Branches of PhilosophyReality, Knowledge and Value

THREE BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

METAPHYSICS-What is the nature of REALITY?

EPISTEMOLOGY-What is the nature of KNOWLEDGE?

AXIOLOGY- What is the nature of VALUES?

METAPHYSICS

ONE OF THE KEY CONCEPTS OF UNDERSTANDING PHILOSOPHIESCONCERNED WITH REALITY AND EXISTENCE

ASKS: WHAT IS THE NATURE OF REALITY?SUBDIVIDE INTO TWO CATEGORIES1.ONTOLOGY: What is the nature of existence2.COSMOLOGY: Origin and organization of the universe

EPISTEMOLOGY

RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE OF KNOWLEDGELOGIC IS A KEY DIMENSION TO EPISTEMOLOGY

TWO KINDS OF LOGIC:1.Deductive logic: from general to specific2.Inductive logic: from specific facts to generalization

AXIOLOGY

EXPLORES THE NATURE OF VALUES

ETHICS: study of human conduct and examines moral values

AESTHETICS: values beauty, nature, and aesthetic experience (often associated with music, art, literature, dance, theater, and other fine arts)

MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:

IDEALISMCONSIDERED OLDEST PHILOSOPHY OF WESTERN CULTURETHE WORLD OF MIND, IDEAS AND REASON IS PRIMARY

METAPHYSICS: stresses mind over matter (nothing is real except for an idea in the mind)

EPISTEMOLOGY: all knowledge includes a mental grasp of ideas and concepts

AXIOLOGY: values are rooted in realityIDEALISTS BELIEVE THAT VALUES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AND ORDERED INTO

A HIERARCHY

LEADING PROPONENTS OF IDEALISM

• PLATO- Greek Philosopher- considered father of idealism- ”Allegory of the Cave” from The Republic• AUGUSTINE- Theologian of 4th & 5th centuries- Applied Plato’s assumptions to Christian thought• DESCARTES, KANT & HEGEL- Descarte: “I think, therefore I am”- Kant: certain universal moral laws- categorical imperatives- Hegel: approached reality as “contest of opposites”

MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:

REALISMThe antithesis of IdealismUniverse exists whether mind perceives it or not

METAPHYSICS- reality composed of matter (body) and form (mind) EPISTEMOLOGY- sense realism (knowledge comes through senses) AXIOLOGY- values derived from nature

LEADING PROPONENTS OF REALISM

• ARISTOTLE- father of realism-student of Plato-argued that knowledge can be acquired through senses• FRANCIS BACON

-advanced a rigorous form of inductive reason• JOHN LOCKE

-theory of tabula rasa (no such thing as innate ideas)• COMENIUS, ROUSSEAU, and PESTALOZZI

MAJOR TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHY:NEO-THOMISM

• Dates to the time of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)• Also known as theistic realism“God exists and can be known through faith and reason”

Metaphysics- God gives meaning to universe Epistemology- hierarchy of knowing God Axiology- unchanging moral laws

CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHIES:PRAGMATISM

Also known as experimentalism- experience or things that workPhilosophy of 20th century developed by John Dewey

Metaphysics- regard reality as an event or process. Meaning is derived from experience in environment.

Epistemology- truth is not absolute but determined by consequences. Arrived at by inquiry, testing, questioning, retesting, ect.

Axiology- primarily focused on values. Determined by own experiences

LEADING PROPONENTS OF PRAGMATISM

• AUGUSTE COMTE-suggested science could solve social problems-problem solving was key

CHARLES DARWIN-theory of natural selection implied reality was open ended, not fixed

AMERICANS: Charles Pierce, William James and John Dewey

CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHIES:EXISTENTIALISM

Appeared as a revolt against the mathematical, scientific philosophies that preceded it.

Focus on personal and subjective existence

Metaphysics- no purpose or meaning to universe. No world order or natural scheme of things

Epistemology- we come to know truth by choice. The authority is found in self.

Axiology- choice to determine value.

LEADING PROPONENTS OF EXISTENTIALISM

• SOREN KIERKEGAARD-Danish philosopher/theologian-Father of Existentialism-Rejected scientific objectivity for subjectivity and choice• MARTIN BUBER

-Jewish philosopher/theologian-”I/Thou” relationship- divine and human are related• HUSSERL and HEIDEGGER• JEAN-PAUL SARTRE

-We construct our own existence

ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY

Sought out to clarify, and define philosophiesBegan in post WWI era- Vienna Circle

Studied the alienation between philosophy and science Established the concept of logical positivism: there are logical and

empirical types of scientific expression Shifted to Analytic philosophy in 1950’s Analytic philosophy has recently focused on political philosophy,

ethics and philosophy of human sciences