Transcript What is Philosophy?

What is Philosophy?
What do you think philosophy is?
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A perspective
Theory
Worldview
Belief system
Ideas about life / how we should live it
What is characteristic of
philosophical questions?
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No right or wrong answer
No obvious method for resolving disputes
Questions the nature of life and existence
Questions beliefs about good or bad
Big ideas
So what does ‘philosophy’ really
mean?
Some general ideas about
philosophy:
• Philosophy is like theory
• Having a theory on something is like taking
a step back and looking at the bigger picture
• Theory is different from practice: theory is
what you can learn by talking, reading, or
looking at something; practice is what you
learn by doing.
Philosophy (etymology):
• The original Greek word, philosophia,
means that which loves or pursues (philo)
wisdom (sophia).
What does it mean to love or pursue
wisdom?
• Wisdom is the goal
– What is wisdom?
• The comprehensive grasp of a subject (global
perspective);
• Ability to make good decisions or arrive at a new
understanding.
• To pursue or love something implies that
you do not currently possess it.
– The philosopher is in an intermediate position
between wisdom and lack of wisdom
Is philosophy a subject?
• What does philosophy study?
• What is its methodology?
• Why don’t you learn philosophy in High
School?
Philosophy (working definition):
• Philosophy is a discipline or study that
seeks to understand the most fundamental
things and the most general things.
• It investigates: elements, causes, principles,
and norms.
• It seeks to make connections and study the
relationships between different subjects.
Areas of philosophy:
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Epistemology: a theory of knowledge.
Metaphysics: a theory about what exists.
Philosophy of science
Philosophy of law
Philosophy of mind
Social and political philosophy
Ethics
Aesthetics
History of philosophy
Epistemology
• Theory of knowledge
• Studies perception and cognition: how do
we know what we know?
• Provides an answer to skepticism: a
justification of knowledge.
Metaphysics
• Ontology
• Studies what kinds of things exist in the
world
• Tries to determine what basic concepts are
necessary for other disciplines, like science,
art, history, politics, etc.
Normativity
• How we define what is ‘good’?
• How do we determine the basis for placing
value in things?
• How do we define the goal(s) of human
activities?
Logic
• The study of arguments: containing premises
(evidence) and a conclusion.
• Validity: if the premises are true, the
conclusion must be true.
• Soundness: the premises are true and the
argument is valid.
• Induction: contains a degree of truth.
• Deduction: is absolutely certain.
The Philosopher’s toolkit:
• Conceptual analysis: careful definition of
concepts, what they refer to, and their content
(that differs from other concepts).
• Arguments: deductive or inductive, provides
evidence for conclusions.
• Ordinary language, intuition, and common
sense: What do we normally mean by these
concepts? What makes the most sense?
Some philosophical questions
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Is there a God?
What is right? Good? Just?
What is knowledge? Truth?
What is a mind?
What is the nature of time?
What is art?
What is the use of philosophy?
• Philosophers address questions that are directly
relevant to us, questions of value, ethics, truth,
God, and the meaning of life.
• Studying philosophy teaches you to justify
your beliefs, defend them, and critically
evaluate claims made by other people.
• Philosophers use problem solving skills that
are useful in all sorts of professions and
contexts.
Philosophical skills and methods:
Philosophical problems do not have determined answers or
defined methods. The following lists some very general
rules or suggestions about how to approach
philosophical questions.
• Analyze and clarify: first, we have to clarify the nature
of the problem, define terms, and analyze the meaning
of those terms.
• Propose solutions: philosophers have to be creative in
proposing solutions to problems that don’t have
definitive answers.
• Evaluate proposed solutions: philosophers have to step
back and evaluate the merits of all proposed solutions.
Philosophy as a “way of life”
• Socrates (469 – 399 BCE)
• Early Greek schools of philosophy: Platonism,
Aristotelianism, Epicurianism, Stoicism,
Skepticism, Cynicism
– Way of thinking, way of living
– Dietary restrictions, rules of conduct
– Academy: a communal place of living, eating, and
teaching and learning (masters and students)
What is the goal of philosophy?
• The true, the beautiful, and the good.
– Philosophy is concerned with a right
understanding of the natural and human world.
– Philosophical truths have an elegance,
simplicity, or profundity that are beautiful.
– The way of life and commitment to the truth
that characterizes a philosopher’s perspective is
fundamentally motivated by living a good life,
being happy or fulfilled.