David Hume Theories Knowledge is gained only through experience, and experiences only exist in the mind as individual units of thought. This theory of knowledge belonged to David Hume, a Scottish philosopher. Hume was born on April 26, 1711, as his family's second son. His father died when he was an infant and left his mother to care for him, his older brother, and his sister. David Hume passed through ordinary classes with great success, and found an early love for literature. He lived...

Controversy over Religion in Schools The controversies are raging today as to whether prayer should be allowed, or even mandated, in public schools. People of religious control over secular institutions and public schools argue that it is well within the first amendment to allow prayer in public schools, while opponents argue that this changes the rights of others who do not wish to partake in such sectarian activities. Who is right, and should it really be left up to politicians to decide? ...

Understanding the Dialect of Ebonics What exactly is Ebonics? No one can tell you what exactly it is. It is part English, but at the same time there is a lot more to it than English. There are certain structures that dignify Ebonics, or AAVE (African American Vernacular English), as it’s own niche in the English language. It is considered a dialect of English and not a separate language. In this essay, I will try to explain and show examples of what Proper Ebonics are, history of...

What have I learned about Philosophy? To answer this or any philosophical question, I must first define the key terms in the question. Learned - 1, Acquired knowledge or skill. 2, Become informed or acquainted. Philosophy - 1, The science dealing with the general cause and principles of things. 2, Personal attitude. Now that I have a clear understanding of the key terms I am ready to answer the question at hand. The knowledge that I have acquired about the science dealing with the...

Leading a Lonely Life In the novels, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, both of the main characters are plagued with loneliness and a longing for companionship. While Huck seems to come across friends more easily than Holden Caulfield, they both are constantly stricken with a lack of friendly faces and a need for fellowship throughout their journeys for self-realization. Holden’s gravitation away from people he deems...

Christmas List of an Atheist AGAIN, we celebrate the "birth" of your child in the manger of an inn (with all your power, couldn't you have done a little better in selecting a birthplace?). Again, we celebrate the rise and triumph of commercialism, hanging $9.95 decorations on a $249.95 tree. And again, we pay tribute to empty pockets and devastated bank accounts. Amen. Forgive me for my atheism dear Mr. Christian God, as I celebrate the endless preaching of your preachers on this glorious...

Compare and Contrast Maggie and Wanergo of "Everday Use" The comparison of characters is something an author allows us to do while reading a story, by telling us about the character’s looks, their personality, their lifestyle, and any other traits that may describe someone. In the story Everyday Use, written by Alice Walker, there are two characters, which I have chosen to do a compare and contrast essay on. The names of the characters I have chose to write about, are Maggie and...

Humanity's Fascination With Immortality Humanity has always been fascinated with the allure of immortality and although in the beginning vampires were not a symbol of this, as time passed and society changed so did the ideas and perceptions surrounding them. The most important thing to ask yourself at this point is ‘What is immortality?' Unfortunately this isn't as easily answered as asked. The Merriam Webster Dictionary says immortality is ‘the quality or state of being...

The Equality of Unequals In order to clearly understand why Plato seems to find democracy and the democratic soul so objectionable one must first understand the definition of what democracy means. Plato's discord with democracy does not concern the democracy we know today nor does it directly concern Athenian democracy. Rather, it is the Form of democracy in which he criticizes. For a Greek (man), democracy, meant the rule of the people in a much more literal sense than it does for the...

I have been to many places in the United States and I now live in Little Elm Texas and it is very easy to find the same stores or fast food restaurants such as McDonalds or Denny’s. Cold sassy tree is in Georgia and it is a small town such as Little Elm. That is in the year 2007 but years ago you could drive for miles and miles and not see anyone. Little Elm used to be that way a really little town with a few people and then it grew like everything does. Likewise Cold Sassy Tree in...