Term Papers on Philosophy

Term Paper Title	Philosophy
# of Words	1032
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.13

Philosophy

Philosophy originated from the Greek language. It is made up of two words: "philein"
which means to love and "sophia" which means wisdom.  There are three fundamental
questions in the field of philosophy which are referred to as the Existential Concerns.
"What can I know?", "What ought I to do?", "What is the meaning of life and my place in
the universe?"  These complex questions are discussed in the basic areas of philosophy.
     Epistemology is the theory of knowledge.  The major question in this area is, what
is truth?  There are various theories about the correct answer.  One explanation is the
Correspondence Theory of Truth.  This theorem puts forth the idea that the only real truth
has tangible evidence to back it up.  For example, a witness to a crime.  That person was
the only one, other then the direct people involved who know what happened.  However,
religion and science are two forms that go against this theorem.  Another theory is nothing
is truth.  This consists of the idea that we cannot know anything with certainty.  The
followers of this theorem are usually classified as being "skeptical".  Another explanation
for truth is considered Sense Perception.  Sense Perception is subjective and relative,
therefore it is not a tangible form of knowledge.  There is still one more form of
determining the truth, mathematics or Intellectual Knowledge.  For example, if I were to
ask you to add two and three, the only true answer you could give me would be five.  The
is not a subjective or relative example.  Many people consider math to be a universal truth.
     There are various questions associated with the area of ethics.  Each of them deal
with morals.  Morals are defined as the right conduct or duties of a man.  The first
question is, are there any universal moral values?  Moral relativists will either deny or be in
favor of the existent of universal values.  One instance where I can explain this idea, is
with the Nuremberg trials of 1946.  Post World War II, several top officials of the Nazi
regiment were put on trial for the "crimes they committed against humanities".  However,
they didn't plead guilty.  Their defense was that they were simply following orders and the
laws presented by the state.  Do you believe that is a suitable reason for their actions?  If
so, you believe that universal moral values do not exist.  That each country and/or group
of people have separate rights and wrongs associated with their culture.  On the other
hand if you feel that the Axis Powers were correct in putting these officers on trial, then
you believe that there are basic moral values, that should be obeyed.  The term for this is
Equal Dignity.  Therefore you believe in a Universal Justice also known as Cicero Natural
Law Doctrine.
     The second question that is discussed, when speaking of ethics, is "What principles
should guide my actions or choices?"  In other words, what do I base my decisions on?
Most people judge their behavior by what is good, fair or just.  Others by what will bring
them pleasure.  These people believe in hedonism.  There are individuals that determine
their actions by fear, self-preservation or instinct.  Furthermore another question is, what
makes a society a just one?  ...

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