It is difficult to dispute that the Buddha and Socrates, the undeniably illustrious representatives of the two philosophies which are assumed to be contradictory – Eastern and Western accordingly, have exerted such a powerful intellectual and spiritual influence on the human minds that their invaluable contribution is manifestly tangible even nowadays.

Despite the fact that the two philosophers were of divergent origin, lived in different epochs, led contrasting lives, they seem to have been united in their seeking for the Universal Truth. Correspondingly, both of them may be assumed fictional for the lack of recorded evidence. Information concerning Socrates is drawn from works of other philosophers as he left no literary legacy of his own.

Read the rest of this page »

Modernity – just what does it mean and when exactly did it happen ? The more publications one refers to in order to help clarify an answer to this question, the more confusing it all becomes. With each newly found authority discovered, comes the realization that even the historians and cultural theorists seem to disagree widely over exact dates, cultural ‘Movements’, and the significant events which contribute to the definition and discourse of the concept Modernity. Might one argue that Modernity came to encapsulate what ever was ‘modern’ for the period in which it emerged, or was created, but this seems too easy an explanation.

Read the rest of this page »

It literally means being free and independent, which is what everyone wants. Many people have worked their whole lives for independence, such as Gandhi or Mandela. However, there is more to freedom than just physical freedom. In society today, we all have political and physical freedom, but do we really have mental freedom? Are our minds totally free from restriction?

Read the rest of this page »

This paper on rhetoric and reasoning is going to be devoted to considering and analyzing of two articles devoted to a same topic – imprisonment and crime rates and their connection – but contemplated from two different perspectives. It is understandable that such discussion is good to be done from the position of rhetoric for this science allows educated people to speak or write effectively and persuade their interlocutors of the fidelity of their beliefs and opinions.

Read the rest of this page »

Autonomy refers to the right of the individual to govern themselves. But do we really govern ourselves? Of course the way we look at philosophy now is much different then the way Socrates, Plato and their government viewed it. However, we still ask ourselves the same questions as the philosophers years ago. We will never be free from authority, or able to make our own decisions. People say “be your own person, follow your own beliefs”. But how is that possible with the rules and regulations place on today’s culture.

Read the rest of this page »

This paper is going to be devoted to considering basic behavior principles and choosing one of them for correcting driving behavior of the observed person. Careless driving while talking on the cell-phone will be corrected during one week with the help of such a behavioral principle as respondent conditioning. The implementation of this principle will be described in detail. The conclusion will be made as for the necessity of controlling and correcting driving behavior and the effectiveness of the chosen principle in the given situation.

Read the rest of this page »

According to traditional framework, existentialism and phenomenology can be interpreted as a response to Hegelian idealism and its reflection. The main figures in both trends are Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) and Jean-Paul Sartre (1905 –1980).

As a response to Hegelian idealism, phenomenology is above all a method, that in principle it may, as a neutral instrument, be utilized by a philosopher of any persuasion. “Phenomenology interests itself in the essential structures found within the stream of conscious experience—the stream of phenomena—as these structures manifest themselves independently of the assumptions and presuppositions of science”.

Read the rest of this page »

In one of the editor reviews I found information that Philosophy, An Introduction to the Art of Wondering, by J.L.Christian is the book for those who prefer synoptic philosophy. Hence, I began to wonder, is philosophy not the science that needs all the approaches taken together? First, I made sure that I understand the word “synoptic” correctly.

Read the rest of this page »

It goes without saying that the existence of God is a subject that has occupied schools of philosophy and theology for thousands of years. I believe in God and creation and I think that there are many examples that prove that God did really exist. They constitute my personal theory which I strongly adhere to.

Read the rest of this page »

Philosophy is a great science which allows people speculate everything that happens around them and analyze all these things, situations and other people’s behavior and understand the world around. Or is it a science at all? Maybe it is the way of thinking? There exist many of them and different people contemplate and interpret the world as well as abstract things in their own way. There can be a lot of opinions concerning one and the same thing. This paper is intended to consider such philosophical category as a dream argument.

Read the rest of this page »