Balance of Power
Throughout the semester, a theme that has guided our thoughts has been the idea that the self is the capacity to have capacities. Through what we have read, written about, and discussed, we have been trying to come up with our own answers to the questions about the self; what a capacity is, how we find them, which ones are essential to human flourishing, what we do with them once they are found? Yet all of these questions lead us to answer that final and defining question of "what is the 'truth'?" A capacity is a capability or a realized power in a person. Some of the authors that we read throughout the semester believed that these capacities must be implanted into us, and then nurtured and trained. C.S. Lewis says that, "The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts."(1-p.27) However, in this statement he contradicts his own belief. In order for irrigation to work and make things grow, there must be something there beneath the surface to begin with. This is exactly my belief. I agree with Lewis that our capacities must be trained and educated, but those that are essential to human flourishing are inside our hearts waiting to be uncovered.
97) This is true of all of these capacities. The two are bound together to create an ethico-religious capacity. He was considered to be a great man and a great leader because his passion led him to action. We have been given this capability, and to push it aside would be denying ourselves the opportunity to fully appreciate our humanity. Another capacity that is vital to our human flourishing is that of passion. As Nussbaum says, we must "cultivate our humanity" by fully taking advantage of what we have. 98) We need to find a way to combine both of these 'worlds' so that they can coexist. 417) Reasoning is our ability to think objectively about something. ' One series belongs to life's outside - the other series belongs to life's inside. Kierkegaard is a staunch supporter of passion filled thought and action. To step aside and detach ourselves from it for a moment and look at it through unclouded eyes. There is, however, a way to do this. However, we cannot expect our humanity to flourish once they are found. His passion made him blind with rage because of his jealousy.
Common topics in this essay:
Practical Reason,
Evelyn Underhill,
CS Lewis,
Lewis Underhill,
Lord Tennyson,
Mysterious Universe,
Cultivation Humanity,
Power Throughout,
Trial Preparedness,
human flourishing,
Theoretical Reason,
subjective thinking,
essential human,
moral principles,
human spirit,
inside outside,
essential human flourishing,
plane true believer,
sort truth,
set forth,
capacities essential,
essential lives,
sort truth declared,
believe subjective thinking,
connection inside outside,
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Acceptance Essays
