PHL 501 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Historical Materialism, Liberal Democracy, Ryerson University

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHL 501
• Professor: David Ciavatta

Document Summary

Phl 501 - social thought and critique of power. Idea that each one of us makes up our own mind. Therefore we should never believe higher authorities are able to govern our lives. We have all the necessary tools needed for thought. Everyone has the capacity to be rational. Do not get sucked into believing things blindly. The rational method: following descartes steps to obey your own rational mind. For descartes understanding that 3x5 = 15 not because people tell you that its. 15, but that you went through the process yourself and thought it through, that you rationally arrived at the answer of 15. At the core of the enlightenment, is the sense of the prime of the individual, as the ultimate authority. All individuals are perfectly free, and they all have access to the natural laws. Essential goal of government to protect the individual.