Descartes, Leibniz, And Spinoza Essay - 700 Words

If these great thinkers (Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz) were to discuss instead the soul’s connection to the body, what might each say (both on his own behalf and in response to the other)? Would they find any places where they might agree? If not, why not? (These are, after all, smart guys!) nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Though this sort of meeting would strike me as a debate with as furiously disparate and uncompromising ideals as one would find in a meeting of Andrew Weil, Jerry Falwell, and David Duke, I expect that the philosophers would find some surprisingly common ground. Descartes, the Christian outcast, Spinoza, the Jewish outcast, and Leibniz, the creative mathematician all acknowledge that what we know better than†¦show more content†¦Although Descartes’ claims of the body’s necessary existence follows from the cogito – if the mind exists, then it must exist in contrast to other, external things - I presume that both Spinoza and Leibniz would take the opportunity to point out that Descartes presupposes the existence of the god that necessarily created his body and mind before speculating on whether or not his body and mind exist. Nice claim, bad explanation. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Spinoza’s staunch, pantheistic monist view of the world establishes that the mind and body are not separate entities in themselves, but only two of an infinite amount of attributes of the same and only substance in existence – God. One can relate this reasoning to two attributes of a red-hot poker – red and hot. Does this entail that red and hot are always dependent on a poker and that they are in essence the same thing? Although this is not a likely conclusion, Spinoza raises the important question of how far we can analytically separate parts of a world that are always interacting with each other. Try getting a metal poker to glow red without heating it, or heating a poker without eventually having it glow red. This is improbable, albeit possible in theory. The mind and body may be two separately identifiable things, but one will more than likely find the two cooperating with each other as attributes of the natural world. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Such cooperationShow MoreRelatedRationalism - Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz1731 Words   |  7 PagesRationalism is the principle that maintains that through reason alone we can gain at least some positive knowledge of the world. The three major rationalists, Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Welhelm Leibniz, used this idea in order to defy skepticism and expose the true nature of reality. However, each philosopher is frequently in disagreement. The idea for ‘God’, and what constitutes substance, matter and reality are the four key structural beliefs that aid each rationalist in the formingRead MoreKant vs Aristotle1314 Words   |  6 Pagesformed their own theories of God, existence and the material world. Through these individual theories I will show how each fits into the category of either Rationalist or Imperialist. The Plutonian philosophers to be discussed will include Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz. And the Aristotelian phi losophers will include Locke, Berkeley and Hume. Plato, a philosopher of the 17th century, contended that Opinion at its best is a matter of probability, and knowledge at its least is entirely sure (LamprechtRead MoreDescartes’, Spinoza’s, and Leibniz’s Response to the Mind-Body Problem2993 Words   |  12 PagesSince Descartes many philosophers have discussed the problem of interaction between the mind and body. Philosophers have given rise to a variety of different answers to this question all with their own merits and flaws. These answers vary quite a lot. There is the idea of total separation between mind and body, championed by Descartes, which has come to be known as â€Å"Cartesian Dualism†. This, of course, gave rise to one of the many major responses to the mind-body problem which is the exact oppositeRead MoreThe Influence of Rationalism on the French Revolution1509 Words   |  7 Pagesethics and metaphysics. The first modern rationalist philosopher was Rene Descartes (1596-1650).The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that: â€Å"Descartes is known as the father of modern philosophy precisely because he initiated the so-called epistemological turn that is with us still.† Descartes interest in philosophy stemmed from a fascination with the question of whether humans could know anything for certain. Descartes desired to create a philosophy that was as solid as say the concepts ofRead MoreWhat Advantages Does Spinoza’s Substance Monism Have over Descartes’ Dualism?3467 Words   |  14 Pagesresponse to Descartes’ dualism. Through works such as the Ethics, Spinoza seeks to address the main flaws in Descartes’ philosophy. These flaws included but were by no means limited to, proof for the existence of God and the interaction between mind and body. This essay will highlight the advantages of Spinoza’s monism over Descartes’ dualism by looking at Spinoza’s response to these issues. First, in order to consider the advantages of Spinoza’s substance monism over Descartes’ dualism itRead MoreDescartes vs. Spinoza on Substance2307 Words   |  10 Pagescomplicated manner, but Spinoza tried to answer this question in an exceptional way simply by describing God and His essence. Based on Spinoza’s views, God’s qualities can be referred to as attributes and modes are merely affections of a substance. This paper will provide a detailed view of Spinoza’s key ontological definition of God as the only substance, his attributes, and their co-relations. The study goes further to explore the major scholarly argument between Spinoza and Descartes, in regard to theirRead MoreRationalism vs. Irrationalism1607 Words   |  7 Pagesprinciples, like the realm of geometry, one could deductively derive the rest of all possible knowledge. (Markie 1) The philosophers who held this view most clearly were Spinoza and Leibniz, whose attempts to unders tand the epistemological and metaphysical problems raised by Descartes led to the development of rationalism. Both Spinoza and Leibniz asserted that, ideally, all knowledge (including scientific knowledge) could be gained through the use of reason alone, though they both observed that this was notRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Views On Philosophy1107 Words   |  5 Pageseverything could be determined with inerrant reasoning. The originator of this line of thought was Rene Descartes. Some say that he is on his own level of original philosophy that the ancient philosophers are on; however, one can see with scrutiny that Aristotle was the source on a couple of his ways of thinking. Besides Descartes, another rationalist that followed Aristotle was Benedictus de Spinoza; reason being was that even though he believed in God, he believed that emotional wellbeing was the mostRead MoreThe Mind Body Problem, By Rene Descartes Essay1331 Words   |  6 Pages Mind-Body Problem Oluwadamilola Kamson Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy November 2016 INTRODUCTION The Mind-body problem dates back to Plato and was well received by the scholastic philosophers. However, it was Rene Descartes the famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. The mind-body problem is not, of course, a single problem at all, but a large collection of problems which focuses upon the fundamental issue of reality and knowledge in so far as such analysisRead More Descartes Essay1269 Words   |  6 Pages In the early 17th century a philosopher named Descartes, questioned his existence. His life was dedicated to the founding of a philosophical and mathematical system in which all sciences were logical. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Descartes was born in 1596 in Touraine, France. His education consisted of attendance to a Jesuit school of La Fleche. He studied a liberal arts program that emphasized philosophy, the humanities, science, and math. He then went on to the University of Poitiers where

The Music of Beethoven Essay - 1710 Words

The shift of music from Classicism to Romanticism could not have simply occurred without the many contributions brought by Ludwig van Beethoven, who was one of the most influential German composer and pianist of all time. And the music within his lifetime acted almost as if it was simultaneously rising, then revolutionized through Beethoven’s hands as he absorbed the classical style directly from many well-known musicians such as Mozart and Haydn and then served his audiences with vast variety kinds of music that no one could ever have imagined. And yet in his music, people found the unique expressive musical ideas that no other former composers had tried to convey, and this may had happened due to the ongoing difficult challenges that he†¦show more content†¦And this style suited the European aristocracy, who were the main patrons of instrumental music. A good example would be the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.1 Op.2 written in 1795. In the All egro in F minor, Beethoven uses the arpeggio like motif with triplet repeatedly with chords on the left hand. And the short triplet is repeated in a different pitches almost like sequences and shortly develops into a more legato phrase that connects to the octaves and alberti bass in the bass and later, off beat quavers in the right hand filling up the second theme. The closing section is rather similar to the legato phrase but it ends on the A flat perfect authentic cadence. The development section has both the first and second theme, followed by an extended transition that develops the second theme. And the approach to the recapitulation is the recall of the triplets from a shortened version of the initial theme with full sounding f minor chord at the end. The entire movement is in sonata form with both the style and structure standing not especially distinctive comparing to the works from Mozart or Haydn, and it is still considered somewhat conservative in comparison to his later works. However, Beethoven soon masters the Viennese style and adds his own flavours to show what he truly desires to compose. Therefore only three years after, in around 1798 Beethoven composed the famous Piano Sonata in C minor, Op.13 under theShow MoreRelatedThe Music Of Beethoven And Johann Van Beethoven1848 Words   |  8 PagesBorn on December 17, 1770, Beethoven was a child Maria Magdalena Keverich and Johann Van Beethoven, where he was born and raised in Bonn, Germany. At quite a young age, Beethoven began exhibiting impressive musical talents. Following, Beethoven’s father became his initial musical instructor, however his methods of teaching were certainly questionable. Johann was brute, it was accounted for by neighbors that they witnessed a small child weeping playing the clavier while standing atop a footstool toRead MoreThe Music Of Ludwig Van Beethoven1600 Words   |  7 PagesLudwig van Beethoven is known for much of his musical accomplishments. One of his most famou s is that he is deaf and yet one of the best musical composers of the classical and romanic area. Beethoven has always been one of my personal favorite composers. When I grew up and started taking piano, Beethoven s Fur Elise was my first large classical piece. Ever since that point on I insisted that when we were in Germany we see his home, and that we did. In this essay I will be explaining Ludwigs YouthRead MoreThe Death Of Beethoven And His Music1349 Words   |  6 PagesOnly a few composers in the history of time have ever successfully left their mark throughout our musical world we live in today. It’s been over two hundred years since the birth of Beethoven and his music still speaks to us today as he originally expressed and composed it. Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in the city of Bonn Germany on December 16th 1770 and has since been one of the most influential composers known to man. A common theme of early age learning and mastering seems to emerge in Beethovenâ₠¬â„¢sRead MoreThe Music Of Ludwig Van Beethoven900 Words   |  4 PagesLudwig van Beethoven All throughout music history lived many composers that have impacted not only the societies in which they have lived in, but modern-day society as well. These particular composers have given many societies the chance to listen, feel and express themselves through music and instruments that were invented centuries ago that still remain essential components of music today. One example of a composer that changed the music world drastically was a man by the name of Ludwig van BeethovenRead MoreThe Music Of Ludwig Van Beethoven1408 Words   |  6 PagesLudwig van Beethoven When I was 7 years old, my parents signed me up for music school. I did not want to go to music school, but they wanted me just to try. In first class we were just listening classical music and it really sounded boring. But when Beethoven’s fifth symphony came on, I fell in love with classical music and I wanted to study it even more. My sister was also in musical school and she played piano and when I came back from school, I was begging her to play me some of Beethoven’s piecesRead MoreMusic: Ludwig Van Beethoven1670 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Music is might not be the universal language but it plays an important role in human culture as well as the society. Music is not only provide entertainment but it is also a tool for a composer and listeners to release emotion. The best well-known for his inspiring power and expressiveness music is Ludwig van Beethoven. He was a musical genius whose composed some of the most influential pieces of music ever written. During t he Classical period, Beethoven’s compositions were the expression as oneRead MoreBeethoven Composition Of Classical Music774 Words   |  4 Pagesclassical music is said to be derived from the emotion of the composer. When aficionados of classical music are introduced to new music, it is expected to ‘move’ them. Emotional expression and communication, often exerted through the compositions of Ludwig Beethoven are said to have changed the composition of symphony forever. To quote Beethoven, â€Å"Coming from the heart, may it go to the heart†. Beethoven said this when expressing the emotion it took to compose and accept his music. Beethoven is alsoRead MoreBeethoven Music in the Clockwork Orange1199 Words   |  5 PagesKris Heller 8/1/05 Music History: Beethoven An Interpretation of Beethoven s Music in the Film A Clockwork Orange A Clockwork Orange is the story of a young and disturbed man who, in order to avoid his prison sentence, subjects himself to a controversial new treatment to correct his unlawful behavior. Stanley Kubrick, the film s creator, uses Beethoven s music to penetrate the complexity of the main character s actions and emotions. Beethoven s music acts as his salvation, providingRead MoreThe Music Of Ludwig Van Beethoven1701 Words   |  7 Pages Marcus Gonsalves Dec 9 2014 Music 173 Research Paper Ludwig van Beethoven Music has been around a long time and is a big part of America’s history. There are many styles of music such as, Rap, RB, Jazz, Classical, Oldies and so on. There has been many great composers throughout the years, these people are legends that will stand for ever such as, Beethoven, George Frideric Handel, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The one artist that I’m going to write about in this paper is theRead MoreThe Music Of Ludwig Van Beethoven1739 Words   |  7 PagesVan Beethoven. If not for his ability to expand the way in which music is created, played and heard, current music would lack the polyphonic sound that is needed in order to create texture and depth. Beethoven is believed to be purely a classical composer. However, to the contrary he can also be considered purely romantic. His compositions consisted of a form that was never heard before and in turn inspired future artists to copy him. This form was believed to have created the basis for music during

Dealers Choice free essay sample

This essay may take you ten to fifteen minutes to read. For me, it was seventeen years in the making. I am not a gambler, but have been beating the odds my entire life. In kindergarten I was diagnosed with dyslexia. From early on, I was told and grew to understand that I learn differently. Learning to read and write presented challenges that taught me valuable lessons of patience and perseverance. I am inspired by individuals like Thomas Edison and Richard Branson, great thinkers and visionaries, who, like me, stumbled with reading and writing and, like me, were labeled as dyslexic. It didn’t stop them from pursuing their dreams and won’t stop me. My curiosity and drive to learn, sustain me Dyslexia does not define me. Through hard work, I have enjoyed academic success. At age 12, I was harmed and sustained injuries requiring emergency surgeries and procedures difficult for anyone to endure. We will write a custom essay sample on Dealers Choice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This setback required three months of hospital stays and rehabilitation, just when I was about to start the 7th grade at a new school. With the help of a tutor, I was able to keep up with my class and complete the year with my peers finishing with honors. From that experience, I emerged physically and emotionally stronger. Being in the hospital helped me not only recover but also led me to discover a passion for science and medicine. Whether research or patient care, I will dedicate my life to this endeavor. I am determined to make a difference with my life to improve the lives of others. The schools I attended are staffed with dedicated professionals who instilled in me the value, reward and benefits of my efforts and to never give in or give up. They taught me how I learn best and to advocate for myself. In high school, I have taken every opportunity to challenge myself academically and have been very successful in all of my classes, including the most rigorous of science and mat h available. Toward the end of my junior year, I enrolled in a sign language class at the local university. I wanted to test myself by managing a college course, of an entirely unfamiliar subject, in addition to my high school classes and employment commitments. Furthermore, my parents were out of the state and I stayed behind to care for myself, the house, and our three dogs. These experiences were gratifying in many different ways, in particular, elevating my level of maturity and awareness. Academic and life lessons have prepared me for the challenges of college and beyond; Lessons of self-reliance and resourcefulness, creativity, patience, responsibility to myself and others, to name a few. My creativity and resourcefulness are borne of learning challenges. My passion for learning is motivated by curiosity. Lastly, my perseverance has rewarded me time and again as I have journeyed through obstacles in my path, with some interesting detours, down roads less traveled. If there is a way, I will find it.