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Imagination's role in the individual
Imagination's role in the individual
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Absolute Knowledge: Analysis vs Intuition
Is absolute knowledge gained through the process of analysis or intuition? In “Introduction to Metaphysics” of The Creative Mind, Henri Bergson makes a thorough distinction between analysis and his idea of intuition. As the basis of immediate, metaphysical knowledge, intuition applies to the interior experience of an object. Such experience entails true empiricism. Bergson explains his method of intuition and absolute knowledge through various terms, including duration, traditional rationalism and empiricism, and time. These terms shall be evaluated as they reveal the pertinence between true empiricism and true metaphysics.
As a philosopher of immediacy, Bergson favors intuition over analysis as a mode to knowledge. Relative, mediate, and incomplete knowledge is the result of analysis. It involves viewpoints of an entire object which require a division of it into parts. These parts must then be labeled with symbols and then synthesized, mediated or recomposed into an inaccurate whole in an attempt to gain a complete, perfect understanding of the thing. The experience one has during analysis is thus, an exterior one which leads only to a partial grasp of the object. This grasp is relative as it depends upon the individual’s viewpoints.
On the other hand, Bergson’s idea of intuition is a means to immediate, absolute knowledge. This knowledge is perfect, without limits, and inexpressible through symbols, or even language. It is a result of an interior experience, which Bergson claims, involves “sympathy” towards the object. As intuition entails “sympathy,” analysis entails a “desire to embrace the object” (161 The Creative Mind). In an attempt to illustrate the distinction between intuition and analysis, let us propose that the object is a choreographed dance. If I analyze it, I may observe the dancers or make a chart of the dance steps, and memorize the rhythm. I may compare various dancers or relate some steps to other steps in a series. In general, I understand the structure of the dance, but nothing more; my analysis does not lead me to coincide with the act itself, and it results in an eventual limit to my knowledge of the dance, which cannot be expanded. However, when I become a dancer, I coincide with the act. I utilize introspection and experience its entirety.
The Transcendental Deductions of the pure concept of the understanding in Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, in its most general sense, explains how concepts relate a priori to objects in virtue of the fact that the power of knowing an object through representations is known as understanding. According to Kant, the foundation of all knowledge is the self, our own consciousness, because without the self, experience is not possible. The purpose of this essay is to lay out Kant’s deduction of the pure concept of understanding and show how our concepts are not just empirical, but a priori concept. We will walk through Kant’s argument and reasoning as he uncovers each layer of understanding, eventually leading up to the conclusion mentioned above. In the Transcendental aesthetics, Kant defines the objective validity of Space and Time as concepts a priori with the help of Geometry, showing that if we believe in the validity of Geometry, we have to believe that Space and Time are concepts a priori.
Nuclear power has proven before that it can result in tragedy, both seen in the accident in Chernobyl and Fukushima. However, in places such as France and even the University of Maryland, we can see the many advantages that nuclear energy can bring forth, and for different purposes. In both research and energy production, nuclear energy has proven that it can not only improve our health and the economy, but also emit less harmful gases on the environment than fossil fuels. Looking to the future, nuclear energy can easily ascend as a dominant source of electricity – if properly managed. Other sources of energy will slowly deplete and continue to damage the environment and atmosphere. Nuclear power provides a solution to so many of the current energy crisis problems, so it is only a matter of
The same function that gives unity to the different representations in a judgment also gives unity to the mere synthesis of different representations in an intuition, which, expressed generally, is called the pure concept of understanding. The same understanding, therefore, and indeed by means of the very same actions through which it brings the logical form of a judgment into concepts by means of the analytical unity, also brings a transcendental content into its representations by means of the synthetic unity of the manifold in intuition in general, on account of which they are called pure concepts of the understanding that pertain to objects a priori; this can never be accomplished by universal logic. A79, B105
The Maori tribes were able to evolve and flourish as a result of hunting and agriculture. The relative isolation of the island enabled the Maori to develop a rich, unique culture.5 Thus, the Maori culture was able to resist crumbling under European colonization in 1769. Regardless of the Europeans’ incessant fight for land ownership, the Maori persisted in viewing that the land as “Mother Earth’s placenta” and not belonging to anyone.3 It is remarkable that the Maori withstood...
...ll true knowledge is solely knowledge of the self, its existence, and relation to reality. René Descartes' approach to the theory of knowledge plays a prominent role in shaping the agenda of early modern philosophy. It continues to affect (some would say "infect") the way problems in epistemology are conceived today. Students of philosophy (in his own day, and in the history since) have found the distinctive features of his epistemology to be at once attractive and troubling; features such as the emphasis on method, the role of epistemic foundations, the conception of the doubtful as contrasting with the warranted, the skeptical arguments of the First Meditation, and the cogito ergo sum--to mention just a few that we shall consider. Depending on context, Descartes thinks that different standards of warrant are appropriate. The context for which he is most famous, and on which the present treatment will focus, is that of investigating First Philosophy. The first-ness of First Philosophy is (as Descartes conceives it) one of epistemic priority, referring to the matters one must "first" confront if one is to succeed in acquiring systematic and expansive knowledge.
Organic food is a farming product which does not make use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers in order to create a more sustainable product (Shafie & Rennie, 2009:360). Beliefs about healthiness, tastiness, animal welfare, and saving the environment are motivational actions that influence purchasing behaviour of organic food. The greatest fragment of consumers are aware of organic food and the benefits it holds, advertisements and news articles encourage consumers to consume organic food to ensure a longer and healthier life (Hjelmar, 2011:338). Even with sufficient knowledge about organic food, most consumers will not purchase it...
Through facts and evidence the educated can change the way humans imagine the food, by making sure supporters of organics, are consuming not only what won't hurt us, but what is best for us, and can lead the human population into a healthier, more natural future. While the everyday person pushes for a world of better living by buying products made only from organics, civilians must also realize that scientists are still finding out about all the negative qualities that come with eating non-organic. So while the geniuses and modern day heroes of the world fight for reasons not to eat chemically sprayed foods, it's up to the working class to spread the word that organics are the safest option while more experiments are being conducted, for organic food’s essence is; untainted, natural, and pure
Taking a trip to the grocery store proves to be a tedious and challenging task when multitudes of produce, meats, and dairy products contain certain descriptions and statements of being healthy, natural, and most importantly organic. Without having knowledge of what these labels mean and if their claims are actually true and worth buying, grocery shopping becomes a demanding undertaking. Organic simply means that no man-made fertilizers are used when growing and producing food. (Curtis). The organic food on the market claims to be healthier, safer, and overall better than conventionally grown foods, but this statement proves false. Despite popular belief, organic farming has similar qualities with, and does not provide any great advantages or disadvantages over conventional farming.
“Every dollar spent on nuclear energy is one less dollar spent on clean renewable energy and one more dollar spent on making the world a comparatively dirtier and a more dangerous place, because nuclear power and nuclear weapons go hand in hand” (Jacobson). Most countries today are becoming more and more dependent on nuclear power as a source of energy because of its high energy output and the availability of uranium used for fuelling nuclear reactors that generate power to provide electricity in households. Although using nuclear power as a source of energy has benefits like this, the danger posed by using nuclear power is too ominous.
Organic food has better ratings on health benefits than conventional food but conventional food costs less. Most people have a hard time making an educated decision on the better selection. Scientists and consumers have reviewed and theorized that the healthier option for the human body seems to be consuming organic food in comparison with traditional foods. Many people disagree about the legitimacy of the argument for organic food consumption, and whether it will result as the healthier choice. Organic food proves to be the healthier choice because of the way the crops get handled. As stated by Organic Agriculture professionals, “organic agriculture refers to the practice of cultivating crops or raising livestock with little or no use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or other human-produced imports” (Organic Agriculture and Organic Food, par. 1). Scientists and consumers agree that in order to live a healthier lifestyle, one must make organic food a priority and consume less conventional food.
For example, when we taste the butter from the supermarket and organic butter we will found the organic butter is more delicious. According to Albert's Organics Company, that many food experts and chefs actually do believe that organic foods tend to taste better. The food experts give credit to the soil care practiced by organic farmers. Strong nourishment of the soil leads to well-nourished plants, which in turns yields food with a high nutritional content and optimal flavor. The taste of the organic food is one of reason encourage people to purchase the organic food. Renée S Hughner, Pierre McDonagh, Andrea Prothero, Clifford J. Shultz II, and Julie Stanton in their article" Who Are Organic Food Consumers? A Compilation and Review of Why People Purchase Organic Food ", said that several studies have found ‘taste’ to be among the most important criteria in organic food purchases. Organic food is fresh so of that is tastier than inorganic food is not including preservatives that make it last longer as the organic
“You are what you eat”, or so they say. In today’s supermarkets, organic foods are everywhere. Not only are there organic fruits and vegetables, but there are also organic dairy products, organic meats, organic convenience foods, organic wine, beer, coffee, tea and even clothes made with organic cotton. All of these choices have made organic foods the “fastest-growing segment of the grocery industry.” The Organic Trade Association (OTA), in its “Business Facts” fact sheet available at www.ota.com, cites Natural Foods Merchandiser, a trade magazine, as measuring organic industry growth at 20 percent or greater for the past nine years. Approximately two percent of the U.S. food supply is grown using organic methods. In 2001, retail sales of organic food were projected to be $9.3 billion (Organic Trade Association [OTA], 2001). That is nearly triple the $3.5 billion in sales in 1998 (Biocycle; Nov. 2004, Vol. 45 Issue 11, p27). Organic foods can be found at natural food stores such as Whole Foods Inc., Wild Oats Inc., major supermarkets, farmers markets as well as through “grower direct marketing” such as CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) or Co-Ops.
Organic Farming is becoming a bigger topic for debate in the United States. Organic produce/food is becoming more popular by the year. People say that organically grown food is healthier than conventional. There are no facts or data that show organic provides more nutrients than conventional produce. Many people who are against the use of pesticides and water soluble fertilizers support the companies that are stating these facts. Only problem with this is the public does not know what to beli...
However, nuclear power is a sustainable energy source which reduces carbon emissions, produces virtually no air pollution, and increases energy security. Because of western world energy codes and technologies, the methods of storing/disposing of nuclear waste are safer than ever. In addition to an increased focus on saving the environment, many governments have proclaimed a need for energy through a method that is environmentally friendly. According to the World Nuclear Association, “Electricity demand is increasing twice as fast as overall energy use and is likely to rise by more than two-thirds 2011 to 2035 (World Energy Needs and Nuclear Power)”. As of now, Nuclear power provides about 11% of the world's electricity (Ricotti). Only through nuclear energy will the world’s exponential energy demands be met. Despite political hype, environmental consequences, and lack of facility standardization, Nuclear power continues to offer a solution to be a worldwide, emission-free, scalable energy source that can meet global energy demands, as...
Kulikovski and Agolli (2010) discovered that organic food is generally looked upon as a substitute to conventional food for consumers who are concerned about food safety and quality. On the other hand health, ethical concern, price premium and trust in labeling do not have any significant influence on those who purchase organic food. Moreover, consumers believe that