Philosophy Essays Examples For College & High School Students in PDF

10142 total results

A Discussion on Whether Survival is the Most Valuable Thing and the Greatest Motivation (1126 words, 3 pages)

Is Self-preservation the Most Valuable Thing of All?The stoics argued that things are valuable only if they help our self-preservation. In our post-Darwinian world, this idea has gained increased support and significance. According to the rules of natural selection, survival is the sole motivation in life, with the ability to ... Read More

A Discussion on the Existence of Ultimate Truth (2242 words, 7 pages)

Why Not Untruth?There are no eternal facts, as there are no absolute truths. A well-spoken verse from Frederick Nietzsche and the overall basis of this paper, does absolute truth exist and what in us seeks out truth? When trying to really understand the idea behind truth, I continue to ask ... Read More

An Analysis of Free Will and Self-Reliance in the Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Hannah Craft (1108 words, 4 pages)

Freedom of the Self and the SoulThroughout American history, authors, philosophers, activists, and political powers have debated the inherent right to freedom. Many hold varying opinions on how such freedom is accomplished. Ralph Waldo Emerson, in writing Self Reliance, discusses the importance of freedom in thought, as well as a ... Read More

The Impact of Booker T. Washington’s Philosophies in the African American Community (864 words, 3 pages)

Did Booker T. Washingtons Philosophy Betray African Americans?The mid-nineteenth century saw the abolition of slavery and the addition of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution. However, court cases like Plessy v. Ferguson and the infamous Jim Crow laws worked effectively to make African-Americans second class ... Read More

An Essay against the Theory of Socrates on the Immortality of the Soul (627 words, 3 pages)

Is the soul immortal? Yes, some souls live on after death.The soulmust have come from somewhere, as well as knowledge. Socrates states thatwe know through recollection. This implies that the soul knew before ourbodies existed, and giving us the ability to acquire knowledge, not throughnovel learning but, through the remembering ... Read More

St. Augustine’s Critique of the Theologies of Pelagius in on the Grace of Christ (1516 words, 5 pages)

St. Augustine, a well-known Christian theologian of the fourth to fifth centuries, wrote a detailed critique on the writings and theologies of Pelagius, another well-known theologian from the fourth to fifth centuries, titled, On the Grace of Christ. Through this analysis, one discovers the truth through St. Augustines effective use ... Read More

Using Kantianism, Utilitarianism and Social Contract Theory to Analyse a Case of a Woman Saving Her Nephew’s Life (1422 words, 5 pages)

KantianismKantianism is the ethical theory developed by a German Philosopher named Immanuel Kant. Kant developed this theory because he believed that mankinds actions should be guided by moral laws. He also believed these laws should be universal, so there would be no discrepancies amongst different cultures or races. Kantianism has ... Read More

A Discussion on Whether Thoughts Arise from Impressions (499 words, 2 pages)

Many thoughts do arise from impressions, however some do not. Objection 1 If it is possible that a majority of thoughts (as Humesays) arise from impressions, then it is plausible, even likely that allideas come from impressions. Whether they are complex or not. Objection 2 If the idea of a ... Read More

An Analysis of Plato’s Philosophy on the Immortality of the Soul (1392 words, 4 pages)

Immortality of the SoulAs a philosopher living in Ancient Greece, Platos arguments about the immortality of the soul were actually fairly well thought out, considering how little was actually known about the human condition and the universe as a whole. Ideas brought forth during this era stood the test of ... Read More

An Argument Proving the Existence of Forms in Reality (514 words, 2 pages)

I believe forms exist in reality. Here are objections to said belief. Objection 1 Nothing is "real" all of which is in the minds. Not thelaws of science, not warmth, nothing. If nothing exists in reality (andonly in our mind space), then, how can forms exist in reality? They cannot.(Solipsism) ... Read More

The Influences of John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government (631 words, 3 pages)

The Influences of John Locke's Two Treatises of Government John Locke, a great English philosopher, gave a lot influences to therevolutions in America and France. Today, we like to call him "the fatherof America republic". Here comes the question why we used to call him thisname? What have he contributed ... Read More

An Analysis of the Examined Life in Apology by Socrates (834 words, 4 pages)

Unexamined LifeSocrates in his speech to the Athenian Jury states that, for the unexamined life is not worth living for men, you will believe me even less.(39) Socrates views the unexamined life as a life that when we take action, we should look back on to our actions and justify ... Read More

The Assumptions and Perceptions of Society on Faith (738 words, 3 pages)

Faith is a false hope that people look into to provide reason and truth for multiple decisions that they make. Multiple philosophers teach their followers to look past the teachings of faith and to look for their own true meaning of lifes truths. Philosophers often time in their works state ... Read More

The Influence of John Taylor Gatto, Joel Westheimer, and Joseph Kahne on My Perspective in Life (1199 words, 4 pages)

Final PaperEducation is something so integral to the formation of both being a better human being and citizen. Throughout this semester we have spoken about philosophers such as Greene, Lock and Noddings, but to me two philosophers that I could resonate so well with were philosophers John Taylor Gatto and ... Read More

A Biography of Niccolo Machiavelli, a Politician, Philosopher and Author (1477 words, 5 pages)

Ever heard of the term Machiavellian? It is an adjective used to describe someone who uses tricks and clever lies to get something they want. This term comes from a renaissance philosopher, Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli. Machiavelli is most known for his book, The Prince, in which he dedicates ... Read More

A Discussion on John Stuart Mill’s Theory of Happiness (1780 words, 5 pages)

John Stuart Mill emphasis on consequences for all concerned, not the intrinsic nature of action. For example, it is the consequence, not the action taken in a situation in his theory. Also, he emphasis on happiness as pleasure vs pain. Mill argues that our only happiness is the promotion of ... Read More

An Analysis of the Influence and Relevance of Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince (635 words, 3 pages)

The Prince by Machiavelli describes how one should obtain power and how to keep it. Machiavelli was one of the first political philosophers in the modern sense and his book has been incredibly influential since it was published in the 16th century. However, whether Machiavellis work is still relevant in ... Read More

An Essay on the Ethics and Philosophy of Eating (1142 words, 4 pages)

How is Eating a Philosophical Issue and What is your Philosophy about Eating? There are a few fundamental reasons why eating is a philosophical issue, and it requires a brief reminder of some basic biological concepts. First and foremost, we are multicellular organisms, so the fostering and destruction of life ... Read More

An Essay in Agreement with the Philosophies of Vogel (1647 words, 5 pages)

The Weight of the World and the Crisis of the IndividualIt is not right for one to bear the weight of the world, because one lacks the capability of impacting the world entirely, and the various outcomes that play out in the world are not a product of any single ... Read More

Nietzsche and Mark Dion: Brothers in Arms (746 words, 3 pages)

Nietzsche and Dion Brothers in ArmsIn the On the Genealogy of Morality Nietzsche tries to delve deeper into the morals of man and where they originated. A large chunk of his initial investigation came from the words that originated in a literal sense and later came to represent morality as ... Read More

An Overview of Confessions by St. Augustine (3997 words, 11 pages)

The Forgotten Friends of Augustines ConversionAugustines Confessions was written in the late 4th century and is cemented as a classic for theological study. Written as an autobiography, the work contemplates Augustines life from childhood and beyond. One of the main themes of the Confessions is Augustines conversion from Manicheism to ... Read More

An Argument on the Source of Evil and Suffering in the World (1372 words, 4 pages)

Throughout the world, there are very few influential factors that can be held constant and applied to the majority of individuals on Earth. The people, their languages, their culture, their architecture, the land they live on and even their technology all differ from other portions of the world. One factor ... Read More

A Review of Aristotle’s Theory of Rhetoric (2166 words, 7 pages)

Artistotle The Answer to Rhetorical Cynicism Aristotle's theory of rhetoric has seen resurgence in recent years,acting as a critique of the status quo in argument theory, in the samemanner that it initially appeared - as a critique of Plato. Aristotlecannot be fully understood without a discussion of Plato, and likewise,modern ... Read More

The Moral Dilemma of Choosing between Two Evils (449 words, 2 pages)

Squib 3 Morally Wrong But NecessaryThe ticking bomb scenario is a situation where a person must choose between two evils, meaning that either choice presented would be morally wrong. One choice would be to wait and arrange a meeting with the suspects lawyer for the sake of the suspects rights. ... Read More

An Analysis of Chapter 17 of The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (787 words, 3 pages)

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli as a whole is a guide for one to obtain and maintain power. The book is divided into different sections in an effort to effectively analyze all the different considerations that need to be taken to do so. Specifically, chapter 17 analyzes a very specific ... Read More

An Overview of John Stewart Mill and Karl Marx’s Philosophy on Individual Freedom and Identity (974 words, 3 pages)

Private Property as an Externalization to Freedom of the Self and Self-regarding BehaviorThis paper asserts that although John Stewart Mill and Karl Marx appear to write from very separate political perspectives, they compliment one another concerning individual freedom and identity. In it, the notion that private property as a commodity ... Read More

An Argument of Daniel Barbezat on Self-Reflection and Interiority (691 words, 2 pages)

The topic known as mindfulness is often regarded as a means for self-evaluation but not a method for social change. However, Daniel Barbezat argues that, much like the Socratic idea of self-reflection, his belief in what he calls interiority can be a mode for societal correction. In his view, mindfulness ... Read More

The Difference between the Opinions of Plato and Aristotle (1069 words, 3 pages)

Say what you will about Aristotle and Plato, what seems apparent is that they are more or less in agreement about many things, although Aristotle is generally more thorough, the basic concepts and ideals are the same. Take the ideal of leading the best or good life, both philosophers agree ... Read More

A Personal Definition of Freedom and the Purpose of Humans (1892 words, 7 pages)

Restraint for Freedom and from PurposePeople mistake the word freedom for meaning the ability to do whatever they want. But if that were the case, then one persons freedom has the capability of disrupting another persons freedom. The truest form of freedom is the ability to be moral without the ... Read More

The Philosophy of John Locke (1919 words, 4 pages)

Conceivably one of the greatest historically significant political theorists of the western world was a man named John Locke. This was the man who began what is now called British Empiricism, and was also thought to be highly important in forming the grounds, hypothetically at least, for the Constitution of ... Read More

Philosophy Essay Examples