Kant The Problem of Modern Philosophy Essay Example

Kant The Problem of Modern Philosophy Essay Example Kant The Problem of Modern Philosophy Essay Kant The Problem of Modern Philosophy Essay Metaphysics in Kants Work In Immaneul Kants work, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, the principle idea or question of discussion is whether or not metaphysics is possible.Although this is clearly the objective of his argument, the author is not concerned with constructing metaphysics.Rather he uses this question as a method of articulating the problem of modern philosophy, for by creating an inquiry of the theory of metaphysics one is forced to examine its conditions of possibility.This problem of modern philosophy is based on the gap between the phenomenal and the noumenal, or the experience of reality and the knowledge of reality, as illustrated by the renowned empiricist, David Hume.According to Hume, we are fundamentally limited to the phenomenal, holding only our impressions as true based on perception.In contrast, Kant introduced the idea that the mind leaves an impression on perception, which illustrates cooperation between the mind and experience based on their conformity, t! hus explaining know ledge.This innate form has been given to us, and through time and space we are allowed a certain amount of flexibility within boundaries.The genius of Kant lies in the fact that he created an image of reality that was not possible with Hume, for he instilled a level of confidence through recognition of our limits.Therefore, the significance of Kants work is that it portrays the parameters within the mind, which in effect turns Humes skepticism into positive reinforcement of experience. It was Humes belief that you must have experience to have anything at all, for existence must be perceived through impression.The problem of this lies within the fact that our knowledge is restricted to appearances, for we will never know the true nature of things as they are in themselves. Moral law in Kants Conception Kant identifies something as the moral law as it is this purity that Kant acknowledges to exist withoutfirst needing to be perceived (which would therefore rely on that perception to validate it), and rightly claims as the absolute.He further argues that since this true and pure is omnipresent, then it is humanitys duty to hold itself to it, no matter how the inclination or desire to reason away from, or to ignore it, may tempt us.Kant then concludes that since it is this moral law that all beings are based, it is thusly imperative for the collective method, which we so direly depend upon to interpret and utilize the universe, should at its roots solely rely upon that knowledge given to us innately, and not upon empirical and anthropological grounds. Kant identifies this moral law by recognizing the innate sense of duty bestowed upon every being. That there must be such a [pure] philosophy is evident from the common idea of duty and of moral laws.Everyone must admit that if a law is to be morally valid, i.e., is to be valid as a ground of obligation, then it must carry with it absolute necessity. If a being has this idea of duty, of the need to fulfill, it is obvious that it should and must live in accordance to that obligation at every moment and in every way.The concept of survival in the animal kingdom supports this idea well.If we examine an animal and its daily activities, such as hunting for food, protecting its territory, and mating among others, we observe a duty in that animal to stay alive, to see another day. Those who have a Kantian way of thought believe in the universal laws which is when something is commonly known as right or wrong. People like this believe that an action has moral worth if it is done as the right thing to do. In this situation, the right thing to do would be to not cheat on the test because it is commonly known that cheating on a test is wrong. Kantians dont think too much about the consequences of the action or the effects it will have on others. They believe that people should treat others the way they want to be treated. For example, would you want someone in your class to cheat on a test when you’ve worked hard studying? This is known as the Categorical Imperative.

An Overview of Gentrification

An Overview of Gentrification Gentrification is defined as the process by which wealthier (mostly middle-income) people move into, renovate, and restore housing and sometimes businesses in inner cities or other deteriorated areas formerly home to poorer people. As such, gentrification affects an areas demographics because this increase in middle-income individuals and families often results in an overall decline in racial minorities. Additionally, household size decreases because low-income families are replaced by young single people and couples desiring to be closer to their jobs and activities in the urban core. The real estate market also changes when gentrification occurs because increases in rents and home prices increase evictions. Once this happens rental units are often switched to condominiums or luxury housing available for purchase. As real estate changes, land use is also altered. Prior to gentrification these areas usually consist of low-income housing and sometimes light industry. After, there is still housing but it is usually high end, along with offices, retail, restaurants, and other forms of entertainment. Finally, because of these changes, gentrification significantly affects an area’s culture and character, making gentrification a controversial process. History and Causes of Gentrification Since Glass came up with the term, there have been numerous attempts to explain why gentrification occurs. Some of the earliest attempts to explain it are through the production- and consumption-side theories. Production-side theory is associated with a geographer, Neil Smith, who explains gentrification based on the relationship between money and production. Smith said that low rents in suburban areas after World War II led to a movement of capital into those areas as opposed to inner cities. As a result, urban areas were abandoned and land value there decreased while land value in the suburbs increased. Smith then came up with his rent-gap theory and used it to explain the process of gentrification. The rent-gap theory itself describes the inequality between the price of land at its current use and the potential price a piece of land could attain under a â€Å"higher and better use.† Using his theory, Smith argued that when the rent-gap was large enough, developers would see the potential profit in redeveloping inner-city areas. The profit attained by redevelopment in these areas closes the rent-gap, leading to higher rents, leases, and mortgages. Thus, the increase in profits associated with Smith’s theory leads to gentrification. The consumption-side theory, professed by geographer David Ley, looks at the characteristics of people performing gentrification and what they consume as opposed to the market to explain gentrification. It is said that these people perform advanced services (for example they are doctors and/or lawyers), enjoy arts and leisure, and demand amenities and are concerned with aesthetics in their cities. Gentrification allows such changes to occur and caters to this population. The Process of Gentrification Over time, these urban pioneers help to redevelop and â€Å"fix-up† run down areas. After doing so, prices go up and the lower income people present there are priced out and replaced with middle and upper-income people. These people then demand greater amenities and housing stock and businesses change to cater to them, again raising prices. These rising prices then force out the remaining population of lower income people and more middle and upper-income people are attracted, perpetuating the cycle of gentrification. Costs and Benefits of Gentrification The largest criticism of gentrification though is its displacement of the redeveloped area’s original inhabitants. Since gentrified areas are often in the run-down urban core, lower-income residents are eventually priced out and are sometimes left with no place to go. In addition, retail chains, services, and social networks are also priced out and replaced with higher-end retail and services. It is this aspect of gentrification that causes the most tension between residents and developers. Despite these criticisms though, there are several benefits to gentrification. Because it often leads to people owning their homes instead of renting, it can sometimes lead to more stability for the local area. It also creates an increased demand for housing so there is less vacant property. Finally, supporters of gentrification say that because of the increased presence of residents in the downtown, businesses there benefit because there are more people spending in the area. Whether it is viewed as positive or negative, however, there is no doubt that gentrified areas are becoming important parts of the fabric of cities worldwide.