Question

Please state at least two central ideas you found interesting in each of these thinkers (eight ideas total)--Kant, Rousseau, Smith, Marx--and tell which thinker/idea you agree with most and why, and which idea/thinker you disagree with most and why.

Answer 1

Augustine

He was a Christian philosopher who lived in the 4^th and 5^th century AD. He served as a bishop for a long time. He had a great deal of achievements to offer as a philosopher for which he was respected by various tribes. He criticised Rome for very many reasons and people related to his sayings because of his conviction as well as the meaning and logic in his ideas and thought. The Romans believed in earthly happiness- They had faith in technology and power of humans to grow and develop, while exerting their control over the nature. They believed in the optimistic idea of self-help and being their own navigators in order to map their journeys of development. They also believed in just social order. Fame was considered an ideal and showing off one’s wealth was also a desirable attribute at the time. Augustine was a person who believed in Sin and suggested that humans created their own misery. This was visible in the desire to dominate others. Our powers to reason and engage in logic are also blurred by the increasing lust and desire humans possess. This actually may bring in a level of relief to know that humans are entirely complex beings and while they are lovable and compassionate by natural c=virtue, they are never quite able to practice them in entirety due to their individual blindfolds of desire, worldview and complex subjectivity that deters them from their real goal. While his ideas are often depressing, they also encourage the practice of self enquiry and self search in order to truly understand the essence of human life. These ideas therefore seem highly believable in the world of today and deeply impact the way many subsequent philosophers looked at life.

Descartes

His infamous saying I think before I am suggested different ideologies per se. He was a fierce rationalist and that is what made him stand out as a philosopher. He trusted the human power of logic and rationality as the only source to explain phenomena. He had immense faith in the power of introspection and clarity of thought in order to achieve one’s true human potential. He also stated that much that went wrong with the way we approached the world was because of our own misuse of minds. His main task was centred around making human thinking more equipped to attain its true potential and be channelized in the right direction. He called this the method of doubts wherein he broke down complex problems into smaller units in order to make them manageable chunks. He also believed in grounding our understanding in traditional methods rather than power and authority which is unjust. He observed that human sense is highly unreliable. He could however trust thinking of his own. His thinking was therefore a proof towards existence. One can look within and introspect in order to get most answers of life. A rational mind and quiet environment is all that is needed.

Locke

The 17^th century philosopher Locke had many different ideas to offer on how to educate, how to deal with people from different religious ideas and who should rule humanity. He studied medicine however became interested in the given themes through his encounter with philosophers. He became an advocate of freedom of belief and inculcated the idea of tolerance among the people of the time. Because the earthly judges and human beings in particular cannot dependably evaluate the truth of competing religious standpoints, he advocated freedom of belief and philosophical choice in terms of ideas and faith. Also one cannot be compelled into belief through violence and force. Other than this, coercing religious uniformity leads to far more social disorder than allowing diversity. These ideas were rather progressive an brought about significant changes in the way human beings approached religion and the choices exerted by people in this domain.

Aquinas

He was a medieval saint and claimed to have visions of Virgin Mary. How religion and faith can be reconciled with reason and logic is something that he had focused upon. He claimed that most philosophers and thinkers could ponder upon the truth of life through the greatest gift bestowed upon us by God- Reason. He universalised intelligence and mentioned how everyone could achieve this level of spiritual growth. He was born in Italy and came into contact with these texts, which developed his interest. He was an excellent writer as well. He had a devotion to knowledge. His belief that everyone could seek for the truth irrespective of religious beliefs came from the fact that many of the greatly contributing thinkers were not from a Christian or Catholic background. The universe operates according to natural and eternal laws. Moral principles were also established by him. Most philosophical thoughts also had scientific approach and came from different regions of the world, establishing further that truth seeking was independent of one’s belief system and faith.