Today we listened to group 3's presentation in the form of a debate. During the last half of the class we talked a little about Descartes and Locke.
Descartes was a French philosopher who also studied mathematics while Locke was an English philosopher who was also a physician.
This week I found the readings in PB to be the best, especially the Bakewell on Montaigne. I find that Montaigne seems to be the kind of philosopher I would have been if I were a philosopher in that time period. What I mean is that we share some of the same ideals, and I really like that he says he believes that you have to fall into philosophy you can't just one day decide to be a philosopher.
ReplyDeleteFQ: Why did Montaigne begin to write about death?
DQ: Would you consider Montaigne to be a philosopher or just a writer? Why?
I had a busy day and only had time to read on my lunch, so far I have only gotten to read about Descartes, Pascal, Spinoza, and Locke & Reid. Since, they had been discussed a little in class it was easy to get through their readings.
ReplyDeleteDescartes look at everything as maybe it is all a dream. We we sometimes dream they can seem so real; therefore, Descartes says that maybe when we are woke we could still be in a dream, since the dreams can seem so real we could be fooled. I could be dreaming now and not really typing this discussion. How do I really now what's reality and what's not? I thought Descartes philosophy on Could you be dreaming is something to really think about. It's Deep!
Pascal Pensees was that we should gamble on the existence of God. This is something I have heard all my life. "I would rather lived my life as if there is a God and found out that there wasn't rather than live it as it was not a God and found out that it was" Growing up in holiness this is something that I am familiar with. That's pretty much what Pascal was saying.
Locke and Reid had different views from each other. Personally myself Locke sound like a contradicting psycho. I believe that we are always the same person, but can change our attitude or personality and that doesn't make us any one else. we are still who we are? That's my opinion.
FQ: What does QED stand for? Quod Erat Demonstrandum p77 LH
FQ: Pascal thought of himself as a _________. Theologian p71 LH
FQ: Descartes said doing what to yourself still may not prove that you are awake? Pinching p65 LH
FQ: T/F All philosophers agreed with Locke emphasis on self conscious memory as the basis of personal identity. False p85 LH
DQ: Do you think that it's possible you could actually be dreaming as you are reading that it may not be reality?
DQ: Are you the same person from when you was an infant?
Here is a reading from Psychology Today about dreams and reality:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dream-catcher/201106/dream-and-reality
With all due respect to Descartes, I do not believe that we could all be asleep now. I am fairly certain that I am awake. I have never had a dream that was so real I could sense all five senses just like i do in reality. Sure, I had some senses in dreams, but I cannot recall being able to see, smell, hear, touch, and taste in a dream. My dreams, as I recall are based all on touch, sight, and hearing mainly.
DeleteI also think we can tell we aren't dreaming because of time. In reality, time continues at the same pace and is continuous. In dreams, time often skips around and we just sort of go with the flow. I remember in a lot of dreams I've thought "this doesn't really make sense, oh well!"
DeleteDQ: do you think you can "gamble on God" and win?
ReplyDeleteFQ: what else was pascal known for besides philosophy? -Math
Very interesting readings for sure this week. I was highly intrigued by Blaise Pascal's religious beliefs. I focused on him the most because I, as a christian, felt that his beliefs are very sensible. The "gambler's argument" approach to the existence of God mad a lot of sense to me.
ReplyDeleteFQ: Which method is defined as: don't accept anything as true if there is the slightest possibility that it isn't? And who developed this method? Method of Cartesian Doubt; Rene Descartes
FQ: Cartesian Dualism is________. The idea that the mind is separate from the body.
FQ: In Rene Descarte's 'Trademark Argument', it states that_____ exists because he left an idea_____ in our minds. God; implanted
FQ: Pascal believed that every human is retched and torn between anxiety and despair; however he believed humanity has potential as long as we don't lose sight of ____. God
FQ: Jansenists believed in ______. Predestination.
FQ: Pascal believed that belief in God was about the ___ and ___. heart; faith.
DQ: Do you guys agree with Pascal and his gambler's argument about God's existence?
FQ: What did Pascal think of himself as to be? A Theologian (LH-71)
ReplyDeleteDQ: Do you believe in predestination?
LINK: http://marshill.com/media/religionsaves/predestination