Quotes Regarding Philosophy: Analysis And Analysis

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Philosophy 20/30 Tanisha Kotowich Mr. Gambier March 3, 2014 Quotes Regarding Philosophy Analysis, Interpretation and Application “To be is to be perceived. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” ~ Bishop George Berkeley (1685-1753) As an idealist, Berkeley believed that nothing is real except for minds and their ideas. Ideas do not exist independently of the mind, but rather it is the mind that provides validity to the concepts. Something exists only if someone has the idea of it. It is the acknowledgement made by humans that takes a mere ambiguous idea and gives it not only meaning but its very existence. If one looks at the opposing idea, it’s difficult to completely grasp the concept that should an individual be unaware of either an object or an idea, it’s existence is subjective. The reason being is that, how can one be aware of the lack of existence of something, should they be ignorant of the actual object. There is nothing to prove its existence should the idea of it never manifest itself in the mind of an individual. Though he never put the question in the exact words given in the quotation, Berkeley would say that if a tree fell in the forest and there was no one there to hear it, not only would it not make a sound, but there would be no tree. Due to the lack of presence during the fall, there is nothing to say that the tree existence was tangible, let alone the fall. This train of thought ties in with Protagoras’ quote “man is the measure of all things”, which essentially states that because man is thought to be capable of a higher level of thinking over any other animals, it is said that our perception of the world around us justifies everything we see, and allows us... ... middle of paper ... ...ividuals of higher ability place upon others to ensure they do not surpass them. It assures that individuals “The unreal is more powerful than the real, because it's only intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. People, well, they die.” ~ Chuck Palahniuk (1962 - Present) The study of philosophy is often phrased as being the search for what one does not know. “The end justifies the means.” ~ Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 - 1527) Machiavelli’s famous words have impacted individuals on many different levels in multiple different areas. Everywhere from business to education, this quote has various degrees of application and truth. What is implied by Machiavelli is that it is not the means by which one reaches there end goal that matters, but rather the fact that they have achieved it. Success is based on the attainment of

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