8/27 - introduction
TRANSCRIPT
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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE
INTRODUCTION OF PHILOSOPHY
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Archaeology is the search for fact... not truth. If it's truth you're looking for, Dr. Tyree's philosophy class is right down the
hall.-Dr. Indiana Jones
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Philosophy (as a process) begins with the wonder of our existence, or even just
an awe at the complexity of reality, and our seemingly mysterious place within
it.
Therefore, it necessarily starts from our ignorance about either particular truths
(truestatements about reality) or truth in general (what truth is and how it is
to be recognized as a part ofsuch statements).
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PHILOSOPHIA
... the love of wisdom! But, whatiswisdom, exactly?
Intelligence? (capacityto learn, reason, and solve puzzles)
Experience? (advantage which benefits our understanding andability to act in a way informedby our past)
Knowledge? (discovery, possesion, orgrasping oftruth)
Some might maintain that wisdom is either a combonation of - or
a relationship between - all of these notions, if not more...
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Two basic forms of what we might mean when we say...PHILOSOPHY
(INFORMAL) A way of life.
also see: barstool philosophy
(FORMAL) An area of inquery or discipline. academic setting
scholarly rigor
research projects
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Two basic forms of what we might mean when we say...PHILOSOPHY
(INFORMAL) A way of life.
also see: barstool philosophy
(FORMAL) An area of inquery or discipline. academic setting
scholarly rigor
research projects
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On the other hand, what islove?
Four Greek terms for love:
Agpe (spiritual, selfless)
ros (bodily, erotic)
Philia (mental, rational)
Storge (familial, affectionate)BABY DON'T HURT ME!
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History of Western Philosophy
an ongoing attempt to definereal (or genuine) philosophical
problemswhile attempting to seek their answersthrough rational argument.
Ancient Eastern Philosophy a series of philosophical traditions(and religions) that advocate
certain ways of life, and explain how these can discoverstability, balance, and/or harmony
within the individualand their society.
Contemporary Comparative Philosophy a seemingly endless effort to bridge the gap between
these two series of goals - along with their methods - in order tojointlycontributeto resolving
universal questions about life (and beyond).
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Semi-Chronological ofWest. Phil.
Pre-Socratic Philosophy
Ancient Greek Philosophy
Medieval Philosophy
Renaissance PhilosophyModern Philosophy
Contemporary Philosophy
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EpistemologyWhat can we know? How do we know what we think we know?
A theory of knowledge attempts to provide the grounds for justifying our claimsabout the world. Epistemological positions tend to emphasize what kinds of
human faculties should be most relied on in order to say that we know something.
The notion of certainty is often a concern.
Several Approaches:
- Skepticism
- Rationalism- Empiricism
...Cognitive Science?
LOGIC ( O )
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LOGIC (known by some critics as LOLgic):What valid rules of inference need to be followed (and further
developed into certain formal languages) in order to judge the
truth and falsity of assertions? How are we to define truth and
falsity in a formal system? (also a concern in phil. of lang.)
Deductive: Validity + Soundness
Inductive: Probability
-natural sciences
Critical Thinking
Descriptions of fallacies
Proper styles of argumentation
A serious concern for logicians:
Is logic an internal formal
system that merelyoperates,
or can it genuinely contribute
to othersystemicsciences,
such as mathematics?
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Metaphysics(original context:afterPhysics - Aristotle's Metaphysics)
What is ultimate reality (outside our senses)? What is it like?
Major Branch: ONTOLOGY ~ What exists?
(just a few)Classic Problems:
Zeno's Paradox of motion
Mind/Body Problem
Universals vs. Particulars
Recent: Artificial Intelligence
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Ethics or moral philosophy
Name one thing in this world that is not negotiable.
- Walter White
An ambiguity of terms:
MORES (sociology):
- custom/convention
- societal normativity
ETHOS (Greek):
- rule-based action
- codes of conduct
~ Virtue ethics
~ Consequentialism
~ Deontological
moral relativism?
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AESTHETICSWhat is beauty?
- Is it only found in the eye of the beholder, or is there such a
thing as an objective criteria for beauty?
What is art?
- What makes goodart? Is there a goalto art? What is an artist?
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Some other developed areas...Philosophy of language: What is meaning?Is truth a mere linguistic construciton? How is communication possible, and what are its essential characteristics?
Philosophy of law (orjurisprudence): What is a state of nature, and how should we construct an ideal society in respect to this understanding the state of nature?
Philosophy of mind: Explores the nature of the mind and its relationship to the body and sensation. What is conciousness in regard to brain activity/brain states?
Philosophy of religion: Critical evaluation of spiritual ideas as well as dogma.
Philosophy of science: Fundamental questions about (modern) science through the concerns of many other areas in philosophy, notably epistemology and ethics.
....................................Philosophy of X? (infinite options, really)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisprudencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_mindhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisprudencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_language -
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Meta-phi losophy(the philosophy of philosophy!)
The point of p hi losophy is to star t wi th someth
Russell's view...
PHILOSOPHY = the bridge between religious traditi
(evident by the increased precision of language, co
- Bertrand Russell
Edmond HusserlPhenomenology= philos
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What has philosophy turned into...?
Within philosophy proper:
CONTINENTAL vs. ANALYTIC philosophy
- style vs. content
- difference in ultimate concerns
- the rise of logical positivism (early 20th century)
Within [primarily Western] culture: SCIENCE vs. RELIGION debates:
- philosophical argumentation can be used on either side
- both run the risk of misunderstanding the role philosophy plays
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What role does thephilosopherplay today?
Global Concern pursuer
Obligation of asking the most possibly fundamental questions
Gadfly
A necessary pest
Mother Discipline
- Caretaker of less developed fields
Thought janitor
Constantly clarifying language in other disciplines
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Canyou change the discourse of
philosophy? YES, YES YOU CAN!Communicating ideas is a constant and evolving process between
sentient and articulate beings. If you can enter a room full of
people chatting up big ideas and be able to shift the
conversation from one topic to another based on your interest
all the while discovering the values and concerns of bothyourself and others you can do the same on a much larger
level.
The whole of reality isn't that much different from that room. It's
just a lot bigger, but not different in kind... you're as much a partof it as any room of any size. You're also locked up inside of it
with me and everyone else, so we might as well make what we
can of it while we're still breathing...
If not, we'll be forced to admit,Well, this party really died.
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