Rene Descarte v. Plato

             Descartes and Socrates -- What Knowledge Is
             The concept of knowledge, what it is, what it means, and how it is gained, has been debated for literally centuries. Philosophers, historians, social scientists have questioned the components of knowledge and its acquisition and developed their individual theories based on the cultural and intellectual developments of their age.
             Many of the major ideas that are most often linked to the 18th-century French Enlightenment originated as a part of "Cartesianism," or the philosophy and mathematical ideas and methods developed by 17th-century philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650). While he is most famous for his cognito "I think, therefore I am," that proclamation is less than an accurate or meaningful statement as it relates to the reality of what Descartes believed to be the existence of humanity and humanity's understanding of what knowledge truly is. Descartes' "The Meditations" was published in Paris in 1641 and has come to generally be viewed as the most important of all of Descartes' works. It is in "The Meditations" that he best presents his metaphysical and epistemological premises in their entirety. He considers the problems of the sources and nature of knowledge; the validity of truth; the nature and destiny of man; the existence of God, as well as the creation of the universe.
             Socrates devoted his time, energy, and considerable intellect to the pursuit of truth, knowledge, and virtue. He did not formally "teach" in the fashion of other philosophers of his time. His method of educating was to involve others in conversation, seeking, chiefly by questions, to cause others to think clearly and to act reasonably. His life mission was to require people to think. Certainly, his most famous statement was that the "unexamined life was not worth living." He also was determined that his words be conveyed ...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
Rene Descarte v. Plato . (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 11:00, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/58544.html