1.Descartes in trying to prove that he exists says: I think, therefore I am. But this appears to be defective by being a circular reasoning. The thing to be proved is " I exist" and the proof used by Descartes is "I think." The thing is being confirmed by itself.
2. Some philosophers before Descartes, particularly Gorgias, claim that we are unable to know whether or not we exist. We are in doubt as to whether we are now awake or are now dreaming. Logically, there is no proof one way or another. The most extreme are the Academic Sceptics who claim that knowledge is impossible. But this is clearly self-refuting.
3.If Descartes's proof is in fact defective by being circular, we are again back to the philosophy of Gorgias.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
THE CRITERION OF THE JUDGES
1.In any election for position in any organisation, there would be voters and candidates. Voters are regarded as the more important because they are the judges and the candidates are the judged.
2.In Parliamentary elections and also in States elections the potential candidates would first study the voters that they have to face before making decision whether or not to submit themselves to be judged by the voters. In a Malay majority area, a Malay candidate is believed to stand a better chance of winning. Similarly in a Chinese majority area, a Chinese candidate has a better opportunity.
3.According to Plato only wise people are qualified to be leaders. Other qualities are irrelevant.
4.However, the fact is that the people would be making the judgment. The criterion of the people is still the paramount consideration.
2.In Parliamentary elections and also in States elections the potential candidates would first study the voters that they have to face before making decision whether or not to submit themselves to be judged by the voters. In a Malay majority area, a Malay candidate is believed to stand a better chance of winning. Similarly in a Chinese majority area, a Chinese candidate has a better opportunity.
3.According to Plato only wise people are qualified to be leaders. Other qualities are irrelevant.
4.However, the fact is that the people would be making the judgment. The criterion of the people is still the paramount consideration.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
LUA KUN ENG
1.What is my identity? David Hume seems to suggest that a person's identity is nothing more than a bundle of sensations and feelings connected together by memory.
2.Sensations are the affections of my sense organs caused by the external objects. Affections and the external objects are said to be related as cause and effect. As cause and effect are not the same, affections and external objects are also not the same. Affections are therefore occurrences in me.
3.Feelings are also occurrences in me and are totally private to me. No amount of observation of my behaviour could reveal my true feelings.
4.According to the above therefore when my memory is lost, my identity would also be lost. But this is not totally true. I still have an external identity. My external identity is not dependent on my memory, but on the memory of the people who know me.
5.When all memories are lost, all identities are also lost.
2.Sensations are the affections of my sense organs caused by the external objects. Affections and the external objects are said to be related as cause and effect. As cause and effect are not the same, affections and external objects are also not the same. Affections are therefore occurrences in me.
3.Feelings are also occurrences in me and are totally private to me. No amount of observation of my behaviour could reveal my true feelings.
4.According to the above therefore when my memory is lost, my identity would also be lost. But this is not totally true. I still have an external identity. My external identity is not dependent on my memory, but on the memory of the people who know me.
5.When all memories are lost, all identities are also lost.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)