Age Of Reason
Modern society is undoubtedly a product of its history. Each epoch of human history leaves a trace of its distinct character for the world�s citizens to relish for years to come. The was without question such an epoch. The importance of reason in human nature and daily life fostered during this period is still very apparent today. Three superb thinkers of this period, greatly supporting reason and the idea that humans are rational animals, are Ren� Descartes, John Locke, and Jonathan Swift. Each of these men had great veneration for reason, and this is shown through their highly respected literary works.
Possibly the greatest known philosopher of his time, Ren� Descartes stood out as ...
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my instructors, I entirely abandoned the study of letters and resolved no longer to seek any other science than the knowledge of myself, or of the great book of the world�(16). The knowledge of oneself, and of his so-called �book of the world,� can be obtained solely through a process of reason. He argues that it is reason alone �which constitutes us men, and distinguishes us from the brutes�(13). Therefore, according to him, the human being is an elite animal, distinguished by his (or her) ability of rational thought. It is this nature as a rational animal that puts humans in their supreme position amongst all life. Descartes maintains further that reason �is to be found complete in each individual�(13), and is �by nature equal in all men�(13). Each man has equal opportunity for reasoning and being fully �human� as the next; but the way in which he conducts his thoughts and where he fixes his attention determines the uniqueness of his mind (13). Descartes claims that fixing ...
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experiences that bring insight, a more desirable quality. According to Ren� Descartes, this insight is the key to fostering internally the ability to clearly �discriminate the right path in life and proceed in it with confidence�(17), quite possibly the only worthy lifelong pursuit.
Another greatly influential philosopher of the , John Locke, shares many of Ren� Descartes� views, particularly with respect to the nature of humans as rational animals. Locke, in his essay �Of Civil Government,� describes his perception of human nature, with significant emphasis how this nature affects the formulation and execution of civil communities. A recurring theme is the importance of reason in man�s ...
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Age Of Reason. (2005, August 22). Retrieved November 30, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Age-Of-Reason/32052
"Age Of Reason." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 22 Aug. 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Age-Of-Reason/32052>
"Age Of Reason." Essayworld.com. August 22, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Age-Of-Reason/32052.
"Age Of Reason." Essayworld.com. August 22, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Age-Of-Reason/32052.
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