can be gained through individual reflection. While seeking true knowledge, Descartes writes his Six Meditations. In these meditations, Descartes tries to develop a strong foundation, which all knowledge can be built upon. In the First Meditation, Descartes begins developing this foundation through the method of doubt. He casts doubt upon all his prev ious beliefs, including â€Å"matters

The Best Things in Life Are Free - 995 Words

The Best Things in Life are Free Over the decades--heck, even centuries--philosophers, politicians, tycoons and other leaders have insisted that you cant get something for nothing: Theres no such thing as a free ride, or Nothing in life is free. Well-known economist Milton Friedman once said, Theres no such thing as a free lunch. Even Entrepreneur columnist Robert Kiyosakis rich dad told him the same thing. But in our evolving Web 2.0 world and with Google leading the way, the rules have changed: You can get something for nothing--and for entrepreneurs, that something can have a significant impact on their businesses. Today, the web is full of free tools to help entrepreneurs start, run and grow their businesses for next to†¦show more content†¦When I think about how much brand equity I have with Wine Library TV and how quickly it happened for [so little cost], the fact that I spent millions of dollars building the brand prior to using these tools makes me want to throw up. As Vaynerchuk has found, customers appreciate the interaction, says Mike Whaling, president of 30 Lines, a social media marketing company that helps businesses expand their brands online reach. Traditionally, it was one way. It was shouting: brochures, white papers, advertisements. Now its much more focused on multimedia and engagement. And whereas brochures and advertising of days past had a price tag, more and more of todays tools are free. But aside from the obvious (duh, its free), what does this surge of tools mean for small businesses? It starts to level the playing field, says Whaling. It gives small businesses the opportunity to put themselves out there and really compete with the larger companies. It allows a little guy to look like a big guy, says Drew McLellan, owner and CEO of McLellan Marketing Group. It makes a small business look very sophisticated. For example, an entrepreneur can build a website easily with various blogging and web design options. A company can launch a targeted marketing campaign across numerous social networks. A business owner can manage calendars, clients and projects using different collaborative and project management software. All for free! AlisonShow MoreRelatedDebt Free Speech940 Words   |  4 PagesImagine yourself 50 years down the road. Debt free. Ready for Retirement and not worrying about a thing in the financial life. Wouldn’t that be great rather than living like most of the world today. Filled with debt and nowhere near retirement only because they did not save and stay out of debt the correct way. People these days are more in debt than ever. People from the age 41 to 46 are six thousand dollars in debt on average according to money.cnn. Investing 100 a month for 18 months withRead MoreHow Education Has Changed Our Life1685 Words   |  7 PagesWe work so hard all our life just to go to that school we have dreamt of going when we get older but things get in our way. 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Essay637 Words   |  3 Pages I definitely think the best things in life are not free. There are so many examples I can name. For one, every thing you want in life you have to work hard to earn it. Nothing is given to you for free. Everything in life costs you or someone else money, time, or effort. This includes all the important things in life like air, freedom, life, living, love, children, marriage, jobs, and friendships. However, if we consider the meaning of free, quot;without cost of any kind to anyone at any time--pastRead MoreGraduation Speech : College And Pursue A College Degree1383 Words   |  6 Pages In America, some go to college and pursue a college degree. With a college degree you can do a lot of things. Also, generally speaking obtaining a college degree will get you a job that would make more money than a job without a degree. 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Comparison Between of Mice and Men and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape Free Essays

They both have similar qualities that relate in each story. In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, the time period is set in the 1930s. In the movie Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, it is set more in the modern times. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison Between of Mice and Men and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape or any similar topic only for you Order Now The characters act and are similar in a lot of ways. Gilbert is a teenager that is struggling to support his family after his father killed himself. Gilbert relates to George because they are both constantly having to take care of someone else. George is always having to take care of Lennie. Lennie is also a mentally handicapped man who is the reason why they are in trouble most of the time. Lennie and Arnie are exactly the same.They both have a â€Å"fatherly† figure that is always there to take care of them and they both are diagnosed with mentally retardation. Although the time period is different, both stories follow along with the same story line. They both are struggling with living in a depressing world and always looking for opportunities for work. Betty Carver is a married mother of two children who is lonely. Her husband is a sales man and is considered mean. They relate to Curley and his wife. Curley is a land owner and is the boss of the workers. Curley’s wife is always looking for attention but is not someone you want to mess around with.They both are seducing younger men which in the end turns out to be trouble. Bonnie, the mother of the grape family, is struggling with being morbidly obese and widowed. She is laughed at and made fun of when seen. She reminds me of Crook. Crook is a black man who is put down because of his color. He doesn’t like to be   around anyone he doesn’t know. In the end, both George and Gilbert have to make a big decision. George has to either killer Lennie or run away again and Gilbert has to either let his mother be humiliated by being lifted out by a crane or burn the house down with her inside of it. How to cite Comparison Between of Mice and Men and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Papers

Public Relation Theories and Issues Malaysian Airlines

Question: Discuss about thePublic Relation Theories and Issuesfor Malaysian Airlines. Answer: Introduction: The following report is going to chronicle the issues raised during the loss of MH370, when Malaysian Airlines reportedly misbehaved with the people who claimed the corpses of their close-mates and family members. Sudden disappearance of the Malaysian flight with 239 passengers on March 8, 2014 created a lot of chaos in the entire world pertaining to the where about of the flight. There was a constant search for the flight for next three years; however, the entire effort went in vain. Only few parts of the vehicle were found near the sea shore and the family members of the passengers were assured that the authority would provide them with positive news. Thus they were placed on a state of never ending duality of hope and hopelessness (Kim et al., 2014). Post disappearance period of MH370 witnessed something uneven in terms of the companys public relation. Mismanagement in the core authority level and false assurance from the company has made the matter even worse. The report is going to elucidate the detailed account of the public relation failure of Malaysian Airlines and its mismanagement. It further relates the problem with one of the public relation theories and consequently, provides some recommendations so as to avoid hazard. Mismanagement of Malaysian Airlines: The basic problem with Malaysian Airlines was that they could not convey proper communication with the family members of the victims. This is how team deployed for the investigation completely denuded the entire matter. Since the basic trait of public relation is the conveyance of the communication, it nees to be ensured that the message is properly transmitted to the receiver from he sender. However, during the course of investigation, the authority could not judge the situation and they further proceeded to give false assurance to the family members of the victims. The mishandling situation from the management cost high as the claimers started venturing their voice against the corruption in the investigation. It was allegedly reported that the investigation team did not give their best while in search of the missing flight. The entire investigation involved twenty six countries yet there was no solution. Robert Jensens statement regarding the failure of the search ignited the issue and worsened the matter. Another fault that the Malaysian Airlines authority made was not informing the media pertaining to the never ending wait of the family members (Analysis: Malaysia Airlines' mishandled response to the MH370 crisis, 2017). During the crisis of communication there was no strategy applied in order to ease the complexity that both the authority and the family members were undergoing. Even the search process was under certain criticism as both the Malaysian government and the airlines authority did not reveal the process to the people who were waiting with hope that they would receive their lost ones back. This led to widespread criticism from the global media. Chinese media did into step back attacking and ponting out the faults of the Malaysian Government. According to one of the spokespersons of Malaysia n Airlines, the process of investigation was being carried out in-house. Though there was question pertaining to the validity of in-house investigation process, the authority did not respond to it sincerely. Some veteran critics pointed out the certain faults of the Malaysian Airlines authority. These are: i) The authority did not deploy a senior spokesperson from the PR department while conveying the message the victims family members. Instead, there was a much junior level officer who was deployed for public interaction. Lack of experience and handling capability worsened the entire situation. ii) On the other hand, the company did not take assistance to handle public agitation and perplexities thus creating a communication crisis between the company and the public (Higgins, Hodge, 2017). However, after many days and months the airline decided to strategise new idea called the SMA blast that provided the customers with e-mail and phone number of the authorised working members who were handling this issue. The other dire mistake made by the Airline was the Facebook content where it was written about the missing of the flight. However, the search operation was conducted much after they had posted about the accident. Soon after reading the post, hundreds of the family members started gathering together and reached the Airline base office. Therefore, it can be said that the basic problem with Malaysian Airlines while dealing with public relation was that the company lacked proper insight. There was no thoughtful management that could help ease the situation thus confirming te death of the missing passengers. There was no confirmation at all regarding the existence and survival of the missing passengers and the crew members. The company only held back the information from the people. The entire responsibility was shouldered upon the Malaysian government as well as the Malaysian Airlines. However, initially the government did not take stern action on the action plan. Analysis of the Problems through PR Theories: The problem can be analysed through different PR theories. However, the most apt theory to connect with the problem is the theory of communication. Before understanding the concept of communication theory one needs to get a clear idea of the four model of PR management designed by Jim Grunig and Todd Hunt. These four models are ; i) The Press Agentry Model ii) The Public Information Model iii) The Two Way Asymmetrical Model iv) The Two way Symmetrical Model (Grunig, 2013) While analysing the case problem, the public information model can be used. This model deals with the truth and accuracy of the information proved by the authority whi provide required information about a problem or an issue (Grunig, 2014). This model was developed on the basis of growing industrial and public complexities in the 20th century. This process describes that the information proved must judge the ethical circumstance and work accordingly (McQuail Windahl, 2015). The basic trait of this model is to provide transparent and truthful information about an incident so that the public or the people who are provided with the information can be made sure regarding the essence of a situation or a problem they are likely to face or they have already faced ("psu.edu", 2017). The theory of communication was developed by Shannon and Weaver. However, this theory mostly covers tthe mathematical discourse of communication. According to Shannon and Weavers theory of communication, a message or information process constitutes a sender, a channel and a receiver. Proper understanding among these three components helps build a concrete communication that can be instrumented to resolve an issue. In the case problem there was no justification between the sender and the receiver of the communication process. Lack of proper channel disrupted the entire communication level. It thus caused a chaos among the participants of the communication (Guth Marsh, 2016). Recommendation: The issue of MH370 was no doubt a very complex one. The missing or the accident could not be controlled by the Malaysian Airlines authority. However, lack of proper communication worsened the matter. The authority might recover the complexity by the following process: i) the airlines authority should deploy a proper and veteran spokesperson who has the experience in dealing with the public. ii) The authority could take authentic assistance from a third party agency who could take up the responsibility of public relation iii) There was a different investigation body that was in charge of the investigation. One of the spokespersons from the investigating agency could communicate with the people who were waiting for the missing family members. 0 Conclusion: From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the level of communication has to be strengthened while dealing with PR issues. If there is no proper communication management, the PR issues are not resolved and remain unchanged. Therefore, the authority must build a bridge to eradicate the gap between the company and the people. References: Analysis: Malaysia Airlines' mishandled response to the MH370 crisis. (2017). Prweek.com. Retrieved 20 April 2017, from https://www.prweek.com/article/1286333/analysis-malaysia-airlines-mishandled-response-mh370-crisis Grunig, J. E. (2013).Excellence in public relations and communication management. Routledge. Grunig, J. E. (2014). Ethics problems and theories in public relations. Introduction.Communiquer. Revue de communication sociale et publique, (11), 1-14. Guth, D. W., Marsh, C. (2016).Public relations: A values-driven approach. Pearson. Higgins, E., Hodge, R. (2017). Families seethe at MH370 photo. Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 20 April 2017, from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/mh370-families-seethe-over-shameful-malaysia-airlines-photo/news-story/0cdcfd4630f34b510c975b56823cedb8 Kim, S. Y., Choi, M. I., Reber, B. H., Kim, D. (2014). Tracking public relations scholarship trends: Using semantic network analysis on PR Journals from 1975 to 2011.Public Relations Review,40(1), 116-118. McQuail, D., Windahl, S. (2015).Communication models for the study of mass communications. Routledge. psu.edu. (2017). psu.edu. Retrieved 20 April 2017, from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.939.4419rep=rep1type=pdf