Philosophy Questions Project, Essay Example

Explain how wisdom in both philosophy today and in cognitive psychology presents a multiplicity of intelligence skills centered on practical results.

The relationship between philosophy and psychology often becomes one of latitude as the two disciplines have similar emphases on the qualitative features of life. Philosophy can be considered the skeleton with psychology supplying the substance. Psychology limits the boundaries of philosophy dependent on the view of the person and how narrow or broad the understanding of life and the theories of philosophy and psychology.

Cognitive psychology is a branch of psychology dealing with mental processes and how an individual perceives and learns in addition to how they think and learn. Scientifically cognitive psychology is related to philosophy. A major focus of cognitive psychology involves practical applications for researching memory improvement and accuracy of decision making processes. Further, it is the basis for educational curriculum structure for individuals to have a higher structure on learning enhancement.

How humans know things and how decisions are made is a fundamental objective of the role wisdom plays in philosophy and cognitive psychology. The word ‘philosophy’ is derived from ancient Greece and literally means ‘the love of wisdom’ and therefore at the very base root the concept of philosophy deals with wisdom and knowledge. Aristotle and Plato were both philosophers of human knowledge and the nature of how the world works in relation to humans and the natural world. While philosophy has a history of focusing on the abstract, experimental psychology came into play to bring about more concrete understanding of how the mind and intelligence works.

Cognitive psychologists today still theorize, however, the primary mode of understanding and discovery comes from human experimentation. The two disciplines of philosophy and cognitive psychology have the same goals and both provide distinctive attributes to the fields of study. Practical results from intelligence skills experimentation and investigation go beyond the historical standards of abstract thought and reasoning. Intelligence skill testing and investigation producing solid results is vital to the overall accuracy of results. Theory and experiments go together and one without the other is counterproductive.

Practical results must be based on more than just common sense and should have metrics for validity and accountability. The importance of certain criteria must be considered such as human emotions in regards to human thinking. Consciousness and physical environment in human thinking is also relevant to practical outcomes of the intelligent and how wisdom plays a role in the understanding of knowledge.

Philosophy and cognitive psychology work together to achieve a balance in explaining the many aspects of learning and how humans use problem solving skills. The two disciplines must balance the attributes and fundamentally mistaken approaches to practical results. How the human body and society play a role in intelligent is a part of philosophy and cognitive psychology critique and challenge.

What makes an idea metaphysical? Identify the main metaphysical ideas in the history of Philosophy and which are important today and why.

Metaphysical is a word derived from Greek which literally means ‘after the things of nature’ and specifically refers to an idea of a reality that is outside the realm of the perception of human beings. It is in the field of philosophy which attempts to explain things which are of reality but not routinely experienced in the typical day of a person’s life. In modern philosophy metaphysics deals with the concept of things which are outside material reality.

A metaphysical idea is one which is not based on material reality and typically is outside the concept of science. A metaphysical concept is one which cannot be verified or validated by modern science. Metaphysics and religion have conceptually been intertwined in some thought processes.  Validating a metaphysical idea in religious terms can be demonstrated by the attempts to prove the existence of God and that each person has a soul. Scientists have a profound alliance to the concept that everything can be explained by some natural cause. Thereby many followers of science believe to be real, it has to be seen, hypothesized and gone through rigorous testing and experimentation to be true. Much apart from a metaphysical concept or idea.

Philosophy in pre-Socratics times was metaphysical by Plotinus who believed that the human mind was merely a reflection of a more perfect reality; which he named ‘God’ (PBS, 2009). Aristotle is one of the founding philosophers associated with the concepts of metaphysical realities. Whereas Plato believed in an eternal and never changing world which he called ‘forms’, Aristotle saw the world as ever changing. Metaphysics, a famous book written by Aristotle looks at the concepts of Plato and Aristotle’s own views. The result is the explanation that naturalism and mysticism can and do work together. The concepts in this book influenced many philosophers through the centuries and has been a direct intellectual authority on the Western world.

The main principles then and today lies in the questions of existence. The questions of how things can exit after undergoing change and development in the natural world.  Common structure in the world appears to be permanent when in fact they are changing. Aristotle believed that somewhere and somehow there had to be a relationship between science in nature with the abstract concept of existence. Space, time, causality, and possibility are all concepts which metaphysicians try to understand and explain.

The concept of metaphysics today is important as science and metaphysical concepts want to understand and demonstrate real concrete answers for questions which have not been able to be verified or confirmed. Science cannot show an exact explanation for how the mind works beyond the neuroscience discipline. Science is continually making discoveries which falsify previous ‘truths’ science has given to the world. Human interpretation is relative to the individual and therefore, science cannot claim solidity in explaining human nature and thought processes. Metaphysical concepts today are somewhere between the absolutist claims of science and the complete relativism of postmodernism and deconstructionism (PBS, 2009).

Postmodernism and deconstructionism are philosophical movements which are constructed on the premise that the minds understands things based on personal reality. Deconstructionism specifically challenges ideological biases such as gender or race and assumes philosophical and religious notions. Experience over abstraction and looks to the human experience to bring knowledge and understanding to concepts.

Explain how Taoism became a metaphysical energy fundamental for all visible energies that could claim practical effects for living without undue anxiety about social change. What qualities for living were identified?

Taoism is concerned with the natural order of things. A ‘return to balance’ as a force flowing through all of human and the universe. Perfect happiness is considered the result of a Tao in balance. The Yin Yang symbol is a Taoist icon representing a balance of opposites. Just as a cross is a Christian symbol which gives comfort and encouragement to those who wear it, the Yin Yang model is an aid to the followers of Tao to reflect on a balance in life. Taoism is considered a way of life and not a theology; but a kind of system focusing on meditation and self evaluation.

Harmony of nature and a balanced order in life to the Taoist is stabilizing and demonstrates a healthy way of life. Taoism practices included health and vitality and the followers were interested in magic and mysticism. They believed in spirits in both nature and in the internal body. Health and mental alertness is important in Taoism along with consciousness and self-realization.

Taoism as a metaphysical energy teaches that what a person thinks about can and will become their own personal reality; a part of the subconscious. Space, time and motions in the physical world as it relates to the non-physical world is one principle for connecting to the nature and conscious actions. Metaphysical energy is concerned with extrasensory perception beyond the physical or visible realm of human awareness.

Intuition is an important part of energy and there are three stages which help in living through change and anxiety. Sensory perception is the first concept and deals with how we see things and the deduction of the situation in our minds. Second is the process of surrender and giving up the power of a possession or control of another person. The pure process of letting go exposes oneself to vulnerability. However, surrendering allow the universe to have control to lead an individual to a natural path; forgoing resistance in life. Lastly, illumination is the process of receiving the power provided by surrendering. Enlightenment and self-discovery becomes very clear. This three stage process opens the path for new ideas, creatively and the ability to conquer anxiety.

Energy cycle influences are also a form of Taoism and metaphysical energies. The first, second and third lunar cycles are empowering and provides what is considered using natural cycles for better living. The first lunar cycle is when there is no moon visible as the moon goes from the dark moon into the full moon and back to dark again. This controls the amount of light reflected by the moon. The second cycle is distance between the earth and the moon. There is always a different length depending on the rotation and the moon’s orbit around earth is not perfect in the rotation. This affects the power of the pull of the moon on the natural world and humans.

The third cycle concerns the moon’s height in the sky. This affects the quality of the light we get from the moon. The moon affects us based on the amount and quality of life as well as the magnetic pull. This impacts the physical and spiritual realms affecting the balance and harmony of life. Understanding this helps us realize the motivating factors and forces that directly affect how we think, act and deal with situations. Situations which create anxiety such as life and societal changes can be better dealt with by understanding the energies.

Explain in detail Aristotle’s version of understanding nature and why human self understanding was part of nature. Did it answer Plato’s dualism? If so, how? If not, why not?

Aristotle’s understanding of nature is that the primary material of any natural object consists or out of which it is made, which is relatively unshaped and cannot be changed from its own potency (Ross, trans. 2009). He studied concepts of motion, causation, and natural phenomena. There are four causes which Aristotle believed comprised nature. Matter and form are the first two concepts. These causes are the reason for the structure and behavior of the entity itself. Matter is the possibilities whereas form is the definition. They work together; in order to have form it must have matter and matter must have form. This is seen by Aristotle as a necessity.

The final two causes are efficient (moving) and final. These concepts begin the process which will bring about an effect. Final causes are the processes and the results it will attain.  Nature can possess any of these four causes. Nature as it goes through movement and rest periods, has an exclusive relationship to the four causes. For example, if a living soul is form then the moving cause will depend on what the organism is identified as.

Aristotle’s view of nature is concerned with matter-metaphysics while Plato used form-metaphysics to answer questions about nature and philosophy. Physics, mathematics and metaphysics are the three entities which comprise Aristotle’s substance metaphysics; differing from Plato’s approach. Plato believed in a duel university and that each object has a universal form which exists outside of the physical part of the object. While Aristotle’s views were not entirely opposite from Plato, they differed. Aristotle believed the universal form exist with the existing object rather than separately as Plato taught.

Aristotle rejected Plato’s world of forms and believed that physical reality resulted from personal experiences. Man with nature and the natural sciences such as biology and deduction were Aristotle’s point of view and basis of reasoning. Plato believed in the geometrical and mathematical forms while Aristotle centered on a fundamental element having its own natural place in the world.

Aristotle and Plato did seem to agree on a teleological force at work. They both believed that objects have a purpose which extends past any physical property or characteristics. Aristotle held that humans and nature were connected through actions. As humans act and it becomes habit, it becomes a part of their character. His views are considered logical and rational, whereas Plato’s were loftier and idealistic.

Plato is the founder of the concept of dualism which proposes the mind and body are in contrast with each other. He believed in a metaphysical parallel reality and that all objects have a dual existence. True substances are not the body itself and that the physical body is imperfect. Plato’s dualism is not explained by Aristotle’s views. In particular Plato believed that a person’s soul is imprisoned in their body but cannot fully explain why or how. Aristotle saw the soul and body as a union and that the soul is specifically the form of a human body. This philosophy can be interpreted in that the soul is nature to the body; a property of the body. As this concept of all things being joined together by nature and in harmony is directly contradicting to Plato’s idea of dualism and all things being separate.

Works Cited

Crystal Links. “Taoism.” 2009. Retrieved Febraruy 6, 2010 from http://www.crystalinks.com/taoism.html

Peaceful Mind. “Metaphysics.” 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2010 from http://www.peacefulmind.com/metaphysics.htm

PBS. “Metaphysical.” 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2010 from http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/metaph-body.html

Ross, W.D. Translation “Aristotle Bilingual Anthology: Nature.” (2009). Retrieved Febrary 6, 2010 from http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/aristotle_nature.asp

Sudduth, Michael. “Artistole’s Substance Metaphysics.” 2009. Retrieved Febraury 6, 2010 from http://philofreligion.homestead.com/files/Aristotle.html