Critique of Pure Reason Essay Example for Free

Critique of Pure Reason Essay Immanuel Kant, (born April 22, 1724, Konigsberg, Prussia [now Kaliningrad, Russia]—died February 12, 1804, Konigsberg), German philosopher whose comprehensive and systematic work in epistemology (the theory of knowledge), ethics, and aesthetics greatly influenced all subsequent philosophy, especially the various schools of Kantianism and idealism. Kant was one of the foremost thinkers of the Enlightenment and arguably one of the greatest philosophers of all time. In him were subsumed new trends that had begun with the rationalism (stressing reason) of Rene Descartes and the empiricism (stressing experience) of Francis Bacon. He thus inaugurated a new era in the development of philosophical thought. BACKGROUND AND EARLY YEARS Kant lived in the remote province where he was born for his entire life. His father, a saddler, was, according to Kant, a descendant of a Scottish immigrant, although scholars have found no basis for this claim; his mother, an uneducated German woman, was remarkable for her character and natural intelligence. Both parents were devoted followers of the Pietist branch of the Lutheran church, which taught that religion belongs to the inner life expressed in simplicity and obedience to moral law. The influence of their pastor made it possible for Kant—the fourth of nine children but the eldest surviving child—to obtain an education. At the age of eight Kant entered the Pietist school that his pastor directed. This was a Latin school, and it was presumably during the eight and a half years he was there that Kant acquired his lifelong love for the Latin classics, especially for the naturalistic poet Lucretius. In 1740 he enrolled in the University of Konigsberg as a theological student. But, although he attended courses in theology and even preached on a few occasions, he was principally attracted to mathematics and physics. Aided by a young professor who had studied Christian Wolff, a systematizer of rationalist philosophy, and who was also an enthusiast for the science of Sir Isaac Newton, Kant began reading the work of the English physicist and, in 1744, started his first book, Gedanken von der wahren Schatzung der lebendigen Krafte (1746; Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces), dealing with a problem concerning kinetic forces. Though by that time he had decided to pursue an academic career, the death of his father in 1746 and his failure to obtain the post of undertutor in one of the schools attached to the university compelled him to withdraw and seek a means of supporting himself. Tutor and Privatdozent He found employment as a family tutor and, during the nine years that he gave to it, worked for three different families. With them he was introduced to the influential society of the city, acquired social grace, and made his farthest travels from his native city—some 60 miles (96 km) away to the town of Arnsdorf. In 1755, aided by the kindness of a friend, he was able to complete his degree at the university and take up the position of Privatdozent, or lecturer. Period of the three Critiques In 1781 the Kritik der reinen Vernunft (spelled Critik in the first edition; Critique of Pure Reason) was published, followed for the next nine years by great and original works that in a short time brought a revolution in philosophical thought and established the new direction in which it was to go in the years to come. The Critique of Pure Reason The Critique of Pure Reason was the result of some 10 years of thinking and meditation. Yet, even so, Kant published the first edition only reluctantly after many postponements; although convinced of the truth of its doctrine, he was uncertain and doubtful about its exposition. His misgivings proved well founded, and Kant complained that interpreters and critics of the work were badly misunderstanding it. To correct these wrong interpretations of his thought, he wrote the Prolegomena zu einer jeden kunftigen Metaphysik die als Wissenschaft wird auftreten konnen (1783; Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will be Able to Come Forward as Science) and brought out a second and revised edition of the first Critique in 1787. Controversy still continues regarding the merits of the two editions: readers with a preference for an idealistic interpretation usually prefer the first edition, whereas those with a realistic view adhere to the second. But with regard to difficulty and ease of reading and understanding, it is generally agreed that there is little to choose between them. Anyone on first opening either book finds it overwhelmingly difficult and impenetrably obscure. The Critique of Practical Reason Because of his insistence on the need for an empirical component in knowledge and his antipathy to speculative metaphysics, Kant is sometimes presented as a positivist before his time, and his attack upon metaphysics was held by many in his own day to bring both religion and morality down with it. Such, however, was certainly far from Kant’s intention. Not only did he propose to put metaphysics â€Å"on the sure path of science,† he was prepared also to say that he â€Å"inevitably† believed in the existence of God and in a future life. It is also true that his original conception of his critical philosophy anticipated the preparation of a critique of moral philosophy. The Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (1788, spelled Critik and practischen; Critique of Practical Reason), the result of this intention, is the standard sourcebook for his ethical doctrines. The earlier Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten (1785; Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals) is a shorter and, despite its title, more readily comprehensible treatment of the same general topic. Both differ from Die Metaphysik der Sitten (1797; The Metaphysics of Morals) in that they deal with pure ethics and try to elucidate basic principles; the later work, in contrast, is concerned with applying these principles in the concrete, a process that involved the consideration of virtues and vices and the foundations of law and politics. The Critique of Judgment The Kritik der Urteilskraft (1790, spelled Critik; Critique of Judgment)—one of the most original and instructive of all of Kant’s writings—was not foreseen in his original conception of the critical philosophy. Thus it is perhaps best regarded as a series of appendixes to the other two Critiques. The work falls into two main parts, called respectively Critique of Aesthetic Judgment and Critique of Teleological Judgment. In the first of these, after an introduction in which he discussed â€Å"logical purposiveness,† he analyzed the notion of â€Å"aesthetic purposiveness† in judgments that ascribe beauty to something. Such a judgment, according to him, unlike a mere expression of taste, lays claim to general validity, yet it cannot be said to be cognitive because it rests on feeling, not on argument. The explanation lies in the fact that, when a person contemplates an object and finds it beautiful, there is a certain harmony between his imagination and his understanding, of which he is aware from the immediate delight that he takes in the object. Imagination grasps the object and yet is not restricted to any definite concept, whereas a person imputes the delight that he feels to others because it springs from the free play of his cognitive faculties, which are the same in all humans. LAST YEARS The critical philosophy was soon being taught in every important German-speaking university, and young men flocked to Konigsberg as a shrine of philosophy. In some cases the Prussian government even undertook the expense of their support. Kant came to be consulted as an oracle on all kinds of questions, including such subjects as the lawfulness of vaccination. Such homage did not interrupt Kant’s regular habits. Scarcely five feet tall, with a deformed chest, and suffering from weak health, he maintained throughout his life a severe regimen. It was arranged with such regularity that people set their clocks according to his daily walk along the street named for him, â€Å"The Philosopher’s Walk. † Until old age prevented him, he is said to have missed this regular appearance only on the occasion when Rousseau’s Emile so engrossed him that for several days he stayed at home. From 1790 Kant’s health began to decline seriously. He still had many literary projects but found it impossible to write more than a few hours a day. The writings that he then completed consist partly of an elaboration of subjects not previously treated in any detail, partly of replies to criticisms and to the clarification of misunderstandings. With the publication in 1793 of his work Die Religion innerhalb der Grenzen der blossen Vernunft (Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone), Kant became involved in a dispute with Prussian authorities on the right to express religious opinions. The book was found to be altogether too rationalistic for orthodox taste. He was charged with misusing his philosophy to the â€Å"distortion and depreciation of many leading and fundamental doctrines of sacred Scripture and Christianity† and was required by the government not to lecture or write anything further on religious subjects. Kant agreed but privately interpreted the ban as a personal promise to the king, Frederick William II, from which he felt himself to be released on the latter’s death in 1797. At any rate, he returned to the forbidden subject in his last major essay, â€Å"Der Streit der Fakultaten† (1798; â€Å"The Conflict of the Faculties†). In 1797 Kant published Die Metaphysik der Sitten (The Metaphysics of Morals), comprising Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Rechtslehre (The Philosophy of Law) and Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Tugendlehre (The Doctrine of Virtue). The former was the major statement of his political philosophy, which he also discussed in Zum ewigen Frieden (1795; Project for a Perpetual Peace) and in the essay â€Å"Uber den Gemeinspruch: Das mag in der Theorie richtig sein, taugt aber nicht fur die Praxis† (1793; â€Å"On the Old Saw: That May Be Right In Theory, But It Won’t Work in Practice†). The large work at which he laboured until his death—the fragments of which fill the two final volumes of the great Berlin edition of his works—was evidently intended to be a major contribution to his critical philosophy. What remains, however, is not so much an unfinished work as a series of notes for a work that was never written. Known as the Opus postumum, its original title was Ubergang von den metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft zur Physik (â€Å"Transition from the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science to Physics†). It may have been Kant’s intention in this work to carry further the argument advanced in the Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft (1786; Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science) by showing that it is possible to construct a priori not merely the general outline of a science of nature but a good many of its details as well. But judging from the extant fragments, however numerous they are, it remains conjectural whether its completion would have constituted a major addition to his philosophy and its reputation. After a gradual decline that was painful to his friends as well as to himself, Kant died in Konigsberg on February 12, 1804. His last words were â€Å"Es ist gut† (â€Å"It is good†). His tomb in the cathedral was inscribed with the words (in German) â€Å"The starry heavens above me and the moral law within me,† the two things that he declared in the conclusion of the second Critique â€Å"fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and the more steadily we reflect on. † IMMANUEL KANT Prepared by: Cherry B. Ordonez Alliona Gem S. Tolentino N- 201.

Visualizing Rhetoric Essay -- Philosophical Philosophy Essays

Visualizing Rhetoric I. Principles of Visualizing Rhetoric The idea for Visualizing Rhetoric began after being introduced to rhetorical thinking models, Richard Paul’s Critical Thinking model and the Constructivist approach to teaching. Its aims are to unite the visual and the verbal, the critical and the constructive; to present the student with a practical way to both break down and understand, and also build and communicate an argument. The underlying principle of Visualizing Rhetoric, put simply, is that all communication is rhetorical (McCroskey, 1993). Communication presupposes an audience and a source. Furthermore, the methods of logical thought borrowed from mathematics, and too often applied to composition – namely the premise/conclusion structure of the syllogism – are not suitable for communication. Another paradigm for thinking about arguments and communication must be used. Aristotle called this structure the enthymeme, or Rhetorical Syllogism (McCroskey, 1993). The Rhetorical Syllogism provides a shift from the purely logical mode in that it represents more accurately the way in which arguments are communicated from a source to a receiver. It adds to the premise/conclusion model (data/claim in rhetorical thinking) a third major element, called the warrant. The warrant is the bridge that the speaker uses to connect the data to the claim. In other words, the warrant is the underlying set of inferences (asserted or assumed) that connects the pieces of the rhetorical argument. It authorizes the relationship between data and claim (Toulmin, 1958). By adding this crucial and often missed piece to the compositional puzzle, one can see how it transforms an assertion into something tha... ...to two dimensions in organizing and examining their thoughts, they will be able to conceive of arguments as a structure built to communicate meaning. The structure, like any physical structure, has a goal and a purpose. Students can diagram the foundation of an argument, build different strands, and learn how to see connections between different elements. Works Cited 1. Booth, W. C. (1998). The Vocation of a Teacher: Rhetorical Occassions 1967-1988. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2. McCroskey, J. C. (1993). An Introduction to Rhetorical Communication (8th ed.). Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon. 3. Toulmin, S. (1958). The Uses of Argument. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Works Referenced 1. Paul, R. (1990). Critical Thinking: How to Prepare Students for a Rapidly Changing World. Santa Rosa: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Comparing the marketing of Tescos and Audi Essay

For this task we have been asked to look at the ways two different businesses market their products and services the two businesses we have been asked to look at are Tesco & Audi. The first Tesco was opened in 1919 by a man called; Jack Cohen from that 1 store Tesco has grown in the market and now has 923 stores worldwide, Tesco is a supermarket that sells all kinds of household items such as food, clothes range, technology range, phone range furniture, toys and many more, Tesco has many different stores which make a lot of money every year. Tesco uses its brand to obtain new customers and also retain old customers because they are a reliable business that is well known by many of their customers. They are known for their cheap products and suitable prices which attract customers to come back and buy again, They obtain new customers by doing things like advertising and promoting their products and business on things like flyers, T.V, Internet, Comparison sites and a lot of other places, they also do things like club cards which allow customers to get some products for lower prices or free, this makes the customer want to come back and shop again because they like the way of service. We have been asked to pick one product from each business and discuss the marketing techniques between them, from Tesco I have chosen to do a Mobile phone, the target markets of this product is everyone, but almost everyone needs a mobile phone, the branding of the mobile phone will be different because if the phones are made from different companies their brands will be on them, Tesco will use adverts to promote the phone and get people interested so they will buy it, Tesco uses relationship marketing with phone brands such as Nokia, Samsung ECT as they sell their products in side their stores, The mobile phone has a large number of rival products as there are lots of different phone models to choose from and this particular phone might not get bought. An Ansoff matrix is a business strategy that businesses use to increase sales and improve their market, Tesco is developing new products in existing markets because they already have a market and they just need new products to sell in their market, for example if Tesco created a new product their brand phone they would sell it under their name in their stores. Tesco constantly uses the Ansoff matrix as they are always releasing new products, and selling them, sometimes Tesco would work on improving a market and sometimes they create completely new products, If Tesco release a new mobile phone they would be releasing a new product into a existing market which would be using the Ansoff matrix. Audi AG (Xetra: NSU) is a German manufacturer of a range of automobiles, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand. The company is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, and has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG since 1966, following a phased purchase of its predecessor, Auto Union, from its former owner, Daimler-Benz. Volkswagen re-launched the Audi brand with the 1965 introduction of the Audi F103 series. The company name is based on the surname of the founder August Horch, meaning listen — which, when translated into Latin, becomes Audi. Audi uses its brand to sell their products, Audi is a well known and trusted brand and people can buy from them with trust unlike smaller companies, customers know that they can trust Audi, because they have reliable cars that they sell and the public know these facts about the business so they trust the company and buy the car. We have been asked to pick one product to describe the marketing techniques they use, I have chosen to do the Audi RS4, the target of this car would be anyone who can drive and people who have money, The branding of this car would have the Audi Logo on it, Audi will use things like adverts to promote their product, advertising increases sales, Audi can use Relationship marketing with Car dealerships/shops which sell their cars, Audi has a lot of rivals due to there being many other car companies that are selling cars like them such as Mercedes, Bmw, ECT, so Audi will have to be better that the other companies and prove that they are the best car dealer on the market. An Ansoff matrix is a business strategy that businesses use to increase sales and improve their market; Audi is constantly creating new products in their existing markets, and sometimes creating new products for new markets, for example Audi would not start a new company to sell new products under, they would just make new products which would be cars and sell them under their current name which would be Audi. Audi constantly uses the Ansoff matrix as they are always making new cars and selling them, sometimes Audi would work on improving a market and sometimes they create completely new products, for example If Audi created a new car they would sell it under their brand name and this is using the Ansoff Matrix.

Vaccinations Can Cause Autism - 848 Words

Since Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s study came out in 1998 there has been great debate about whether or not vaccinations can cause autism. The number of cases of preventable diseases has increased significantly since Dr Andrew Wakefield’s paper about the link between MMR and Autism was published. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2015 there were 189 cases reported; and in 2014 the US experienced a record number of cases with a shocking 667 cases in one year. The numbers continue to go up as the years go by due to the fear of the vaccinations causing autism. This is a large amount of cases per year with the availability of a vaccine, these cases should be much lower or non existent at all. Vaccination not only protects healthy children, but it also protects children who are not strong enough to get the vaccine themselves. Thesis In 2014 the California Department of Health received a report about a possible case of measles, an 11 year old unvaccinated child. The family had stated they had visited Disneyland theme Park in California, after this 125 cases were reported to be connected to Disneyland. Out of these cases 110 were California residents; out of the California patients 49% were unvaccinated, 12 of these patients were infants who were too young to receive vaccination. Out of the remaining patients 28 were unvaccinated intentionally, due to personal belief; 18 of those 28 patients were children and 10 were adults with ages ranging from 6 weeks to 70 years old.Show MoreRelatedVaccinations : Harmful Or Helpful?1288 Words   |  6 PagesVaccinations: Harmful or Helpful? Vaccinations are necessary for our children without them they are at risk of contracting harmful and potentially deadly diseases. A child who has never received any of the scheduled vaccinations is putting everyone whom they have come in contact with at risk as well. Vaccinations were invented with the intent to help end epidemics of such diseases as polio, measles and mumps. The parents who refuse to vaccinate their children are doing so out of fear that their childRead MoreThe Vaccine And Autism Controversy1179 Words   |  5 PagesVaccine and Autism Controversy Many parents are skeptical about getting their children vaccinated because of the fear that it may cause autism. The question of whether vaccines cause autism is still a controversial subject among many citizens today especially parents. Some citizens argue that vaccines are not safe and could potentially cause autism. Parents believe that vaccine caused their child to develop autism because autism symptoms become apparent around the same time that children were gettingRead MoreAutism Is A Neurodevelopmental Disorder962 Words   |  4 PagesAutism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is the most severe form of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This illness causes impairments of social abilities, language, speech, and behaviors (DeLong, 2011, p.903). Autism is growing rapidly in the United States beginning in the 1990s (DeLong, 2011, p.903). It becomes the great public health concern. The genetics plays a role in autisms. However, environmental factors also can trigger autism. So the question about whether vaccination is one of these environmentalRead MoreVaccinations And Its Effects On Children990 Words   |  4 PagesVaccinations are a preparation given to patients that provides acquired immunity to a specific disease. They contain either a live, weakened part or an inactive form created from a dead version of the viruses, causing the body to produce antibodies that will attack the virus if the body later comes into contact with the disease. A person can reduce the severity or eliminate the contraction of the disease completely. However, vaccinations have become a controversial topic and parts of the populationRead MoreVaccinations And Its Effects On Children979 Words   |  4 PagesVaccinations are a substance given to patients that provides acquired immunity to a specific disease. They contain either a live weakened part of the virus or an inactive form created from a dead version of the viruses, causing the body to produce antibodies that will attack the virus if the body later comes into contact with the disease. Thus, a person can reduce the severity of the disease or eliminate the contraction of the disease completely. However, vaccinations have become a controversialRead MoreThe Mmr Vaccine Does Not Cause Autism873 Words   |  4 Pageschildren’s and other children’s safety and life by refusing vaccinations. They decide to take this risk because they are trying to avoid their children’s chance of getting autism. Studies have shown following the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine children become diagnosed with autism. Parents are risking bringing back diseases that before vaccinations killed and threatened the lives of many people. The MMR vaccine does not cause autism, because the doctor who published the first study about thisRead MoreAn Active Supporter Of Anti Vaccination916 Words   |  4 Pageswriter, and play boy bunny of the year in 1994 being confident in all of these roles and certainly not being shy about being an active supporter of anti-vaccination. Unfortunately since she claimed vaccinations gave her some autism many celebrities and regular people around the states have followed her words and not getting their child vaccinations. All claiming they would rather have their children sick than vaccinated. Her quote, â€Å"I do believe sadly it’s going to take some diseases coming back toRead MoreAutism Is A Fast Growing Disorder1699 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Autism is a fast growing disorder in the United States, the symptoms start occurring in between the ages of 2 to 3 years old. The cause of this epidemic has remained unknown, but several hypotheses have been studied. Throughout those couple of years, children get as many as 32 shots at least (â€Å"Child and Adolescent Schedule†). Parents all over the world have came to concern that vaccines can develop autism. Many studies have came about through this year with vaccines causing Autism in childrenRead MoreVaccinations Should Be Mandatory?1739 Words   |  7 Pageslife-threatening diseases. People who are not vaccinated cause problems within society, and unless there is a medical reason as to why a person cannot be vaccinated, vaccinations should be mandatory. Why Children Are Not Being Vaccinated Religion Reasons Most organized religions, such as Catholicism and Judaism, do not prohibit vaccinations; however, smaller religious groups oppose vaccinations based on their religious philosophy. One group who opposes vaccinations is the Christian Scientists (Ciolli, 2008)Read MoreVaccine Requirements : Vaccine Requirement Rights1149 Words   |  5 Pagespreventable via vaccination are spreading from child to child. Despite this, parents continue to reject and demean vaccinations and their power to protect the people. There are different reasons as to why parents make decisions to avoid vaccines but one main component that aids them to their final decision in denying vaccines is that it intertwines with their beliefs and fears of the endangerment of their child. Although some people believe that vaccinations are not beneficial and can cause autism, the majority