methods of philosophical thinking the subject matter the methods of philosophical thinking the...
TRANSCRIPT
METHODS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING
The Subject Matter
The Methods of Philosophical Thinking
The Question
How can you think philosophically about anything?
Anything of daily concern Anything of ultimate concern
METHODS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING
The Method You are to practice the methods of
philosophical thinking by thinking about this question:
What is an apple?
The Learning Objective An exercise in thinking
Philosophical thinking skills Non-philosophical thinking skills
How can I think philosophically?
The Question
What is an apple?
Student Answers
VIEWING THE APPLE
The How Questions
How should you view an apple?
How should you think about an apple?
Is viewing different from thinking? Is thinking different from viewing?
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Answers
Viewing is essentially empirical. Sensibility
Thinking is essentially intellectual. Thinking is non-empirical. Thinking can be rational & irrational.
Rationality
A Review Question
The Questions What is thinking according to Aristotle? What is thinking according Allen Watt? What is thinking according to Nishida?
The Student Answers Student 1 Student 2 Student 3
Watt’s View of Thinking Thinking
What thinking is not. A manipulation of
symbols
Why is “thinking” not feeling and sensing?
Explain.
Feeling Emoting Sensing
Why is “feeling” or “sensing” not “thinking” and different from “thinking”?
Explain.
Aristotle’s View of Thinking The Quote The Analysis
Nishida’s View of Thinking The Quote The Analysis
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Methodological Question How should one address these two how
questions? How should an apple be viewed? How should an apple be thought about?
The Answer Status of the apple Typology of viewing/thinking
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Question What is the status of an apple?
The Answer Non-Philosophical Status
A concrete thing Philosophical Status
A particular A universal A general universal The ultimate universal
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Question What is a particular?
The Answer A philosophical concept used to
represent each and everything concrete thing like an apple.
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Question What is a universal?
The Answer A philosophical concept
used to represent all particulars of one type/class/kind.
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Question What is a general universal?
The Answer A philosophical concept
used to represent all universals of all particulars.
VIEWING THE APPLE
The Question What is the ultimate universal?
The Answer A philosophical concept used to
represent all particulars and all universals (all things that are).
The One
VIEWING THE APPLE
A typology of viewing/thinking
Philosophical Way Philosophical Viewing Philosophical Thinking
Non-Philosophical Way Non-Philosophical Viewing Non-Philosophical Thinking
VIEWING THE APPLE
METHODS OF NON-PHILOSOPHICAL
THINKING
What is an apple?
NON-PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
The Question How do people view and
think about an apple non-philosophically?
The Answer A practical view A business view An economic view
NON-PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
The Question How do people view and
think about an apple?
The Answer A medical view A literary/poetic view A mathematical view
NON-PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
The Question How do people view and
think about the apple?
The Answer A military view A religious view A scientific view
NON-PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
The Question How can you view and think
about an apple philosophically?
The Answer Critical and creative uses of
relevant fields, doctrines, and theories of Western philosophy.
Moving from descriptive thinking to theoretical thinking
Methods of Non-Philosophical Thinking Method of Practical Thinking
The Question How is “an apple” viewed and
understood practically?
The Answer A delicious thing to consume!
Taste Nutrition
Methods of Non-Philosophical Thinking Method of Medical Thinking
The Question How is “an apple” viewed and
understood medically? The Student Answers
Student 1 Student 2 Student 3
Methods of Non-Philosophical Thinking Method of Business Thinking
Method of Economic Thinking
Method of Literary Thinking
Method of Musical Thinking
Methods of Non-Philosophical Thinking Method of Math Thinking
Method of Military Thinking
Method of Religious Thinking
Method of Scientific Thinking
What is philosophical thinking?
METHODS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING
What is an apple?
A METHOD OF DOING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
The Question What are we going to do in this class?
The Answer CREATING A PHILOSOPHY?
No! HOLDING A PHILOSOPHY?
No! PHILOSOPHIZING?
Sometimes. DOING A PHILOSOPHY?
YES!
DOING PHILOSOPHY The Question
What tools do we need for doing Eastern philosophy?
The Answer WESTERN TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS WESTERN DOCTRINES OF REALITY FIELDS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY METHODS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING FIVE STEP FORMULA FOR DOING PHILOSOPHY
TOOLS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY for doing
EASTERN “PHILOSOPHIES” TOOLS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS DOCTRINES OF REALITY FIELDS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY THREE WESTERN LAWS OF THINKING
APPLICATIONS OF WESTERN TOOLS Can these tools of Western philosophy be
applied for scholarly studies of Eastern Dao, Dhamma, and Darshana?
YES. If they can be applied selectively and creatively.
Philosophical Views of an Apple
CosmologyCosmology
MetaphysicsMetaphysics
OntologyOntology
EpistemologyEpistemologyCosmologic
al View
Ontological View
Epistemological View
MetaphysicalView
Methods of Philosophical Thinking Epistemological Thinking
Epistemology A field of Western philosophy A study of knowledge Western theories of knowledge
Epistemological theories
Methods of Philosophical Thinking The Epistemological Question
How do we know that an apple exists?
The Epistemological Answer Identify Western theories of
knowledge Empiricism Idealism Rationalism
Methods of Philosophical Thinking Empiricism
Empiricist Theory of Knowledge
An Empiricist View An apple exists because it can be
experienced empirically.
Methods of Philosophical Thinking Rationalism
Rationalist Theory of Knowledge
An Rationalist View The idea of an apple is innate in
one’s mind.
Methods of Philosophical Thinking Idealism
Idealist Theory of Knowledge
An Idealist View An apple is inherently mental
because it is a (mental) projection of one’s mind.
“To be is to be perceived.”
Methods of Philosophical Thinking
A Buddhist Idealist Theory of Knowledge
Textual Hermeneutics (an exercise) A Mahayana (Buddhist) Text
The Lankavatara Sutra Phan 2002: 277.1.1
Methods of Philosophical Thinking
A Textual Analysis
The Mahayana Thesis Textual citation
Phan 2002: 277.1.1 Textual interpretation
Methods of Philosophical Thinking
A Textual Analysis
The Mahayana Arguments Textual citation
Phan 2002: 277.1.2 Textual interpretation
The Critique Students
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
Which of the following is a Western doctrine of reality? Dualism Materialism Creationism Evolutionism Ontology Cosmology Metaphysics
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
Which of the following is a field of Western philosophy? Dualism Materialism Creationism Evolutionism Ontology Cosmology Metaphysics
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
The Question How to distinguish a
doctrine/theory from a field of philosophy?
The Answer A “logy” clue An “ism” clue
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Materialism A Western theory of reality
A materialist View An apple is material because it is
made up of matter. All things are material. All things are derived from primal
matter.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Dualism A Western theory of reality
Everything is composed of two distinct aspects, mind and matter, forming a duality.
A Jain Doctrine of Reality All things are derived from Jiva
(Soul) and Ajiva (Not-Soul).
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
The Question What is an apple?
A Jain Answer An apple is constituted by its
Jiva and its Ajiva. An apple deserves one’s respect
for what it truly is.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Test Questions Can the Jain view of an apple
be characterized theoretically as dualistic or a dualistic view?
Can the Jain view of an apple be characterized theoretically as metaphysical or a metaphysical view?
Student Answers
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Cosmology
A field of Western philosophy Study of the cosmos
Origin of the cosmos Cosmic laws, structures, processes Fate/future of the cosmos
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Student Exercises Pose a cosmological question
Offer a cosmological answer using the following doctrines:
Creationism Evolutionism
The Big Bang Theory
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
A Cosmological Question How did an apple come into
being/existence?
A Creationist Answer An apple is one of the proofs of
divine creation. Oh God! Thank you for all the
delicious apples I have enjoyed.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
A Cosmological Question How did an apple come into
being/existence?
A Evolutionist Answer An apple is one of the cosmic
manifestations of world evolution and the on-going evolutionary processes.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Ontology
A field of Western philosophy A study of reality (that which is)
The being of reality What is real? What is unreal?
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Student Exercises Pose an ontological question
Offer an ontological answer using the Laoian theory of the natural dao (Phan 2002: 73.[1]) as a theoretical resource.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
A Textual Citation “Therefore let there always non-
being [wu-ccp] so we may see their subtlety,
And let there always be being [you-ccp] so we may see their outcome,
The two are the same, But after they are produced, they have different names.” (The Daodejing, cited in Phan 2002: 73)
PHILOSOPHICAL VIEWING AND THINKING
A Textual Citation “Therefore let there
always non-being [wu-ccp] so we may see their subtlety,
And let there always be being [you-ccp] so we may see their outcome,
The two are the same, But after they are produced, they have different names.” (The Daodejing, cited in Phan 2002: 73)
A Textual Analysis Key concepts Key ideas Interpretation
The thesis Theoretical
nature Is the Laoian
view of an apple ontological or metaphysical?
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
The Question What is an apple?
A Laoian Answer An apple is constituted of its own
being (you) and non-being (wu), forming into one organically unified thing.
An apple is that which is constantly self-becoming.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
The Question What are the two key points that
the Laoian answer emphasizes as essentially for a correct view of an apple?
The Answer A theoretical distinction (you-wu) Self-change/transformation
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
Test Question Is the you-wu distinction
metaphysical or ontological?
The Answer Ontological
Why? Each student should know how to answer
this “why” question correctly by now.
How to think metaphysically about an apple?
Metaphysics
A field of Western philosophy A study of reality
The nature of reality What is real? What is unreal?
A Metaphysical View of an apple
A Philosophical Question What is an apple?
A Methodological Question How to answer the “What is an
apple?” question metaphysically?
What is a metaphysical answer for this philosophical question?
Is this a methodological question?
A Metaphysical View of an apple
The Methodological Question How to make a metaphysical
answer?
A Metaphysical Answer Step 1
One must make a metaphysical distinction by using two pairs of philosophical concepts:
“form” and “essence” (pair 1) “appearance” and “reality” (pair 2)
A Metaphysical View of an apple
A Metaphysical Answer
Step 2
One distinguishes the external “form” of an apple from its internal “essence” and vice versa.
Externality vs. Internality
One perceives and contemplates about the “nature” of the “form” and the “nature” of the “essence” of an apple.
A Metaphysical View of an apple
A Metaphysical Answer
Step 3
One determines that the external “form” of an apple is “unreal” because it is only the “appearance” of an apple.
Appearance = Unreality
One now has to justify this metaphysical determination by explaining why the “form” of an apple is simply its “mere appearance” and therefore ultimately unreal (not real).
A Metaphysical View of an apple
A Metaphysical Answer
Step 4
One then determines that the internal “essence” of an apple is “real” because it is the “reality” of an apple.
Essence = Reality
One now proceeds to justify this metaphysical judgment by explaining why the “essence” of an apple is its “true reality” and therefore ultimately real.
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
The Question How would Plato (an ancient
Greek philosopher) answer the “What is an apple?” question?
A Platonic Answer To be addressed by semester end
VIEWING/THINKING ABOUT THE APPLE
The Question What is an apple?
Student Answers First student Second student Third student
A METHOD OF DOING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
The Question What are we going to do in this class?
The Answer CREATING A PHILOSOPHY?
No! HOLDING A PHILOSOPHY?
No! PHILOSOPHIZING?
Sometimes. DOING A PHILOSOPHY?
YES!
THE METHOD OF DOING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
The Question How do we do Eastern
philosophy?
The Answer The Five Step Formula
There are two versions
THE METHOD OF DOING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
FORMULA 1 OF A METHOD OF TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS
1_ Research2_ Interpretation3_ Evaluation4_ Application5_ Self-Reflection
THE METHOD OF DOING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
FORMULA 2 OF A METHOD OF TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS
1_ Research2_ Interpretation3_ Critique4_ Resolution5_ Self-Reflection
DOING PHILOSOPHY The Question
What tools do we need for doing Eastern philosophy?
The Answer WESTERN TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS WESTERN DOCTRINES OF REALITY FIELDS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY METHODS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING FIVE STEP FORMULA FOR DOING PHILOSOPHY
TOOLS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY for doing
EASTERN “PHILOSOPHIES” TOOLS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
TEXTUAL HERMENEUTICS DOCTRINES OF REALITY FIELDS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY THREE WESTERN LAWS OF THINKING
APPLICATIONS OF WESTERN TOOLS Can these tools of Western philosophy be
applied for scholarly studies of Eastern Dao, Dhamma, and Darshana?
YES. If they can be applied selectively and creatively.
TOOLS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY for doing
EASTERN “PHILOSOPHIES”
The Question What is textual hermeneutics
The Answer Different types of hermeneutics Textual hermeneutics is herein understood as the
science of textual interpretation. Textual interpretation shall be carried out by the
procedures of the Five Step Formula.
PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING
THE QUESTION IS THERE WHAT CAN BE CALLED THE WAY
OF PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING? THE THREE LAWS OF THINKING IN
WESTERN PHILOSOPHY The Law of Identity The Law of Noncontradiction The Law of the Excluded Middle
PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING
THE THREE LAWS OF THINKING The Law of Identity
“A true statement is a true statement.”
The Law of Non-contradiction “A statement cannot be both true and false at the
same time and in the same respect.”
The Law of the Excluded Middle Student’s responsibility: Please search for an
explanation of this third law of thinking.