In this paper, I will argue that reason is a solid foundation for philosophical inquiry. I will support this claim by arguing that it helps us to reach higher levels of understanding and also that it assists in producing and evaluating arguments. Some critics deny this and argue that reasoning is used to mislead others' knowledge. In reply to this, I will argue that using particular methods of reasoning, such as dialectic, ensures the validity of reasons, and hence, why philosophical inquiry is based on the primacy of reason. .
To begin with, reasoning can help us to reach higher levels of understanding, particularly when it is approached through Aristotle's dialectic method. The dialectic method of reasoning begins with a common belief, which is described in Irwin (1990) as "the things prior and better known to us from which inquiry begins,"then poses and answers questions until it has been fully examined, and a conclusion free of bias has been reached. The method "follows a logical path that provides premises that can't be left with any skepticism or doubt, therefore when a premise has been proved as truth, or is believed as truth, the conclusion cannot be denied" (Irwin, 1990). For example, if I were to state that the process of heating water in a saucepan results in the loss of water through the process of evaporation, what reason do you have to believe me? For you to gain knowledge of this process, it would make sense to complete the process yourself to determine an undeniable result. Therefore, without reason we wouldn't be able to expand our knowledge. .
Secondly, reasoning assists in producing and evaluating arguments. When we begin an argument, others are not immediately in a position to accept claims that oppose their own beliefs, we must somehow reason back to our claims from something more immediately evident. To have a valid argument it is important to provide premises that are free of fallacy, a deceptive, misleading, or false notion.
"Method of Radical Doubt" Descartes said " I realized that once in my life I had to raze everything to the ground and begin again from the original foundations, if I wanted to establish anything firm and lasting in the sciences." ... The purpose of his examining methodology was to be able to have a solid foundation and to understand what he sees before him. Descartes had steps to his philosophy in which he used from day-to-day. ...
Yet,we often find ourselves tip-toeing around this sensitive subject trying to find a meaningful solution but never setting a solid foundation. ... Dershowitz justifies his ideas with the utilitarian philosophy which is the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. It is also given in research of this philosophy that it often justifies monstrous actions - actions no decent person would ever commit. ... Army Special Forces solider. ... What is more important, our false views of what small amount of safety this might bring, or the standards and solid foundations of respect and d...
Following this will be a discussion of a secondary treatment of the issue(s); in other words, Hart's theory of Law and the internal aspect of it; the piece in question will be Radbruch's Five Minutes of Legal Philosophy. ... The general theory of legal system foundations is parallel to the doctrine of sovereignty, which states that regardless of type of law present in a society, in other words democracy, monarchy whatever.......subjects habitually obey a sovereign who in turn obeys no one. ... As mentioned in the previous paragraphs this is a very solid form of social control ...
Many are attracted to the spiritual side of life and may be interested in the church, philosophy, astrology and other new age subjects. ... Taureans are solid and reliable, regular in habits, sometimes a bit wet behind the ears and stubborn as mules. ... The foundations of the nation's character were laid in ancient times, and were determined by the ecology, geographic location, politics, work characteristics and religious holidays. ...
According to Esping-Andersen (1990)there are three ways of organizing a welfare state, these classifications remain the most commonly used in distinguishing types of modern welfare states, and offer a solid starting point in such analysis. 1. ... One of the biggest rivals of the PRI Party, it is the Party of PAN (National Action Party) characterized by having the political ideology of the neo-liberalism, according to Anna-Maria Blomgren: "Neoliberalism is commonly thought of as a political philosophy giving priority to individual freedom and the right to private property. It is not, however, ...
Empiricism and Rationalism are contrasting schools of philosophy which portray the attitudes of the Enlightenment, these philosophies radically changed the contemporary thought of religion, and human existence, but most importantly empiricism, academically questioned the existence of God. ... To further understand the reasoning of both philosophies, one must analyse their chief premises. ... It is difficult to find solid truth in visions, since they are most commonly attributed to hallucinations or dreams. ...
To gain an understanding of the link between Marx and Soviet Communism one first has to look at the theories that Marx espoused in his many works that make up the basic tenets of the Marxist philosophy. ... Even though at this stage of Soviet governance V.I.Lenin encouraged debate and discussion of policy everything still had to be approved by him laying the foundations for the autocratic dictatorship which was to come under Stalin. ... There were explicit reasons within Russian history which laid the foundations for this type of dictatorship within Russia's political and social structur...
It was here that he developed an overriding philosophy that would later propel him through dozens of multiplatinum successes. ... As a prominent mover and shaker within the philanthropic community, Foster has tirelessly lent his musical skills to many charitable foundations and organizations such as the Andre Agassi Foundation, Race to Erase MS, Malibu High School Scholarship Program, and Cedars-Sinai Research For Women's Cancer, among many others. ... Throughout the early '70s he built a solid reputation as one of the best session keyboard players in the business, performing with ...
The theory of medicine was approached with a very humanistic attitude, one of the most influential men of this discipline who's learning and discoveries have added a great deal to the foundations of current knowledge was that of Ibn Sina, known in the western world as Avicenna (Zahoor, 1992). ...
