PLATO AND SPIRITUALITY
FROM THE DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE INTO THE LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE:
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."
Plato
THE IMPORTANCE OF IDEAS AND IDEALS
In the past few days we have examined Idealism through the character and thoughts of Plato. We have seen how important he saw human intellect and the quest for truth by use of human reason and intellect. It would be hard to overestimate the influence Plato and Idealism have had on Western philosophy over the past 1,500 years and the guiding metaphor of search for the truth and emerging from the darkness of ignorance into the light of truth. In fact, the philosopher Lord Alfred Whitehead even went so far as to say the following: "The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."
After having examined his thought and looked at in the context of abuses of the Hippocratic oath over the past century, what are your initial thoughts about Idealism? Do you admire it? Think it something indispensable for any ethical doctor? A bulwark against abuses such as performed by Dr. Mengele?
Please feel free to explain your "gut feelings" and as of yet opinions that are not fully fleshed out. Although your grade will depend on the complexity of your thinking and depth of analysis, the point of this assignment is to provide a vehicle to move towards an opinion -- not necessarily to have one completely developed (yet). Feel your way towards your beliefs without sounding simplistic or cocksure.
This blogsite posting will come due Wednesday morning September 5th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.
KANT AND THE MORAL LAW
"Two things fill the mind with ever increasing wonder and awe. The more often and the more intensely the mind of thought is drawn to them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me. Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness."
Immanuel Kant
