Abstract
This paper addresses Gottfried Leibnitz's comments on the need for wisdom, practical reasoning and taking total responsibility for all one does, for one has moral choice within a framework of divine creation. Comments on Leibnitz's belief that moral reasoning was practical reasoning, given a mystical sense of creation to be made through moral goodness, promoting harmony and self-direction.

From the Paper
"Gottfried Leibnitz (1646-1716) was a strongly Aristotelian thinker who also gained from the philosophy of Thomas of Aquinas, towards an idea that although God made each agent in Creation `everything that it will ever be' that each was completely responsible for its own actions. In effect, he refers to a mass creation of beings that should then learn to exercise the practical reasoning that others associate with being among the different processes of free will. Roinala's Leibnitz on Rational Decision-Making is a starting place for what can be determined of the thought of a remarkable..."

Tags:leibnitz, moral reason, responsibility

Abstract
A discussion of the two main types of reasoning and an in-depth definition of each to help the reader understand each before taking a look at Pascal's Wager Argument. The paper then uses the knowledge of each type of reasoning to show how the Pascal's Wager argument only uses prudential reasoning.

From the Paper
"The phrase a good reason to believe is ambiguous between a prudential and an epistemic reading. A good prudential reason for something means that it is in one s self-interest to believe it over something he or she would otherwise choose. A good epistemic reason for something, on the other hand, is when one knows of a valid and sound argument supporting it. "

Tags:epistemic, pascal, philosophy, prudential, reasoning, wager

Abstract
Using an article about Penn State university resewsrch into the use of whole grain foods in a weight loss regimen, there are some doubts about the value of its contents, based on statistical reasoning, which tends to require far more than the fifty adult subjects involved here, and the limited statistical summaries provided. There is a question about the funding of the resaerch and whether that influenced the diet and exercise programs

From the Paper
STATISTICAL REASONING AND HEALTHCARE If the basic definition of statistical reasoning- namely, that it is the way people reason with the ideas provided by statistics, then this article is fairly incomplete. "Much of statistical reasoning combines ideas about data and chance, which leads to making inferences and interpreting statistical results" (Garfield 2002 1). The reason that one can presume the inadequacy of research focused in this article is that it covers merely "50 obese adults, ages 20-65, who were divided into two groups" (Healthnet 2008 1). One group, the article continues ate refined grains, the other had a diet high in whole grains.

Tags:whole grain diet, diabetes, statistical reasoning

Abstract
An objective student of truth must reconcile faith and reason in order to formulate an approach to moving closer to the truth. The purpose of this brief study is to examine the methods of both faith and reason in the pursuit of truth in order to illustrate that ultimately it is reason that provides individuals with a superior means of coming closer to an understanding of truth.

From the Paper
Faith, Reason, and the Pursuit of Truth The pursuit of truth is no small undertaking. Simply developing a workable sense of what constitutes truth can be difficult in and of itself. The issue is further compounded upon recognizing that some people approach the quest for truth solely through faith--those of religious persuasion, for example--while others utilize reason to varying degrees--scientists and philosophers. It is, as Galileo asserted, as if science and faith can best be understood through the metaphor of two books: "of Nature and of Revelation" (Rodrigues da Cruz, "It Started with Galileo," 591). An objective student of truth must reconcile these two different viewpoints

Tags:faith, reason, truth

Abstract
This paper addresses ten questions as provided and answers the questions according to a file handout. The paper also explains the answers in order to provide the reasoning or information used to address the question. The paper answers the questions without actually reproducing the actual handout, which was not provided in a usable format.

Tags:language, logic, reasoning

Abstract
The paper explores whether reason can be used as a way of knowing. The argument looks at strengths and weaknesses of using reason as a way of knowing. The paper explains that the weaknesses encompass a types of knowledge that can't be known using reason.

From the Paper
"One of the most important questions in philosophy is how do we know anything? Does knowledge exist in an objective state? Is there only one type of knowledge? Or are there many types of knowledge? These questions ultimately relate to questions about methodologies for obtaining knowledge. For example, if there is a single type of objective knowledge is there only one way of obtaining it? Or if there are multiple types of knowledge then are there multiple ways of obtaining it? This essay will look at the strengths and weaknesses of using reason as a way of knowing. In order to do this we will first take a look at concepts..."

Tags:reason, way, knowing

Abstract
The paper discusses how the modern pursuit for truth has been somewhat constrained by discussion that divides the pursuit into questions of which is better, faith or reason. The paper explains that in the pursuit of truth, it is imagination that ultimately allows us to probe beyond what we already know, or think we know, and come closer to an understanding of the truth. This paper finds that reason alone permits the searching individual to reach closer to the truths that make up the universe.

From the Paper
"The pursuit of truth is one of the driving forces in our culture. Finding the answers to varied questions such as how to live and how to discover meaning in one's life are at the forefront of many people's minds. Over the millennia, individuals have searched for truth using a variety of methods. The modern pursuit for truth has been somewhat constrained by discussion that divides the pursuit into questions of whether faith or reason is better at sussing out the truth (Clements). In this essay, we shall find that reason alone permits the searching individual to reach..."

Tags:reason, faith, truth

Abstract
This paper analyses some sayings from the "Pensees" in which Pascal tries to impress the limits of reason and empirical knowledge. It discusses how, instead of glorifying the utilitarian potential of reason and empirical endeavour, on the eve of the Enlightenment, Pascal instead warns of its danger.

From the Paper
"One of the purposes of Blaise Pascal in the Pensees is to delineate the limits of reason and empirical knowledge. It was in the birth throes of the Age of Enlightenment, the period in which empirical knowledge swept aside Catholicism and faith and supplanted them as the underpinning to European society. Diderot, d'Alembert and the French encyclopedists, paved the way for the German idealists, and in turn for the British utilitarians. The corresponding advance of industry and technology made sure that empirical knowledge became more and more synonymous with knowledge itself, all other forms of knowledge gradually being delegated to the status of superstition. Pascal himself is one of the founders of scientific civilisation, and his contributions in fluid mechanics, probability and number theory are of fundamental importance in this regard. The greatness of Pascal lies in the fact that not only was he a progenitor of modern science, but he was equally aware of its limitations. Against the backdrop of the Enlightenment it is fair to assess that Pascal is ignored and overridden in the Western thrust towards technological society."

Tags:faith, reason, determinism, science, enlightenment

Abstract
The paper explores how feudalism, liberalism, conservatism, and socialism have each used reason to justify the beliefs they advanced. The paper explains that feudalism appeared to be a reasoned response to prevailing conditions of anarchy in the Middle Ages, and in subsequent historical eras, the ideologies of conservatism, liberalism, and socialism were advocated as reasoned solutions to contemporary problems in society.

From the Paper
"Feudalism, liberalism, conservatism, and socialism have each used reason to justify the beliefs they advanced. Feudalism appeared to be a reasoned response to prevailing conditions of anarchy in the Middle Ages, and in subsequent historical eras, the ideologies of conservatism, liberalism, and socialism were advocated as reasoned solutions to contemporary problems in society. Examining the development of feudalism, liberalism, conservatism, and..."

Tags:reason, in, ideology

Abstract
This paper discusses the writer's own spiritual journey, as well as questions relating to faith, science and reason that the writer faced during his journey. The paper focuses on the arguments of Thomas Paine in his work, "In Age of Reason" and discusses in which ways Paine's arguments relate to the writer and his feelings regarding religion.

From the Paper
"On the other hand, The Bible and religious studies do offer some reasonable conclusions. First, there is strong evidence of the existence of Jesus due to the multiple eye witness accounts of his life. There are multiple matching stories that collaborate the life of Jesus. Thomas Paine also follows this reasonable line of thinking. Again, I agree with Paine's analysis. Secondly, my research for hard evidence of God's existence has included the academic study of comparative religions. At the conclusion of my studies, despite the fact that religious teaching demonstrates a vast degree of differences, I have found there is a shared commonality. Religious teachings share several fundamental core values. For example, the value of the equality of man. Therefore, when Thomas Paine states, "I believe the equality of man, and I believe that religious duties consist of doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy" (13), he is also observing the similarities of philosophies within religions. Therefore, on the basis of duplicated information and similarities of philosophies, it is reasonable to conclude the possible existence of celestial God."

Tags:science, faith, God