In order to help us understand the meaning of Philosophy we must first understand the long debates regarding what it means to be human, and how "being" differs from "to be". ... Only in the beatific vision-the end toward which philosophy, the love of wisdom, is oriented-will those limits be overcome". ... In conclusion, the primary focus should be "What is the meaning of philosophy?" ... In these and other ways the study of philosophy contributes immeasurably in both academic and other pursuits. Therefore, the goal of philosophy is to understand one's self, one's being, and one'...

• Word Count: 1300
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Before converting to Christianity, Augustine found that the philosophy of Plato offered him a more compelling view of morality than did the dualism of Manichaeism. This school of philosophy, neoplatonism, was the intellectual bridge that allowed Augustine to move from pagan life to Christian life. Suffice to say, Augustine used this philosophy in the service of Christianity but some Christian beliefs are irreconcilable with neoplatonism. ... Accordingly, I assert that every real man must honor Eros, as I myself honor erotics and train myself. " Neoplatonism provides then a framework tha...

• Word Count: 857
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In The Philosophy of International Relations, F. ... The endurance of Stoicism must not only be attributed to its ability to help a civilization maintain power; its attractiveness to downtrodden peoples in times of collapse also contributed to Stoicism's survival. ... Furthermore, the fact that this quite complex chapter is only one part of a book indicates the great depth of study that is required in the philosophy of international relations. ... Parkinson, with diminishing effectiveness and increasing confusion, shows how Stoicism not only faced many evolutions, but how it transfor...

• Word Count: 919
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Figuring Out Life Almost as pressing as our basic need for food, our desires to resolve the questions surrounding our existence have yielded countless philosophies. ... Because his philosophy was much easier to "Christianize," it seems reasonable to think that Platonism was more warmly adopted compared to Lucretius" non-teleological view of the universe. ... We see straight through to what we seek; whence each thing is created and in what manner made, without god's help." ... Although the exact definition of this truth is not explicitly stated in either texts, both philosophers note ...

• Word Count: 1275
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Plato's character helps the ideas on the page come to life in a way an intellectual discourse with the students of the world cannot. ... The philosophies of the two minds constantly concern themselves with the ethereal, the things not of the Earth. ... It appeared that the option was available for Socrates to renounce his faith and go free, instead of continuing to practice philosophy and question Greece until he upset the wrong people and was put to death. ... However, this did not happen (but wouldn't that make a cool philosophy/sci-fi novel?). ... Witnessing Socrates...

• Word Count: 1699
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Throughout his work "On Free Choice of the Will," he repeatedly calls upon God's help and assistance to guide his reasoning and arguments, yet it is his own intelligence that allows him to quickly formulate his responses to Evodius" questions. ... A good place to start on the road to enlightenment is with the study of philosophy. ... Perhaps instead of "the love of wisdom," philosophy should be called "the love and application of wisdom," for this is the true purpose of philosophy and this is what is required of every man to lead a good life free from the fetters of dependence. ...

• Word Count: 1205
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Viewed as the greatest philosophers of their time and in Ancient Greece Aristotle, Socrates and Plato's works had much influence and continue to have influence in the western world to date. This is majorly because they were the developers of art, science and religion in the European, Arabic and Juda...

• Word Count: 549
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Plato and Hobbes have similar philosophies for which one could compare regarding their theories in "The Republic," and "The Leviathan.... Plato explains in "The Republic" that the guardian is to be a really good and noble guardian of the state who will unite in himself philosophy, spirit, swiftness and strength (Plato, pg. 9). ... What Hobbes is saying is, human beings are put on this earth to look out for themselves; and if scarcity were to occur, they would look the other way if someone else needed help. ...

• Word Count: 1234
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

After comparing "Ishmael" to the "Allegory of the Cave", I realized that several aspects of freedom are addressed in each work align with my new-found philosophy of freedom. ... Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" is an excellent example which can be used to help explain the importance of using the building blocks of education to break through any barriers that may prevent an individual from tasting true freedom. ... So long as I live I will never stop learning, but each step I make towards my own graduation helps me break through the monotonous prison of my life ...

• Word Count: 1922
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

But, it is not in a little number that imagery even doesn't help the readers to understand the visualizations. ... Where in Plato there was a "quarrel between poetry and philosophy", by Aristotle's scheme poetry is more philosophic even than history (a chronicle of "real" events). ... Sir Philip Sidney acknowledges this in The Defence of Poesie, saying that Plato made "mistress Philosophy very often borrow the masking raiment of Poesy" (Gilbert 428). ...

• Word Count: 5585
• Approx Pages: 22
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Section 1 Definition of Aesthetics Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of art, beauty and taste. To understand aesthetics better it is useful to consider the influence that philosophy has had on our current understanding of aesthetics. ... Why, then, may not a landscape be considered as a branch of natural philosophy, of which pictures are but experiments? ...

• Word Count: 2825
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The main objective methods of the history of psychology is 1) survey and study of the sources, and then 2) the internal organization of the material, which includes facts, theories, laws, concepts. 1) At the stage of the study information sources (works of scientists, archives and memories of historical figures, historical materials about the era of the social, artistic works, to help recreate the spirit of the time), the following methods: the study of archival materials, the analysis of biographical data, interviews collected material is often incomplete and distorted (for example, because o...

• Word Count: 4386
• Approx Pages: 18
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Marxist theory will help me analyze the connection between literature and society through the works of Karl Marx, Mikhail Bakhtin, F. ... Mikhail Bakhtin is a critic who studies literary theory, ethics, and the philosophy of language. ...

• Word Count: 2612
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: Undergraduate