Added by: arcadius | Karma: 2802.10 | Fiction literature | 27 February 2010
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An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope
An Essay on Man is a poem published by Alexander Pope in 1734. It is a rationalistic effort to use philosophy in order to "vindicate the ways of God to man", a variation of John Milton's claim in the opening lines of Paradise Lost, that he will "justify the ways of God to man"). It is concerned with the natural order God has decreed for man.
What is the self? Does it exist? If it does exist, what is it like? It's not clear that we even know what we're asking about when we ask these large, metaphysical questions. The idea of the self comes very naturally to us, and it seems rather important, but it's also extremely puzzling. As for the word "self"--it's been taken in so many different ways that it seems that you can mean more or less what you like by it and come up with almost any answer.
Specially designed for students starting a tertiary level course in higher education, this book addresses all aspects of academic writing, from the details of accurate grammatical construction, pronunciation and spelling to appropriate style choices. Ten appendices form a bank of useful material, cross-referenced from the main units. A glossary of examination and essay terms and an extensive key are also included.
Written by an international assembly of leading philosophers, this volume provides a survey of contemporary philosophy of language. As well as providing a synoptic view of the key issues, figures, concepts and debates, each essay makes new and original contributions to ongoing debate.
