Blog #5

Trevor Poirier

31 July 2013

AP English 11

Mrs. Wilhelmus

Sophie's World -- The Philosophical Project

            There were a number of philosophies and belief systems introduced to me as I read Sophie's World.  Some showed similarities, and many contradicted each other.  As I stated earlier, I really liked Plato's ideas.  He approached the world from a fairly neutral perspective and viewed people as equal.  He also delves into the fact that we cannot fully understand the real world, admitting that he is aware that he and other know very little.  He also believes in ruling through common logic and reasoning.

            One of the most important things I discovered of Plato is that he is a huge advocate of mathematics and its importance to the world.  He believes the world revolves around numbers, which I strongly agree with.  I am a numbers person and definitely understand the importance of them as they are used in so many different ways.  Numbers dictate everything -- time, stats, money, and so on.

            One philosopher I really do not side with at all is Berkeley.  I find his ideas to be a bit far-fetched and think he tends to question things a little too much.  Although it is good for him to question empiricists some, he did it to the point where it became overly perplexing.  He believed that all humanity lives inside God's mind, and I believe that to be a stretch from reality.  If I had to pick a side or place in the "rabbit's fur" I would lie somewhere in between, in sort of a neutral position.  I have never been overly for or against certain belief systems as I realize that they are beliefs, not factual claims.  Therefore my beliefs are no more factual than others.  That does not change the fact that I find and formulate my own beliefs, but that I respect others while strongly holding my own. 

           I personally think that it's enjoyable to debate things of this nature because there is no real right answer.  Debating such a topic allows you to both learn more about the opposite side of the spectrum and propose your own ideas.  I do not get offended or intend to offend others.  I have never been one to force my values and beliefs on someone else, but always to make them known.