How Have Western Views of Knowledge Changed over Time? Essay

Throughout history, cultures have held disparate views on the nature of knowledge. Epistemology, the branch of philosophy that focuses on basic questions such as: â€Å"What is knowledge? How do we know what we know? †, lies at the heart of these views. In Western culture, the answers to these basic questions have changed markedly over time. Throughout history, this evolution in philosophy has been inextricably linked to science and religion. Much of Western thought has been heavily influenced by the philosophy of the Ancient Greeks. In particular, the epistemological views of the Ancient Greeks dominated Western thought for centuries. Of all the Greek philosophers, Plato was one of the most influential. In his most famous work The Republic, Plato used the Allegory of the Cave to describe the role of sensory perception in knowledge acquisition. In his analogy, Plato described a cave in which people were chained down in such a way that prevented them from looking anywhere but forward. Behind them was a fire and in front of them was a wall that reflected shadows from that fire. The prisoner’s captors manipulated these shadows to create forms and stories. The forms and stories that the prisoners saw were the only reality that they knew. Eventually the prisoners left the cave and found true reality outside. It was only then that the prisoners understood that what they had perceived until this moment was a false perception. The Allegory of the Cave served to illustrate Plato’s epistemological views. Today, we describe Plato’s philosophical views as rationalist. He argued against reliance on sensory experience because he believed that it failed to provide us with any guarantee that what we experience was, in fact, true. He believed that the information we get by relying on sensory experience is constantly changing and often unreliable. It can be evaluated only by appealing to higher principles that do not change. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato was comparing our sensory perception to the shadows on the wall of the cave. Plato saw us as the chained prisoners unable to know anything but this false reality. Only by leaving the cave and ascending to higher orders of thought are we able to know true reality. Implicit in this view was the belief that true knowledge cannot be found through empirical investigation. According to Plato, empirical knowledge was merely opinion. Only thought and abstract reasoning could produce true knowledge. The rationalist view of epistemology dominated much of Western thought for centuries. Eventually, progress in science during the Renaissance changed this. One of the first to change these dominant views was Andreas Vesalius. In 1543, Vesalius published De Humanis Corporis Fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body), an elaborately illustrated atlas of human anatomy. While Vesalius’ published work had significant historical importance in the field of medicine, his most enduring legacy was his revolutionary challenge of the medical conventions of his day. For centuries, physicians had relied on reading texts from Galen for medical knowledge rather than participating in the direct dissection of human corpses. Vesalius promoted the practice of dissection and hands on experience. By overthrowing the Galenic tradition and relying on his own observations, Vesalius was advocating an empirical understanding of the human body. This shift from rationalism to empiricism became one of the defining characteristics of the Scientific Revolution. In direct contrast to rationalism, empiricism emphasized the acquisition of knowledge through direct observation and experiment. Empiricism not only encouraged but required reliance on our senses. This was in direct opposition to Plato’s epistemological view that had dominated for a millennium. This shift from Plato’s rationalism to scientific empiricism had significant ramifications for philosophy. While before this time there had always been collaboration between science and philosophy and religion, there had been no real distinction between them. Now, empirical knowledge served as a way of testing philosophical knowledge. This would ultimately lead to their incompatibility and their eventual separation. This separation is largely attributed to Galileo, one of the major figures during the Scientific Revolution. Even in his time, Galileo was a renown scientist and a philosopher. While he relied heavily on empirical methods in his studies of physics and astronomy, he also depended on rational thinking in his use of mathematics. It was through his combined use of empirical observations and rational thought that he confirmed the Copernican view that the sun was the center of the universe. However, the Copernican heliocentric worldview conflicted with the dominant geocentric view espoused by philosophers from the time of Aristotle. Making matters even more complicated was the fact that philosophers couched this dispute as a religious matter arguing that a heliocentric worldview went against the teachings of the Bible. As the geocentric view had been adopted by the church, the heliocentric worldview was branded as heresy. Galileo, certain of the physical truth of his heliocentric paradigm and at the same time devout in his religious beliefs, worked to reconcile this conflict by divorcing the church from â€Å"purely physical matters, where faith is not involved. † By working to separate science, philosophy, and religion, Galileo was attempting to reestablish the compatibility of science and religion. Despite Galileo’s attempts, the conflict between scientific and religious worldviews is still evident today. The epistemological tradition of today has created a dominant worldview based on evidence. As during the time of Galileo, this worldview has at times conflicted with widely held religious beliefs. This divide, empiricism vs. faith, has become an increasingly prominent conflict in American politics. A recent announcement by GOP presidential candidate, Rick Perry highlights this divide. Rick Perry recently publicly declared his disbelief in the theory of evolution in favor of intelligent design. The theory of evolution is an explanation of the origin of life widely supported across numerous scientific disciplines. Though science and empiricism overwhelming supports the theory of evolution, it does not largely accepted by the populace. The controversial nature of evolution has emerged because, once again, a â€Å"purely physical matter† has been politicized as a religious matter. Rick Perry’s views on evolution illustrate a larger phenomenon in U. S. politics. That is, views regarding the evolution/intelligent design conflict tend to be politically divided. Intelligent design or faith based arguments are generally forwarded by conservative Republicans such as Rick Perry. Evidence based empirical arguments, such as evolution, are championed by liberal Democrats. Science has become political as conservatives are aligned with religion.

Travelling

Because it was located at the tip of a productive elevated region, and because it was ear the sea, settlers from Papaya, ‘locos Norte came here by sailboat in 1883 to farm, hunt and fish. They were the Negro, McKay, Sciatica, Merman and Vacation families. Other immigrants followed but only after they heard of the easy life these settlers enjoyed within so short of time. The present day inhabitants are also a conglomeration of natives, so with their occupation, distinct characteristics and outlook towards life.What makes them a bit different is their outward hospitality. Guests are usually served with â€Å"bandanna†(ark it nip wine), â€Å"Killeen† roasted chicken and barbeques fish. Their chief products are coffee, rice, lumber and coconuts. The official founding of Sanchez Mira was August 20, 1894,a day after the fiesta of Maillot, a barrio of Pomona. The town was named in honor of Manuel Sanchez Mira, a Spanish Brigadier General assigned in the Canaan Valley, u pon a strong recommendation of Hilarious Pulled and Fray Santiago Jugular.Actually, Maillot (Now Sanchez Mira) was declared a town by virtue of Royal Decree on September 14, 1894. For his civic spirit, Hilarious Pulled was appointed gubernatorial. He effected many reforms in the newly created municipality, inning for him and his office the people's esteem for General beautification of Sanchez Mira was also credited to him. In 1895, he was succeeded by Boliviano Irrational whose administration was characterized by unrest because of the Philippine Revolution against America.Captain Catalina Pulled, son of Hilarious Pulled, took over the reigns of the town government sometime in 1898. Among his achievements was the maintenance of peace and order because the people were still cold and unresponsive to the policies introduced by the newly arrived Americans. Also worthy in mentioning in this regard ere the men who followed after Captain Catatonia's term. They were municipal presidents Vick ie Aquinas (1901), Circle Bengal, Corsair Vacation and Salvation Pulled (1904). It was during the Polio's term that the town hall and church were burned.In spite of this unfortunate incidents, the town progressed steadily under him. Also the townspeople remembered him for his sound Judgment. Sometime in 1910, Don Paulo Galatia, an energetic administrator, had his term too. It was through his untiring efforts that all barrios under Sanchez Mira were raised a bit room the equal and filth they suffered since the early Spanish regime. Another stand out leader was Don Eastern Negro, elected in the 1929 elections. His administration built a semi-concrete school building, which he dedicated on August 30, 1930. T was also through him that the monument of Dry. Jose Racial was erected in the town plaza. The rest of the towns leader who did their share for the towns people's good are as follows: Antonio Chaperon, (1932); Eastern Sciatica (1935), Haploid Valuable (1936); Juan Argonne (appointed military mayor by the late President Manuel Rosa on June 15, 1946). Don Cosmos Merman, ex- representative, was mayor when the war broke out on December 5, 1941. Last but not the least was Mayor Ambrosia Brain, another outstanding leader.During his term, the town saw the rise of a prefecture center and the digging of artesian wells. Sanchez Mira was one of the first towns to be liberated after World War II. No incident of note place here during the Japanese occupation except for the execution of acting Mayor Venation Cigarillo who collaborated with the enemy. 2. GEOGRAPHY 2. 1 LOCATION; The Municipality of Sanchez Mira is situated in the northwestern part of the province f Canaan. It approximately 1 57 kilometers from Autograph, the capital town.

Nigeria and the Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nigeria and the Oil Industry - Essay Example The paper also includes governmental policies with respect to oil industry. Trade Theory The companies do not necessarily trade to take advantages of the difference in their production and manufacturing capabilities but also to get benefit of the increasing returns. International trade has emerged over a period of time to be recognised as a key component in a nation’s growth and to enhance its economic performance. The new trade theory as introduced included a concept of ‘interindustry trade’. This allowed the trading practice between various industries belonging to different economies (Menipaz & Menipaz, 2011). The trade theory also states that the government of the nations can adopt necessary measures in developing the economic conditions of the citizens. The government of Nigeria is needed to take necessary steps involving the international trade practices (Bergoeing, 2003). A company is said to have achieved absolute advantage if it is capable of producing mor e goods than its competitors with the utilisation of same amount of resources or manufactures same quantity of goods with the utilization of minimum resources compared to its competitors. In this context, it is worth mentioning that Nigeria being one of the largest reserve nations of natural resources could have gained this advantage but due to the lack in advanced amenities and structures, and adequate law enforcement, the nation is deprived of this advantage (Bergoeing, 2003). In the era of international business, economic as well as social importances of international trade have played their role as the deriving theories influencing the international trading business (The Economy Watch, 2010). The Nigerian oil industry is facing instability with respect to declining condition of Niger delta adversely affecting the national economy and the sustainable growth of the related industry. Nigeria is included among the top ten nations that are considered to have richest reserves of oil o r natural resources. The main problem of Nigeria is that it has certain lacking in terms of advanced technology and infrastructure related to oil industry. As one of the major impacts of globalisation, the industry is facing tremendous competition from the outsiders (Foreign competitors). As stated by Adolor Uwamu, CEO of Seawolf Oilfield Services, the drilling for oil and gas is being carried out by the foreign companies in Nigeria and this has been a factor for the past 40 years (CNN, 2011; The Economy Watch, 2010). Participation of Nigerian Oil Industry in International Trade Nigeria’s international trade and export is significantly dependent on the oil and natural gas industry. After the introduction of economic reforms which was in the year 2005, the government of Nigeria has paid adequate attention in diversifying the nation’s export related profile. Oil and natural gas are considered as the primary products that are being exported of Nigeria. The nation is noted to export about 2.327 million of barrels daily, according to statistics of the year 2007 (The Economy Watch, 2010) as illustrated in the below figure: Nigeria’s Export Volume Source: (The Economy Watch, 2010). Globalisation and Regionalisation Nigerian government has taken necessary steps to reduce the exploitation of oil of Niger delta and declination of oil

Application Nursing Care and Practice for patients with Irritable Essay

Application Nursing Care and Practice for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - Essay Example The scope of nursing further identifies functions such as provision of care, educative roles, counseling, administration, and clinical specialist services. Proper background of health issues is fundamental to a practicing nurse and such knowledge bases as causes of a health problem, its symptoms, and preventive and control measures are therefore necessary for a practicing nurse. This paper demonstrate this competence through exploration of irritable bowel syndrome, its signs, symptoms, and causes, medical and alternative interventions, nursing care assessment and considerations in acute care settings, and plans for community follow up and support systems for management of irritable bowel syndrome. Signs, symptoms, and causes of IBS Irritable bowel syndrome is symptomatic, offering a basis for prediction among the public and diagnosis by care personnel. The primary symptom of the syndrome is pain in the victim’s abdomen. ... A slight variation in either direction may initiate discomfort wile extremely lower or higher changes in movements may lead to extreme levels of pain. Observable changes are also made on stool that may be adverse and change with variations in bowel motions. Some cases of irritable bowel syndrome report loose stools that worsen to be more watery while others report harder stools that normally experienced by patients. A number of secondary symptoms also exist to suggest existence of the syndrome. The loose or watery stool may be experienced frequently to define diarrhea, more tat three watery stools per day, and may be associated with sudden need for bowel movement. Frequent hard stools in a week are another secondary indicator of the syndrome and victims may have trouble with bowel movement. Another symptom is the â€Å"feeling that a bowel movement is not complete† and this may lead to longer periods of trying to pass out stool (Digestive, 2012, p. 1). Other symptoms are †Å"passing mucus† and â€Å"abdominal bloating† (Digestive, 2012, p. 1). The symptoms must however have been reported for a minimum of three days in a month in order to suggest existence of irritable bowel syndrome in a patient. The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not yet ascertained but many health complications are believed to initiate the syndrome, either individually or collectively. â€Å"Brain-gut signal problem,† impaired coordination between the brain and nerves in the small intestines is one of the factors. Coordination between the brain and the nerves regulate the intestines’ functionality and poor coordination initiates variation in movements towards changed bowel behavior and associated pain (1). Complications with gastrointestinal

Global Warming speech by Marcus Gibson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Warming speech by Marcus Gibson - Essay Example The speech has been delivered where it tends to be more convenient to pass the message and the audience is encouraging.Furthermore, it encourages everyone to be walking shorter distances rather than using vehicles which pollute the environment. The speech has not ignored the negative challenges but has acknowledged all the aspects. It has tried to lead the audience in understanding the speech being delivered. Compelling the audience in practicing the safety measures against preventing global warming has been emphasized. This is by encouraging them to do the very simple thing like walking for short distances rather than using their vehicles. Furthermore, the speech is more obliged and focuses on achieving the best from the audience. On delivering the speech, the person engaged the audience by using eye contact and movements. This is with the fact that they the audience may provide visual support and encouragement during the delivery of the speech as they are considered to be the focal point. In addition, the speech on Global warming has been delivered in the manner that at that time every person has been willing to fight and prevent it. The writer focused on using rhetoric questions in delivering the speech. For instance, â€Å"If we don’t prevent global warming by ourselves, who will?†This made the audience to be livelier and contribute by providing good listening skills. Moreover, the speech being delivered focused on the key issues making it be precise thus delivering the intended message to the audience. The persuasive attempt in delivering the speech was more effective.

Is health care a right or privlege Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is health care a right or privlege - Essay Example Getting good healthcare is not possible for everyone as you need a background of money for that, but every individual has a right to an average rated healthcare. These people are not asking for the best, they just want somebody to help cure them and help them live a little longer. In America 20 per cent of the people are below the poverty level which means that they can not afford to pay for health insurance or for any other medical expenditure incurred by them. This level of poverty shows that one out of every six children goes to bed hungry. The government to solve this problem of health care can allocate a bigger portion of the budget for this service and especially help those people out who are in dire need of it. Another approach that can be used to provide proper heath care is to take it as a personal responsibility. If every individual himself starts living healthy by eating the right diet and causing less of self harm by smoking cigarettes and drinking less alcohol, it would make things much easier. It is not just the government or the doctors who are responsible for health it is every individual. (Christopher et. al, 2004) People who belong to different social strata hold differing opinions about health care. Health care is directly related to the amount of money a person has. The richer you are the more you are concerned about your health. While people who belong to the lower income groups are not really bothered and will not take precautionary steps to reduce the risk of getting sick. In America there are 45 million people who do not have health insurance. (Papadimos, 2007) Aristotle believed that anything that has a soul displays life. The body can grow, decay and provide itself with nutrition while the soul has powers of sensation, thinking and motivation. According to Aristotle, "If the whole body was one vast eye, sight would be it soul. As the eye is a tool for seeing with, but a living tool which is part of ourselves, so the body is like a tool or instrument for living with. Hence we may say of the soul that it is the 'end' of the body, the activity to which the body is instrumental, as seeing the 'end' to which the eye is instrumental." (Papadimos, 2007) What Aristotle is trying to say is that for the soul to be nourished, health care needs to be provided to individuals so that they can grow to their fullest extent. According to Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), man would eventually realize the things that are needed to preserve life. He gives us the law of nature which says, "A law of nature (lex naturalis) is a precept or general rule, found out by reason, by which a man is forbidden to do that which is destructive of his life or taketh away the means of preserving the same, and to omit that by which he thinketh it may be best preserved." (Papadimos, 2007) Basically he said that every human being has a right to anything he wants, even if it is another human's body. He considers three aspects: seeking peace, laying down the right of nature and making covenants, and performance of covenants. By seeking peace he means that if an individual has a problem such as a hearing defect then seeking peace

Chapter 9 summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter 9 summary - Essay Example This notion takes on an absurd twist when the author states that cobras would then not exist if someone were not thinking about cobras. However, cobras existed before people began thinking and talking about them. This prompts Plato to argue that conceptual thoughts exist outside the material and human thought, placing them in a state of permanence and the physical object in a state of impermanence. Though Plato argues that material objects aren’t as real as Forms, he states that objects do contain some degree of reality, which introduces his concept of metaphysical dualism. This portion of Plato’s philosophy is that someone cannot fully comprehend reality until they grasp that reality consists of two independent components that cannot be explained in terms of the other - mind and body, which is referred to as mind-body dualism. This theory states that a human being consists of an immaterial mind and a material body. One cannot exist without the other; our immaterial soul travels to new bodies between each cycle of life and death. Plato’s dialogue is discussed, which outlines how Plato views the mind and body in terms of invisible and visible. The material things that can be explored with the five senses are material, whereas the immaterial things are invisible. The human body, being visible, is considered to be material, and the soul and the mind, or the intellect are immaterial since they cannot be perceived by any of the senses. By categorizing the body and mind in this way, Plato is able to reveal how the soul is able to survive death while the body succumbs to the destruction associated with death. The soul is an unchanging entity while the body is subjected to a myriad of changes over time. Along with this mind-body dualism, Plato also argues that there are various degrees of reality. We normally consider reality in terms of what is real and what is not real. However, Plato argues that a mirror image has only