Abstract This paper describes and compares the differences between eastern and western philosophy. The author has included texts and examples from both cultures.The author explains that Easternphilosophy is felt and experienced rather than thought about and that it is intelligence versus emotion instead of a combination of the two when talking about philosophy.
From the Paper "Think. Don't Think. From the beginning this has been one of the primary differences between Eastern and Western Philosophy. Generally Western systems attempt to think and rationalize a system of philosophy based on experience and create a logic theory on the meaning of life. In Eastern philosophy, thinking is part of the discursive mind and clouds the actual perception of reality, so don't think, experience. In the West experience is explained in words, in the East, words are slowly pealed away so one can experience reality directly. Think. Don't Think. In fact the Taoist text, The Tao Te Ching, opens with the following, "The Way that can be told is not the Unvarying Way, the names that can be named are not the unvarying names." (Morre 149) So, in essence, words always fall short of the true meaning of experience. Eastern philosophy must be felt and experienced rather than thought about. In these philosophies there is not just the mind but the heart-mind from which understanding comes, something the west has separated into two distinct entities. It is intelligence versus emotion instead of a combination of the two when talking about philosophy."
Abstract The following essay shows how the central character in Gardner's novel, Grendel, moves away from a nihilistic sense of self and toward what easternphilosophies describe as a sense of enlightenment.
From the paper:
?In his very early days, even the evil, man-eating Grendel was an innocent creature. "I lived those years, as do all young things, in a spell. Like a puppy nipping, playfully growling preparing for battle with wolves" (Gardner 16). It is only when he ventures into the world and gets caught in a tree from which he is unable to escape, that he experiences his first fears that the world is not as he had previously conceived it to be. With his foot stuck in the tree and a bull repeatedly charging, but missing him, Grendel comes to a realization. ?I understood that, finally and absolutely, I alone exist. All the rest, I saw, is merely what pushes me or what I push against, blindly . . .? (Gardner 22). It is also during this particular scene that Grendel first comes into contact with men.?
Abstract This paper explains why economic development was such a crucial question in Eastern Europe during the period 1918-1939. The three countries discussed are Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
Tags: EUROPEAN STUDIES (HISTORY, CULTURE) / EASTERN EUROPE, RUSSIA, development eastern europe
Abstract In this article, the writer first discusses that most researchers believed that during the 1950s the topics that were not raised consistently as influences on educational theories like racial discrimination, status of women, etc., had more drastic effect than the issues that were addressed. The writer then relates that educational theories were more specialized and respected in the 1960s than any other on the basis of the incorporation of assessment procedures that guaranteed impartiality, lucidity, and practical inflexibility. Further, the writer notes that Thomas Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions in 1970 basically brought forth the notion of competition that was singly the most influential concept in the coming decades. The writer points out that the decade of the 1980s saw feminism, neo-Marxist notion, and the first drafts of the postmodern theory being considered as legal areas of concern in the sphere educational philosophy. Finally, the writer notes that the 1990s brought around tragedy, feelings of loss and uncertainty among the societies. The writer concludes that in the future, one can hope that the reforms and incorporations that have been made over the past decades in the education theories yield fruitful results by enhancing educational standards and efficiency of the execution of education philosophies.
Outline:
Educational Theory and Philosophy during 1950s
Educational Theory and Philosophy during 1960s
Educational Theory and Philosophy during 1970s
Educational Theory and Philosophy during 1980s
Educational Theory and Philosophy during 1990s
Conclusion
From the Paper "There were also quite a few articles that chose to concentrate only the numerous problems or aspects of the education policies present like the level of educational liberty available to both the students and the teachers, the educational as well as peripheral responsibilities of the academic management. An example of an essay of this format is the article written by Willard Spalding who was the Dean of the College of Education at the University of Illinois at the time. He in this article tried to design a completely fresh notion and theory of training the teachers. He believed that this could be achieved by invalidating what he believed to be the conservative or traditional comprehension of the association amid the traits and various units of education. He followed the viewpoint first brought forth by Aristotle that regarded the numerous units as the primary factors whereas the traits as the secondary factors. Spalding supported this viewpoint because he believed that this led to a more lucid understanding of the society's needs and requirements for the educational standards, temperaments and policies."
This paper analyzes the philosophy of renowned historian G.W. Hegel, who is believed to have created the philosophy of history, based on his life experiences and beliefs.
Abstract The writer of this paper presents an intensive examination of G.W. Hegel's philosophy of history. This paper compares and contrasts Hegel's beliefs and theories to those of Karl Marx. This paper discusses the speculation that renowned historian and philosopher Hegel created the philosophy of history based on his own life experiences and personal beliefs. The writer explores the argument that says history and philosophy are two entirely different entities, of which Hegel was deeply involved in both. This paper also touches on the experts who believe that Hegel was a believer in the theory of predestination. According to this school of thought, Hegel believed history to be an already fixed and unchangeable fact, that mankind only watches as a spectator. The writer contends and explains why Hegel's life and work is founded on the belief that history is nothing more than a dialectical progression. This paper also details Hegel's basic philosophy which is steeped in the belief that spirit and reason are fundamentally crucial to the development of history. Hegel believed that history is nothing more than spirit striving to find its own freedom.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Who He Was
His Philosophy His Life
His Impact
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "GW Hegel took on a most difficult task when he decided to spend his life philosophizing about history and mankind. As a philosopher of history Hegel had to walk a line between rewriting history to fit his philosophical beliefs and changing those beliefs to fit what was actually happening in history. It was a line he walked well though critics have pointed out what they believed to be discrepancies. His life work was based on trying to find the basic truths about history and mankind while at the same time examining the sub-topics that went along with those things by natural progression."
Abstract This paper is a portion of an on-going process to create an integrated statement of the client's philosophy of teaching. According to the paper, the client states that s/he has a student-centered, experiential teaching philosophy, if s/he has one at all. Research has shown that although a teaching philosophy is a useful guide, it should not create restrictions on the teacher and student working relationship. The paper concludes that for this reason, a teaching philosophy should not be discarded; rather, it should be treated as the useful guideline that it is for aiding children along their educational path.
From the Paper "According to Petress (2003) that to some people, the term "philosophy" the author believes that most students know more than they think they do. [. . .] Too often, students tend to misconstrue what knowledge is and to judge themselves unnecessarily harshly; students thus sometimes form destructive self-fulfilling prophesies for themselves [. . .] (p. 3) Clifford, Friesen, and Jardine (2003) expand upon this thought by stating that not only should students be taught to think critically, but also "that they have voices that can shape what their society comes to accept as knowledge" (p. 28). This feeling of being empowered in defining their own educational future can only lead to student success."
Abstract This paper addresses four specific essay questions. These questions range from moral issues concerning birth control to philosophy. The four questions form the part of an argument that either supports or negates the original argument.
Tags:PHILOSOPHY / MORAL PHILOSPHY, philosophy questions answered
Abstract This paper makes the argument that philosophy is relevant to everyday life, provided that the definition of philosophy is expanded beyond that used by academics.
From the Paper "That such a question needs to be asked in the first place indicates a total lack of understanding with respect to what philosophy means and what it does. It seems that too many have become so involved in the picayune details of esoteric discussions that they have forgotten about the larger picture when it comes to philosophy. Some would argue that philosophy itself has vacated its place as an essential part of life for the sake of a much more..."
Abstract This paper discusses the concepts of self, knowledge, past philosophies, society and education, morality, personal educational philosophies, the purpose of education and human differences. In the discussion of these elements the paper serves to evaluate the author's thought on the concepts and to determine a future ideology on education.
From the Paper "There are many elements that are considered in the formulation of an educational philosophy. The core values that a teacher begins with to construct this philosophy can be ideas that began as infants, and that are developed throughout his or her educational endeavors. Yet, as concepts change in education, so do approaches to the best methods of teaching. Therefore, an exploration of the elements that are incorporated into an educational philosophy must be examined. The Concept of Self The concept of "self", or a child's identity relates to all of the elements that have formulated in a child's life, and how that child then perceives those concepts in a personal manner. It is evident that when two people view the same circumstance they may not walk away with the same philosophies. Because of this belief, the concept of "self" is just as varied."
Abstract This paper describes various ideas of ancient and medieval philosophy. The author begins by contrasting the concepts of reason and faith. Also analyzed is the belief system of a higher being. Philosophies of both Christian and Jewish religions are highlighted and the major writings briefly introduced. The author also includes other philosophical schools of thought from this time period, including realism and natural theology.
Outline:
Faith and Reason
Natural Theology
Universals
Works cited
From the Paper "Faith and reason are often seen as adversarial. It appears that since the middle ages the two principles fail to find common ground. Reason is about gathering evidence that supports a position. Faith, on the other hand, is the formation of belief in the absence of or in opposition to evidence that appears to prove other than that which is believed. For those who support reason, faith would appear to be irrational. "
This paper examines the following four works of literature and how they affected the literary philosophy of their eras: Voltaire's 'Candide', Anton Chekhov's 'Enemies', Giancamo Leopardi's 'The Infinite' and Virginia Wolf's 'Kew Gardens'.
Abstract This paper studies the different ways that four works of literature from different genres reflect the dominant literary philosophy of the era of their authors. It argues that over the course of the last three centuries, from the 18th century to the present, the ways that literature has depicted the human condition has been characterized by an increasing focus on the interior, rather than the exterior life of fictional and non-fictional characters. It studies Voltaire's 'Candide', Anton Chekhov's 'Enemies' , Giancamo Leopardi's 'The Infinite' and Virginia Wolf's 'Kew Gardens'.
From the Paper "One of the most perfect expressions of the Enlightenment's Rationalism can be found in Voltaire's Candide. Voltaire depicts a society rife with hypocrisy, particularly religious hypocrisy. The length of Voltaire's work is that of a novella, but the prose has the quality of a satire, or an extended parody, in this case a parody of the philosopher Lebiniz's sensibility that the entire world is good, and that the world in which we dwell is the best of all possible worlds. Voltaire's authorial voice is present throughout the work, and even when the author is chronicling the inner voice of the characters, there is a strong sense of plot, of action, and of an author's philosophic "project" at work."
Tags: literature philosophy Voltaire 'Candide'Anton Chekhov 'Enemies', Giancamo Leopardi 'The Infinite' Virginia Wolf 'Kew Gardens' Enlightenment Rationalism
Abstract This paper begins with a brief discussion of Camus' childhood and young adult life. It examines his early political involvements - fighting for the rights of the native Algerian population. It shows how his interests became more focused once he moved to France and fought in the French Resistance during WWII. The paper presents some of his writings and examines their connection to his philosophy of society and life.
From the Paper "Albert Camus was born in Algeria, in the town of Mondovi, in 1913. His father was killed the following year, early in World War I, at the Battle of the Marne. His mother was severely deaf and had a speech impediment, and they lived in marked poverty. He and his brother both received scholarships that allowed them to attend school past the elementary level. Camus entered a lycee in Algiers, majoring in philosophy. ). He formed a theater group for laborers, ?L'Equipe.? (Nobel, 2001)"
Abstract Humanism is a set of presuppositions that assigns to human beings a special position in the scheme of things. Not just a school of thought or a collection of specific beliefs or doctrines, humanism is rather a general perspective from which the world is viewed. That perspective received a gradual yet persistent articulation during different historical periods and continues to furnish a central leitmotif of Western civilization. It resists the tendency to treat humanity scientifically as part of the natural order on par with other living organisms. This is the position put forth in the paper to support the author's stance on advocating animal rights. Humanists attribute crucial importance to education, conceiving of it as an all-around development of personality and individual talents, marrying science to poetry and culture to democracy. The paper shows that such philosophies as egoism, utilitarianism, and ethical relativism all seem to lend a hand in supporting this ethical topic.
From the Paper "Utilitarianism draws together more exactly to the nurturing of the human consciousness. It concentrates on "utility in the largest sense, grounded on the permanent interests of man as a progressive being?" (Mill, 92). Progression, of course, is seen as a slow development towards being more and more socially enlightened, more attuned to the greater good. Gandhi writes: ?The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.? (Dyer & Dyer). Utilitarianism suggests the greatest happiness for all. If one assumes that animals are indeed consciences then they might be included in this over-arching all, and certainly that would defend their rights."
Abstract This paper examines John Locke's theory of government as a forerunner to that of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. It continues to explore the impact the French Revolution had on future political ideologies, which are portrayed through Benjamin Constant's "The Principles of Politics" and in John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty." In conclusion the author discusses how these philosophies shaped Western society and democracy as we know it today.
From the Paper "John Stuart Mill, an advocate of man's innate rights during the mid eighteen-hundreds, wrote "On Liberty," an examination of government's interference with personal freedom through the fallacy of "self-protection." Mill contested that by trying to guard the freedoms of the people, the government in reality is restricting them, only imposing more laws, which take away or infringe upon the ones granted. True freedom can only come from the person, not the dictates of the ruling power. Mill stated, "Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."
Tags: 18th, century, europe, government, Locke, Mill, Constant, philosophy, politics
