Soul Critical Thinkings Samples For Students

Plato looks at pleasure as a source of delight and sensual enjoyment. In his work ‘Gorgias’, Plato talks of Socrates, and makes him relay his views. His concept is that things are termed beautiful based on the pleasure derived from them or their use. In the same way, the lack of pleasure from an item determines its lack of beauty. Plato classifies pleasure into two categories. There are those pleasures that lead to good ends, and there are those pleasures that are purposed only for fulfilling desires. Therefore, there are good pleasures and bad pleasures. Plato holds that the methods, ...

The poem Amazing Grace by John Newton happens to be one of the most famous poems ever known in the world. It is recited in many forms one of it being in song. Amazingly many people know it as a song and not as a poem. Apparently it is sung or recited in religious circles thereby playing a very important role in worship and therefore has affected the lives of very many people. The poem itself is very interesting and engaging when it is looked at from the literary point of view as the elements that make it amazing include its image, ...

Soul theory and personal identity: A critical analysis

Of body, memory and soul, personal identity is largely dependent on the individual himself. But as change is a process that is constant with time, there is always the philosophical question that what actually remains constant in a human or any living being throughout. The knowledge of this constant should be enough for a person to identify with over any amount of time. In this essay, the soul theory is considered as the basis for personal identity and the problems that exist with it are discussed.
The concept of personal identity is illusory even to self and it is but, natural ...

The idea of having different and multiple perspectives is not a new idea. Often times, people would take different stances on certain matters because of the type of culture they have, and the type of environment they are part of. Due to the external factors present in their surroundings, people react to issues differently depending on what their environment says about it.
The article written by Paul Bloom in 2004 is an example of how people would have different perspectives and stances in anything under the sun. As what its title says, The Duel Between Body and Soul, it ...

Martin Luther’s “Freedom of a Christian” cited the power of a human being not existing in the physical world but in the one hereafter. This world is to be contained in the word of God, and by His word, the humanity can be saved and be a part of a treasure that can only be obtained inwardly. This possibility could only be obtained, can only be found by acknowledging the soul. By acknowledging the soul, humanity can accept opportunity that is not in the present time—that is not of the weaker state of life—but has foundation in faith. To believe ...

Introduction: Bonaventure and Ps-Dionysius

Ascent of the soul
God is the cause of all things
Love, prayer and union with God
Conclusion
Discussion prompts 2: Franciscans, Ascent, Apophaticism and Kataphaticism.
Bonaventure was one of the later theologians to advance the Franciscans tradition, together with Robert Grosseteste and after John Scottus Eriugena (Corrigan and Harrington 1). Ps-Dionysius the Areopagite was quite a notable influence in Saint Bonaventure’s writings, philosophically and theologically. Bonaventure referred to Ps-Dionysius as the “prince of mystics”. Saint Bonaventure advanced the Platonizing and mystical mode of speculation just like Ps-Dionysius. To Bonaventure, the intellectual element is ...

Alcibiades, a young man who wants to enter politics, enters a dialogue with Socrates about the qualities of a good political leader. While he believes that his education and experiential knowledge are enough to make him a good politician, Socrates proves to him that he needs to learn about the true meaning of abstract and controversial concepts, such as justice or goodness before being able to counsel others about it. In particular, Socrates shows young Alcibiades that he does not have self-knowledge and persuades Alcibiades that a man who wants to enter politics first needs sufficient self- knowledge in ...

In the film version of Troy, as in the original Iliad, several characters are motivated mainly by their passions and lusts far more than reason and ethics, and as a result bring considerable death, destruction and suffering to all concerned. Both Plato and Aristotle would have been highly critical of this lack of ethics, and actions that they would have regarded as coming from the basest motives of lust, anger, revenge and other passions. Paris, the young prince of Troy, becomes infatuated with Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, and runs off with her. This destroys the peace ...

Mind and Body Debate

Renowned philosophers Rene Descartes and John Searle are having a cup of tea in Descartes’ living room. As expected, their discussion turns philosophical. Each of the two presents their arguments on the mind and body problem.

Descartes: I believe the mind and body are two distinct and separate substances.

Searle: Every time you postulate an opinion I know we are about to start a long argument. I heard you say the mind is independent of the body. How true is that? I applaud many of your opinions and theories in philosophy. However, I beg to differ on this one.
Descartes: My friend, I will take you systematically through my quest for certainty. I ...

Introduction

Writings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
On Loving God
Sermons on the Song of Songs
Role of homilies in spirituality with reference to Saint Bernard’s writings.
Love as Reverence or worship
Serve to instruct
Penetrate the scriptures
Function as communication images and language
Bring pure and easy intuition
Temper the intensity of the Scriptures facilitating understanding
Discussion prompt 1: Cistercians (Later Benedictine traditions)
The Role Homilies Play in Spirituality.
The commentary or spiritually based reflection that comes after the reading of scripture is referred to as a ...

The importance of honesty runs deeply throughout human nature. One of the most common manifestations of honesty has to do with money. Mark Twain, one of the famed American cynics, wrote that “honesty is the best policy – when there is money in it.” When there is a financial (or other material) incentive, people tend to be more likely to be honest. However, building a track record of dishonesty can be corrosive to the soul; in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, the entire course of the story centers around being honest about one’s inner pain instead of concealing it. The ...

Compare and contrast the Stoic and Aristotelian conceptions of God as the cause of nature.

There are several conceptions devised by various people on God as the cause of nature. The world exists with several compositions including human beings, other living and non-living organisms. Various groups of people have adopted both stoic and Aristotelian conceptions. Stoics believe that nothing passes without explanation. Stoics tend to give an explanation for the existence of everything in life and nature. Stoics believe that an active force exists and that the force is everywhere with matter. The implication is that anything that occupies space and has a weight has got some special type of force. There is a belief in ...

(Insert Course)
(Insert Instructor)
(Insert Institute)
(Insert Date)

Culture and Society

According to Zion and Kozleski (2005), culture refers to “The system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to interact with their world and with one another” (p. 3). With regard to the given understanding of culture, a person’s environment provides the essential cementing in the creation and adoption of principles in life. In other words, every human being has ideologies that navigate him or her in life and eventually, said person’s comprehension of death. The aforementioned ideologies are the ...

Human beings are made up of two effects, body and soul. For pure life, word of god is important which is honoured by faith. Faith is necessary for the soul for its salvation. Work should be used to serve other to become a true Christian. A Christian should have abundant faith and should use his body to live for others, like Christ did.

1. What are the terms Luther uses to describe the twofold nature of humanity?
Luther says that humanity is dual natured. They are of spiritual nature or soul, inward, new man, and bodily nature or fleshy, ...

Descartes argues that there are two equal world beginnings, i.e. "mind or mental substance, and body or physical substance" (Philosophy of Mind, 2016, p. 5). The main property of the first beginning is the thought, while the second one operates with the length. Both phenomena coexist in the world, moreover, these two principles are everlasting, and none of them dominates the other. However, Descartes says that God created these substances, which means that his dualism is approaching idealism, as dualism "could be based upon religion, belief in life after death, or belief that people are more valuable than mere ...

The first thing to mention is the question of virtue. The main thesis of Socrates is that the knowledge and virtue are identical. The good, according to Socrates, consists of both the beauty and truth. Apart from it, Socrates defended the objective character of knowledge and paid great attention to the study of a man as a moral being. Moreover, the philosopher pointed out the interdependence between the soul and divinity as well as the probability of the soul immortality. Man`s virtue, according to Socrates, may be measured by his union with the divine wisdom as long as ...

Is Death an Evil?

Death, the most bitter and debilitating aspect of human life, is also a moot question among scholars. While some view it as a 'normal' part of human existence in this materialistic world, others dread it and prefer to avoid discussing this bleak end of human life.
This paper sides with the optimistic viewpoint. It considers death as the end of only organic survival, not the suspension of the eternal soul that soon starts its 'another' journey. Even if we shun the soul immortality and consider death as the permanent end of life, there is no point in considering it ...

The philosophy of virtues underlies many complexities, and so is the definition. Broadly virtues can be defined as ideal characteristics or traits usually derived from natural tendencies that require nurturing. Once virtues are established in and individual they become stable. According to Plato's ethics, he considered a virtue to be an excellence of the soul. It is a disposition that is fully entrenched in the possessor. Plato believes that the soul has several components, and thus there will be several components of excellence (Marmysz, 2012). Virtues enable the harmonious functioning of the several components of the soul. Plato believes that justice ...

In “Euthyphro,” one of Plato’s early dialogues, Plato describes the meeting between Euthyphro and Socrates near the king-archon’s court and proceeds to record their conversation about piety. Piety is a virtue that is often interpreted as religious devotion or spirituality. While piety in contemporary society usually means devoting God to gain good graces or seek forgiveness, piety was considered in a wider context by Greek philosophers, so it was a virtue that allowed a person to respect social order, religious order, and display devotion to others. Piety is directly influenced by the development of practical wisdom because practical wisdom was considered ...

Introduction

Virtue ethics are the theories that gives importance to our moral values that effect our mind and our character. It not only helps us to decide what is rightness or wrongness in our decision but also provides a guidance to be a good person that we wish to achieve .Virtual ethic was prevalent from the time old civilizations started. The philosophers always guided the rulers and the common people to follow the path of virtue ethics. Among the famous philosophers whose ethics are followed till date are Aristotle, father of Greek philosophy and Confucius, father of Chinese philosophy. Virtue ...

Love dislikes nothing

WHATSOEVER thing I see,
Rich or poor although it be;
Tis a mistress unto me.
Be my maiden fair or brown,
Does she smile or does she frown,_______Repetition
Still I write a sweetheart down.
Be she rough or smooth of skin;
When I touch, I then begin
For to let affection in.
Be she bald, or does she wear
Locks incurl’d of other hair,_____________Jumbling up of words
I shall find enchantment there.

Be she whole, or be she rent,

So my fancy be content,
She’s to me most excellent.
Be she fat, or be she lean,
Be she sluttish, be she clean,
...

Introduction

The Bhagavad Gita is a set of sermons given by Lord Krishna to his nephew Arjuna who was caught in a mental dilemma where he was unable to decide between lifting arms and annihilating his own relatives who were against him and his brothers (Pavulraj, 2014). The sole purpose of the entire scripture was to demystify the connection between the humans and the God. Lord Krishna holds the religious value of being an incarnation of lord Vishnu who is among the three main deities in the Hinduism. Thus, although literally, the message of Bhagavad Gita was to inculcate the ...

Dreams are a profound mystery that largely went unexplained throughout the majority of human history until Sigmund Freud tried tangling with them. One of his assertions was that if a person feels guilt for any reason but then represses that guilt so that he no longer senses it on a conscious level, it will emerge on an unconscious level, such as through insanity or nightmares. It is possible to repress guilt, of course, so that it no longer has much to do with us on a day-to-day level, but it does not leave. It simply lurks in a different ...

Assignment 2

Question 1
In “Brideshead Revisited”, the character Rex Mottram is for the larger part of the story in a relationship with Julia. Rex appears to very deeply in love with Julia and is also a great friend to other characters including Sebastian, Boy and Charles, who he, for example, helps with their jail situation. He plans to marry Julia and in fact does so, but he maintains an illicit affair with Brenda. Julia confronts him, but he cannot understand why she is so upset. Julia is a devout Christian and tries to put a stop to Rex antics including fooling around, but ...

“Instructor’s name’

‘Subject’
“The Birth-Mark” and “The Cask of Amontillado” – A comparative study
Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne are two important contributors of the nineteenth-century American literature. Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most celebrated authors, posthumously though, of the past century. Some of his stories are almost autobiographical, and though he lived in a previous era, his ideas were far ahead of his time. Nathaniel Hawthorne is an author, whose works are even today cited for seeking ethical guidance. His stories urge the reader to analyze his moral confusions. This essay is an attempt to compare and ...

Question 1

According to Aristotle, virtue is simply a state of character. Every person has a character that results from the repetition of certain kinds of habits or activities. Aristotle defines ethical virtue (or excellence) as a positive character trait. It is the excellence in fulfilling a particular function. Virtues are not inborn, but rather, developed by means of habits. However, the capacity to develop virtues is inborn. Aristotle notes that, not every habit imparts virtues; some habits work against virtues.
Aristotle concludes that ethical virtue or excellence is a characteristic that involves choice. The choice result from observing the mean, which is determined by ...

1. In Plato’s Republic, Thrasymachus presents several arguments in favor of the position that Might makes right. Explain three of his arguments. Do they explain how things are in the real world, how they ought to be or both? Explain. Regardless of which option you choose, which of the three options would represent the strongest ethical position?
Thrasymachus believes that justice does not really exist at all, except in the minds of naïve idealists like Socrates, and that only power matters. In other words, he is a classical realist and cynical supporter of power politics, which may ...

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnet 43” alternately knows as “How May I Love Thee” is a declaration of her feelings for her husband to be, who was courting her at the time; Robert Browning. It is part of the series of sonnets she wrote for him “Songs from the Portuguese”, a title which she deliberately made to mislead by letting people think that the poem were written by a Portuguese person and she only translated them. Later however, it was established that she herself had been the author of the series and the reference to the Portuguese in the title was in ...

The Cavalier poets emerged in the middle of the 17th century, as followers of King Charles I, and they composed poetry which exemplified a sophisticated amalgamation of wit and clarity of expression, still retaining the necessary level of naiveté and elegance that did not cross the line of fine manners. Their polished lyrics mostly comprised of the courtly themes of praising a woman’s beauty and love, but also their sonnets were in debt to the more masculine themes of heroism in war, honor and the utter devotion to the king. The theme of friendship is one also infused within the ...

Why this work is called the apology since Socrates isn't apologizing? What is Socrates doing?

It is called apology because it is a way of defending oneself, and making them understand that he was not guilty. In the apology, Socrates is defending himself in the case raised against him. Hence, he is not apologizing, but rather giving out a speech in his defense.
What is the oracle at Delphi and what did the oracle say that god Socrates started on his life of inquiry
The Oracle at Delphi proclaimed that Socrates was one of the wisest man. This was so because he knew that nothing could be posited as the Socratic ironic source. Certainly, ...

[Class title]

The film, 300, which was based on a graphic novel written by Miller and Lynn tells the story of the legendary King Leonidas of Sparta and how his 300 men courageously defended the pass of Thermopylae from the invading Persian army (Miller & Lynn). The film, however, was highly sensationalized. Miller, himself, admitted that ‘300’ was deliberately made exaggerated and historically inaccurate in some of its scenes for the purpose of making it more interesting and exciting. One of the many historical inaccuracies of the film 300 was the depiction of Sparta’s rite of passage. In the ...

What is real?

Real is a philosophical term used in different ways: as existing at all; objectively manifested world; a fragment of the universe, constituting an appropriate subject area of science; objectively existing phenomena, facts, that is really existing. There are objective (material) and subjective reality (phenomena of consciousness) reality.

What are the nature and limits of knowledge?

There are two main types of human knowledge: pre-scientific, everyday, art (aesthetic assimilation of reality) scientific knowledge and expertise (theoretical and empirical). Everyday knowledge is based on common sense and ordinary consciousness. It is formed under the influence of everyday life. Moreover, it is associated with the experience of a limited circle ...

Explain Aristotle’s theory that virtue is a mean between two extremes give an example

Virtue according to Aristotle virtue is a disposition to behave in a certain manner that is responsive to comparable situations i.e. behaving in specified manner. Virtue therefore is as a cause of constantly repeated actions that is an aggregate of the behavior. Example include courage which may be a mean of the result of cowardice and impulsiveness.

Explain Anselm’s Ontological Argument

Anselm’s ontological Argument supports the theory of God’s existence by providing proof on the same. Anselm is specific in that he nullifies the theory of experience on justification of God’s existence through logic. His logical standpoints to refute the ‘ ...

[Class Title]

The term ‘worldview’ simply refers to an individual’s perception of the world around him, which is often based on the existing knowledge that he has accumulated over the years. As observed by scholars, people do not possess a ‘tabula rasa’ or blank mind when it comes to the natural world around them since they have their own opinion and values as shaped by their “socio-cultural environment or from previous educational experiences”.

The question of origin – (How did life begin? How did mankind come into existence?)

According to the Christian beliefs, all life forms, including mankind, were created by God. This belief is clearly articulated in the story of creation in ...

Primitive people believed in various sorts of deities to help them in their daily tasks; the ancient Hittites, Egyptians, Greeks, and the Babylonians worshipped many gods and goddesses to help them win wars, good harvest, as well as to ensure the safety of the whole empire. Because these societies lack the modern knowledge regarding scientific beliefs, religion played a very important role in shaping the society. Even today, interesting artifacts gathered from recent excavations were discovered by archaeologists of the modern times. These reliefs from the past told scholars about the power and influence of the priests (in Hittite, kings ...

Abortion Under this neutral, it would seem, short word, there is hiding the real human tragedy, crime, and simply put, murder. Yes, it is a murder indeed, an attempt on the life of a small, completely innocent person. Whatever attempts to justify this act: financial situation, the circumstances, etc., they still do not remove responsibility for infanticide. After all, every person, since he/she is conceived, has the right to be born, to develop and to live.
Doctors often suspend from a crime under the guise of cold terms, calling the baby just an embryo. In fact, in this way they are ...

The Great Divorce a great work of Lewis that attempts to challenge the assumption that humanity will be saved in the end. Lewis revisits the controversial subject of Hell and Heaven and the humanity’s desire of leading a happy life. The book develops a story that explains the people’s course from Hell to Heaven through which the narrator understands that human beings are presented with the opportunity of staying in the heaven, but fail to explore this chance because they prefer to stay in Hell. Lewis develops this concept by creating a scenario where he allows the cursed spirits to have a “ ...

The poem Annabel Lee is amongst the last published works of Edgar Allan Poe. The poem is about a young, attractive girl named Annabel Lee who was very beautiful. She and the poet fell in love, a love that was pure and intense. They had eyes only for each other and their love was sufficient for them, as the poet says, “And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.”
However, the angels from the heaven and the demons from the underworld were jealous of the true love that the poet and ...

In the Star trek, Data displays some parts of the characteristics thought to be essential to be classified as human, these are intelligence, self-awareness, and consciousness. The Android, therefore, wins the case and is allowed to choose his fate on his existence. This view that Future Androids can have all the beliefs, feelings, and desires just like humans is misguided because the definitions of the components used in the Star Trek was shallow and do not fit into the morality and moral obligation that binds a human being towards action or inaction does not bind the Android. The Android is ...

Education is one of the crucial components in society. Belief and knowledge are concepts that always confuse people, especially when one decide to focus on them. Plato is one of the greatest philosophers who understood education in a different perspective. Plato defined education as the initial acquisition of virtue during childhood. Especially when affection and pleasure are channeled in the right course before rationality. Plato understands education as the basis of every society. Through his understand childhood still could be identified and given proper education to make them useful in society. A child requires education in order to fulfil their ...

The aim of this essay is to present you with a definition on a concept which has been flirting with the human nature ever since the dawn of prehistoric times. If each word is to depict a notion widely accepted and shared within the borders of a speaking community, then the word ‘success’ has spread its meaning throughout centuries, changing meaning according to the ideals of each era and civilization. Success has been an ideal that has always been flirting with its being considered equal to happiness. People have always believed that a successful person is usually a happy person. But philosophy, psychology and social ...

1. “whoever you are It's your mission on earth” (Coelho 21-22).
The philosophy of the novel is somewhat based on the above quote. The message Coelho is conveying is that dreams are not selfish or silly desires that we should ignore. Instead, dreams or something we desire or really want are actually a calling, and pursuing such a dream is our “mission on earth” that can lead us on a journey of discovery. The concept of “the soul of the universe” is also introduced in this quote that is referred to as the “Soul of the World” later in the novel. ...

ABSTRACT

Euthyphro is not really able to answer any of the questions Socrates asks about piety and holiness, since he is looking for a universal answer about the meaning of these terms. Socrates probably does not believe in the traditional gods of Athens but rather in a monotheistic God with a universal concept of truth, justice and morality. Indeed, he is about to go on trial for impiety and instructing the youth of Athens to question the existence of the gods, and will be sentenced to death. In comparison, Euthyphro has very rigid and limited ideas about holiness, which generally involve obeying laws, ...

Socrates was an orator and philosopher whose primary interests were logic, ethics and epistemology. In Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Plato recounts the speech that Socrates gave shortly before his death, during the trial in 399 BC in which he was charged with "corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel" (24b). The name of the work itself is a bit of a misnomer; here, Socrates is not apologizing, but merely speaking in defense of his beliefs and actions – the word apology is used in the context ...

Introduction

The right to decide whether a woman is ready to bear the responsibility of a child, a life, should be granted to the woman. Currently, abortion is illegal in several countries across the globe, some even going to the extent of endangering the mother’s life so as to avoid aborting a fetus. While most of the arguments against legalizing abortion have been founded on the concept of the fetus’ right to life, there is also great contention that a woman is the best judge of whether she can carry the responsibility of the child. Hence, the legalization of abortion should be allowed in ...

Why the Decision to Have an Abortion is the Right of Women.

Abortion in Healthcare: Why the decision to have an abortion is the right of women
The right to decide whether a woman is ready to bear the responsibility of a child, a life, should be granted to the woman. Currently, abortion is illegal in several countries across the globe, some even going to the extent of endangering the mother’s life so as to avoid aborting a foetus. While most of the arguments against legalizing abortion have been founded on the concept of the foetus’ right to life, there is also great contention that a woman is the best judge of whether she ...

The wonderful and imaginative world of popular stories is not complete without magic. Whether it is the conventional western fairy tale Cinderella or the Arabian nights classic Alâ’ al-Dîn, magic lends an elusive touch that transforms the situation and makes dreams come true .In most popular fairytales magical creatures either cast spells on characters or run around transforming their lives. This is true in both western and Arabian mythical tales. Magic often construed as the ability to understand and manipulate the hidden forces of nature, runs rife in the thousand and one stories that form a part of the ...

The nature of animals and their rights have been a contentious topic for many philosophers. Animal nature has been a complex topic for researchers and scientists and provides a great opportunity for philosophers to come up with theories or concepts that help us understand animals better. It is based on the idea of animals being treated in the same manner as humans such on the basis of being conscious. However, most of the theories agree that animals should no longer be used for clothing, entertainment, research subjects, food, or property. Some of the greatest contributors in this topic include David Hume and ...

Gender roles and gender-related stereotypes are often depicted in literary works. For example, Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” could be considered misogynistic because it promotes the stereotype that women are the root of all evil, manipulate men for their selfish needs, and create chaos because all female characters in the play show that form of behavior. On the other hand, it is also possible to notice the lack of stability and logic in the main character Macbeth who is depicted as a naïve, indecisive, and dependent character. In “Candide,” it is possible to notice that Voltaire depicts the vulnerability and ...

Gender roles and gender-related stereotypes are often depicted in literary works. For example, Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” could be considered misogynistic because it promotes the stereotype that women are the root of all evil, manipulate men for their selfish needs, and create chaos because all female characters in the play show that form of behavior. On the other hand, it is also possible to notice the lack of stability and logic in the main character Macbeth who is depicted as a naïve, indecisive, and dependent character. In “Candide,” it is possible to notice that Voltaire depicts the vulnerability and ...

In the history of American society, there were both gruesome and inhuman events and policies. There were times when people were not just denied of their human rights, but even of their human nature and inborn equality. Slavery and racial segregation are humiliating features of American history. Some might suggest that they should be forgotten and life should take its normal pace of democratic development. I think that by forgetting the gruesome past of the history, society is doomed to repeat it, and by rejecting the atmosphere people lived and died in, modern society is also forgetting sacrifices of ...