Part I: Introduction

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Part I Introduction
Chapter 1 What is Philosophy?
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Origin and History of Philosophy

• Philean love Sophia wisdom
• Literally love of wisdom
• What is wisdom?
• Knowledge about universe (Pythagoras)
• The possession of virtue and power (Sophists)
• Awareness of ignorance (Socrates)

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Definition of Philosophy

• Philosophy Rational attempt to formulate,
  understand, and answer fundamental questions

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Study of Philosophy

• Philosophy searches for knowledge through
• Questions
• Search for fundamental and abstract truth

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Branches of Western Philosophy

• Metaphysics What is truly real?
• Epistemology What is knowledge and truth?
• Axiology What is the distinction between value
  and fact?
• Aesthetics What is objective or subjective?
• Ethics How is human action judged morally right
  or wrong?

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• If philosophy is the rational attempt to
  formulate, understand, and answer fundamental
  questions, then
• What is rational?
• What is fundamental?

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What is Rationality?

• Rationality the way we think and investigate
  questions
• Zhuangzi 350 BCE. What are the standards by
  which to settle an argument? Can they be
  universal?

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What is fundamental?

• Two Perspectives
• Foundationalism
• Constructivism

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Foundationalism

• Foundationalism maintains that there must be
  objective and universal standards of rationality
• Law of noncontradiction a statement cannot be
  both true and false

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Constructivism

• Constructivism the critique of foundationalism
• Key Attributes
• Rationality is a social construction, therefore,
  it cannot be achieved without prejudice or bias
• Cognitive relativism denial of universal truth
• Ethical relativism denial of universal moral
  principles

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Finding Common Ground between foundationalists
and constructivists

• Acknowledge ethnocentrism cultural and ethnic
  biases
• Deny ethnocentric imperialism the idea that
  cultures will impose their views on others

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Finding Common Ground between foundationalists
and constructivists

• Recognize difference between strong and weak
  relativism
• Strong sense claims there are no universally
  valid standards
• Weak sense claims that standards of rationality
  and morality are culturally diverse

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Finding Common Ground between foundationalists
and constructivists

• Hans-Georg Gadamer fusion of horizons
• Truth is found through
• recognizing that ones own understanding is a
  horizon resulting from perspective and biases
• being willing to risk that horizon in order to
  see the other persons

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The Value of Philosophy

• Bertrand Russell
• Enlargement of the Self
• Contemplation increases awareness
• Mind that studies the universe is great because
  of the greatness of the universe

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Who are the Philosophers?

• Those honored as wise
• Those who make philosophy a profession

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Socrates Café by Christopher Phillips

• Philosophical discussion can take place in the
  general public
• Value questions more than answers
• Socratic method the art of learning through
  asking questions
• Challenge to engage in philosophy

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Reading Philosophy

• Read analytically
• Read critically