A History of Philosophy

Hannah Riess

Mrs. Wagener

English 11 AP

12, August 2013

A History of Philosophy

            Sophie’s World is a novel jam-packed with the intriguing belief systems and ideas of great ancient philosophers. The novel explores the most famous concepts of Western thought. While reading the courses on philosophy, I realized that the ideas of some of these great thinkers are similar to my own beliefs. Even so, there were a few philosophical concepts and beliefs that I did not agree with. These ideas and beliefs have evolved over the years and paved the way for today’s modern thought.

            One of the philosophers that I agree with the most was Socrates. Even though Socrates never wrote down any of his fascinating ideas, he is recognized as the most influential philosopher on European thought. Instead of trying to teach people his own thoughts, Socrates spent his time in his hometown asking people in the town squares their own opinions and discussing different topics. By asking questions, Socrates would force people to think about certain issues and realize the weaknesses in their arguments, which would teach people in a new, creative way.  One thing Socrates knew for certain was that he knew nothing. In my opinion, this belief made Socrates the most intelligent of the ancient philosophers because he was constantly longing to gain knowledge because he knew he had only learned a mere portion of the information in the world.

            On the negative side of things, I strongly disagree with the beliefs Aristotle had on women. Aristotle believed that a woman was an “unfinished man” and that the male was solely responsible for the reproduction of a child. Obviously, Aristotle was completely wrong on this topic. Unfortunately, his degrading views on women were widely accepted and women were thought of as inferior to men for years. With good beliefs, come the bad, and Aristotle’s were one of the beliefs I strongly disagree with.

            “Where on the rabbit’s fur do you reside?” Prior to reading Sophie’s World, I had not given much thought as to why things are the way they are and where humans and the world around us comes from. I was guilty of being deep into the rabbit’s fur. Now, after reading the novel, I would say that I reside in the middle of the rabbit’s fur because I have began to ponder about the questions that everyone should consider. I am hopeful that as I get older and become more educated, I will gradually begin to climb the rabbit’s fur once again. All in all, I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from Sophie’s World and I will never stop wondering about our magnificent world.

            

Through Different Eyes

Hannah Riess

Mrs. Wagener

English 11 AP

11, August 2013

Through Different Eyes

            Everyone sees the world around us through a different set of eyes. No two people have been faced with the same experiences in life or have the same perspectives and beliefs on certain issues and subjects. However, people can be easily swayed to look at things in a different way when a factor of their senses changes. In the “Kant” chapter of Sophie’s World, Alberto places a pair of red tinted glasses on Sophie and forces her to view the world from a new perspective. This experiment, incomplex yet brilliant, expresses that most opinions should be seen as logical because there are a countless number of perspectives on every situation.

            The red tinted glasses experiment demonstrates how we cannot solely rely on what we see because what we see or hear through our senses is not always truthful. Although the world around Sophie is red when she puts the lenses on, everything returns to its natural color when she takes them off. The tinted glasses symbolize the different perspectives and beliefs people have. Just because one person’s views on the world, situation, or person are different, does not mean they are incorrect because in reality, we do not unquestionably know what is right or wrong. In my opinion, I do not think that we can have a definite answer to anything in life because the way we perceive everything in the world is based on our experiences and no two people in the world have experienced the same things. Even though it is challenging to recognize your beliefs as being incorrect, the opinions of others should always be considered because nobody has the right to judge them to be correct or incorrect.

            In my own experiences, I have often been deceived by what I have perceived with my senses. As a teenager in high school, you often hear rumors and bad things about other people. I have learned that you cannot always go by what you hear. I know now that I should use my reason and get to know the person before I go on making any judgments about someone’s character. Just like I will not know a person’s character before I get to know them, I will not know the true characteristics of the world because everyone sees the world through their own set of eyes.

            Overall, the “Kant” chapter has impacted me the most. I believe it is vital to recognize everyone has the right to their own perspectives and to recognize everyone perceives things in a different way. Even through our senses and reason, we will never know definite answers about anything in the world. The different opinions are what make our world the unique place it is today. In a way, we all have our own set of “red tinted glasses”.

            

Philosophy and Religion

Hannah Riess

Mrs. Wagener

English 11 AP

1, August 2013

Philosophy and Religion Come Together

            Although the Middle Ages have often been referred to as the Dark Ages, there was a great deal of advancements made in philosophy, religion, and education. In the course of the Middle Ages, the first convent schools, cathedral schools, and universities were established. In addition, numerous nation states, along with cities, citizens, and folk tales and music, began to evolve. At the same time, two philosophers, St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, fought to blend the teachings of Christianity with the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle.  Through their hard work and devotion, Augustine and Aquinas salvaged ancient philosophy and verified that philosophy and religion do not contradict each other.

            St. Augustine lived from 354 to 430 and brought philosophy into Christianity. During his lifetime, St. Augustine studied numerous philosophies and religions. One of the sects he studied was based partly on philosophy and partly on religion. St. Augustine was absorbed in the question of where evil originates. As he tried to find an explanation, St. Augustine used Christianity and Platonic ideas to help him understand the difference between good and evil. This is when he began to grasp that philosophy and religion go hand in hand. By using both philosophical and religious theories, St. Augustine gained that where philosophy could not help, Christianity and religion would suffice. His observations drew history into philosophy and gave the world a new outlook on how reason and faith can go together to help you live a fulfilled life.

            After St. Augustine Christianized Plato, St. Aquinas Christianized the philosophy of Aristotle. Aquinas believed there should not be contradiction between what we learn from philosophy and what we learn through faith because they frequently convey the same thing. Aquinas pulled in Aristotle’s beliefs into Christianity and proved that they do not contradict each other by showing their many similarities. For example, Aristotle believed that everything in the world had a formal cause. In the same way, Aquinas recognized everything had a formal cause and that this cause was God. Aquinas pulled theories from himself, Aristotle, and Christianity to demonstrate how they all go together. Mainly, the result of Aquinas applying Christian teachings into philosophy was that it validated that reason and faith do not come into conflict. However, it also showed that philosophy was not a threat to religion.

            As a result of the Christianizing of Aristotle and Plato, Christianity and philosophy are able to correspond peacefully today. Without the work of both St. Augustine and St. Aquinas, a vital part of the world’s antiquity would have been lost. Their work gave a new meaning to philosophy and Christianity by showing the two can and do correspond together. The teachings of philosophy and Christianity greatly resemble each other, which reveals the importance they have on everyday life. Thanks to two of the greatest philosophers of all, philosophy and the Christian teachings can exist peacefully together. 

The Evolution of Women

Hannah Riess

Mrs. Wagener

English 11 AP

29, July 2013

The Evolution of Women

            Over the course of history, women have been thought of as inferior to men. Women around the world have been attempting to free themselves of discrimination to earn their rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  The stereotypical view of women being the caretakers of homes and children has been rapidly changing over the last century. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, forty percent of families with children under the age of eighteen have mothers who are the primary source of income for the family. The evolution of women’s roles is a huge accomplishment given the views that people once had on women. These unacceptable views of women have been a central part of philosophy, especially in the time of Aristotle and Plato. 

            As a woman, I find Aristotle’s views on women to be incredibly incorrect. In Aristotle’s words, “A woman was an ‘unfinished man’.” Also, Aristotle believed that the male was responsible for the creation and the characteristics of the child, while the woman was merely a place for the baby to grow. It is evident that the opinions of Aristotle are undeniably inaccurate. Both men and women are equally influential in the creation of a child. For such an intelligent man, Aristotle was senseless in regards to his view on women.

            On the other hand, Plato had a much more positive and reflective view of women. Plato believed women had the same reasoning as men if they were provided with the same training and were not liable for having children. As a result of Plato’s sensible opinions on women, I find him to be the most admirable when it comes to answering the questions about gender. Unfortunately, it was Aristotle’s beliefs that became the most conventional way of thinking during the Middle Ages. It is a misfortune that Aristotle’s incorrect views of women were accepted. However, it is reassuring that Plato had honorable opinions in a time where women faced such hardship.

            In Sophie’s World, the majority of the philosophers are men. All things considered, it did not bother me that there were virtually no women involved due to the time periods the novel was written about. I was not surprised by the fact that there were few female philosophers discussed in the novel because philosophy was a male dominate field in the past.  Women were not very influential during the early years of the world. However, there is reference to a few important female figures in Sophie’s World, which is pleasing because it shows women were starting to evolve in the world.

            The important concept to me is women have developed into a crucial part of today’s society. As time goes on, women are becoming more successful and essential in the workplace and every other aspect of life. I am proud to say women are flourishing in a world where we were once thought of as inferior.  As a woman, I know we will continue to thrive and be stronger than ever. Plato’s encouraging opinions about women led the way for the prosperity women around the world are experiencing today. 

Life's Questions

Hannah Riess

Mrs. Wagener

English 11 AP

22, July 2013

Life’s Questions

            Millions of years ago, two questions were introduced that have been causing great bewilderment and marvel ever since. The questions, “Who are you?” and “Where does the world come from?” are questions that we all ponder on and wish we could answer. It is natural for humans to want to understand the questions of life. Both philosophers and scientists have been striving to answer the question of where the world originates from and they have come up with many theories. In addition, religious beliefs can also answer the question. However, only one person can truly answer the question, “Who are you?” and that person is yourself.

            My name is Hannah Leigh Riess. I was born on December 2^nd, 1996 into a great, loving family. This upcoming year, I will be a junior at North High School. At North, I play on the soccer team and I am involved in other activities such as student council and link crew. My favorite things to do in my free time include hanging out with my friends and family, watching movies, and taking pictures. When I am older, I want to travel the world and experience the different cultures around us. I am someone who wants nothing more than to live a full, satisfying life. Prior to reading Sophie’s World, I had never given much thought as to who I was. Now, I have a better understanding of who I am and where I want to be in the future.

            “Where does the world come from?” This question has been asked for billions of years. According to science, the universe was created by a “bang” in space that occurred billions of years ago. Known as the Big Bang Theory, scientists have used this “bang” to explain how the world did have a beginning, and how it happened. In contrast, there is another theory that has a base in religion. My personal belief is that God created the universe and everything in it. In Sophie’s World, Sophie states that it is hard to believe that God created himself out of nothing. From what I have learned, I strongly believe that God has always been in the world and that he did, indeed, create the universe. Despite the different ideas on where the world comes from, science and religion compliment each other and everyone interprets things in their own way and has the right to their own beliefs.

            One thing is definite; everyone should work to find answers to these life questions. Finding an answer to these questions gives you a better understanding of who are and where you belong among the billions of other people around us. Not everyone has the same characteristics, likes, beliefs, and opinions, but that is what makes the world such a unique place. All in all, the universe is an unbelievable place and we are all so lucky to be apart of this phenomenon even if we do not all have the same opinion on how this breathtaking world came to be.