P H I L O S O P H Y

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• A Text with Readings
• TENTH EDITION
• M A N U E L V E L A S Q U E Z

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Philosophy, which literally means the love of
  wisdom, begins with wonder about our most basic
  beliefs. Its goal is to help us achieve autonomy
  by making us more aware of our own beliefs and
  encouraging us to reason and think through issues
  for ourselves.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• The Myth of the Cave is one of the best-known
  passages in The Republic, a work of the Greek
  philosopher Plato. The myth describes the
  philosopher's climb from the dark cave of
  philosophical ignorance up into the light of
  philosophical wisdom.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Philosophy is the critical and rational
  examination of the most fundamental assumptions
  that underlie our lives, an activity of concern
  to men and women of all cultures and races.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• The three main fields of philosophy are
  epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Epistemology deals with questions of knowledge
  (including the structure, reliability, extent,
  and kinds of knowledge) truth, validity, and
  logic and a variety of linguistic concerns. An
  example is the question of whether truth is
  relative.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Metaphysics addresses questions of reality
  (including the meaning and nature of being) the
  nature of mind, self, and human freedom and some
  topics that overlap with religion, such as the
  existence of God, the destiny of the universe,
  and the immortality of the soul. An example is
  the question of whether human behavior is free or
  determined.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Ethics is the study of our values and moral
  principles and how they relate to human conduct
  and to our social and political institutions. For
  example, do we have a moral obligation to love
  and serve others, or is our only obligation to
  ourselves?

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Philosophy also includes several fields usually
  referred to as "the philosophy of . . . ,"
  including the philosophy of science, the
  philosophy of art, and the philosophical meaning
  of life. These fields of philosophy examine the
  basic assumptions underlying particular areas of
  human knowledge or activity.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Socrates is usually considered the father of
  Western philosophy, although he was preceded by a
  group of earlier Greek philosophers, the
  pre-Socratics. Socrates was put to death for
  persistently examining the unquestioned
  assumptions of his fellow Athenians. The views of
  Socrates were preserved by his disciple, Plato,
  in his dialogues, including Euthyphro, The
  Republic, The Apology, and Crito.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Euthyphro shows Socrates questioning traditional
  religious beliefs The Republic shows Socrates
  inquiring into the meaning of justice The
  Apology shows Socrates at his trial explaining
  his lifelong commitment to philosophy Crito
  shows Socrates awaiting death and questioning his
  own beliefs about the authority of the state.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• Philosophy can help satisfy actualizing needs
  (the need for self-fulfillment, the realization
  of one's potential) by helping us develop our own
  opinions and beliefs, increasing our
  self-awareness, equipping us to deal with
  uncertainty, eliciting creativity, and aiding us
  in clearly conceptualizing our value systems.

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P H I L O S O P H Y

• In studying philosophy we risk having the
  weaknesses of our personal and cultural beliefs
  and assumptions exposed, but this risk is worth
  taking, considering the value of philosophy.
  Because philosophy has had many "male
  tendencies," it is especially important for women
  to philosophize now.