“We think the problem has gotten worse, but that’s because our sensibilities have gotten more refined.” This quote could very well be the most solid evidence Steven Pinker has to offer to prove his point. Examples of this evidence could be seen absolutely everywhere in the world lately; the world has become hyperaware of things of sexist, racist, and offensive nature. What he is trying to say is that, today, any insignificant thing which proves to be even minimally violent, offensive, racist, or sexist, will be almost immediately attacked. In this quote, Steven
I. Introduction The world in which we live has been inundated by sea of presuppositions all vying for prominence as the dominant and most comprehensive view of the world and of human life. However the thoughtful seeker of truth, if he is diligent in his search, will observe that these competing ideologies are nothing more than the ripple effect of enlightenment’s plunge into this cosmic sea. The initial effect of this dive is the division of thought, and by extension society, into two warring factions, sacred and secular. This false dichotomy has so pervaded the conceptual framework of man that every aspect of his life fits into any one of these two spheres.
Through out his book he makes it very clear how passionate and devote he was to his task, and how he never hinders in his pursuits. It is his passion, though, that makes his books documents of his opinion, not historical accounts. There are numerous cases through out the text in which Las Casas provides many of his own personal biases. This is done in the hopes of convincing the reader of the urgency of his pursuit. The following will prove that the work of Bartolome de Las Casas cannot be viewed as a credible historical account because of multiple exaggerations, inconsistencies, and persuasive language used within the text.
While some showered him with praise for being so courageous and realistic, a great majority perceived him as being very unpatriotic and with the intention to cause chaos amongst the American masses Crowe, Charles: The Emergence of Progressive History, Journal of the History of Ideas, Vol. 27, No. 1, (Jan. - Mar., 1966), pp. 120 Despite all this, Charles Austin Beard is a pioneer historian. His contributions the the histiography of American history has left a mark that is even today
Everyone should read this intruding novel as it has many aspects which overwhelms other novels, such as the fact that everything is seen through the eyes of Christopher who is also the narrator. The novel is set up as a detective story from the beginning to the end which is very peculiar as he find out much more about his own life and family. Haddon manages to create this atmosphere where Christopher narrates to his own rules about structure and form and only occasionally reaches to more typical ways of writing. The book has a very unique mathematical and scientific structure, which is very well constructed and understandable. Christopher’s inability to express his feelings of love and other emotions can feel very extraordinary and alienating.
Kant makes many good arguments when discussing his theory of “enlightenment,” but Castle takes a much more aggressive approach at this theory. Castle’s approach, known as “symbolic self-orphaning,” is described as the “the cultivation of a willingness to defy, debunk or just plain old disappoint one’s parents.” This is an extreme idea that is worded very strongly, and many philosophers believe this theory to be too much. Castle, on the other hand, is adamant that this path is needed to live a meaningful life. Castle came about this theory while teaching a class at Stanford, and after a quick survey, Castle finds out most of her students talk to their parents daily. To Castle, this is a huge
James Howard Kunstler has some very good arguments in his book The Long Emergency, but his main one has one huge flaw. Kunstler states in his first chapter, “Above all,
At any given time in history, however, philosophers and theologians and even politicians have and claimed that they have discovered that the best way to evaluate human actions and establish the most righteous code of conduct. You see, life is far too messy and complicated for there to be anything like a universal morality and an absolutist ethics. I know what you are thinking, “What about the concept of the Golden Rule?” The golden rule is great and all, treating everyone like you would like to be treated. But it disregards moral autonomy and leaves no room for the imposition of justice.In other words, we fucked up. Not just a little bit, but we fucked up big time.
Of these existential novels, one of the most influential would be that of Albert Camus, The Stranger. It is within the covers of this book that the protagonist, Meursault, depicts his own existential philosophy by questioning not only his own personal existence, but also that of a higher being, as well as showing a disdain for anything worldly or superficial. As previously stated, questioning one's own existence is a phenomena observed by most existentialists, that's to say, believers in the existential ideology. Meursault undergoes this thought process throughout the novel, constantly questioning his purpose in the grand scheme of things. One such instance, wherein Meursault displays his existential thoughts arises when his boss asks if Meursault would mind taking a job in Paris.
By the time Twain is wrapping up the essay, with a very strongly opinionated conclusion for a scientific study, you are nodding your head in agreement, "below us, nothing" (Twain). The strength of the entire essay is highlighted in the conclusion, persuasive whit and misdirection. Unfortunately, the weakness is also there, unreliable and un cited research topped with heavily one sided opinion.