Why Study Philosophy?Finishing the Introduction

Bertrand Russell: The Problems of Philosophy

•Why Study Philosophy? Pages 7 & 8

•According to Russell:–What is the value of philosophy?–How does he make his argument?

–Does he convince you? Why? Or Why not?

Russell’s key hints/points:• “… it will be well to consider…”

• “…the value…why it ought to be studied”

• “… the more necessary…”

• “…many… inclined to doubt… philosophy is anything better than innocent but useless trifling, hairsplitting distinctions,… controversies on matters concerning which knowledge is impossible.”

According to Russell:• “It is exclusively among the goods of the mind that the value

of philosophy is to be found…”

• “philosophy benefits those who pursue it by enriching their thoughts with “big” ideas

• People see science > philosophy

• Science is “useful”, has “wide-reaching influence on humanity”

• But, philosophy … aims primarily at knowledge

• Yet, philosophy’s success “more difficult to quantify”,

• Science: definite answers; Philosophy: no definite answers

• Philosophers ask many questions, each answered differently

• The nature of philosophy: continue asking these questions

• Philosophy able to suggest many possibilities, … can enlarge our thoughts… free us from the restrictions of habit and custom

• … makes us citizens of the universe, not only of one walled city at war with all the rest”

• Philosophy “increases our knowledge of what is possible”

• Closed, inward thinking conflict between desires & feeling powerless

• Philosophic life: “calm & free”

Aristotle

•“Philosophy is the science which considers truth.”

The Philosophic Discipline: Making Distinctions• Philosophy within the realm of the Humanities

• In Philosophy, the search for meaning and truth trumps all

• … a never-ending quest, but imminently satisfying

• Every discipline rubs shoulders with philosophy

• “meta level” of Philosophy peering deeply into a mirror, … contemplate, reflect freely

A curious reality about Philosophy:

• Various “schools” of philosophers

• What follows not always an “advancement”, often need to return to ancient thinkers

• Aristotle noted: philosophy has constructive & destructive approaches

Constructive vs. DestructiveBuilding upon & combining methods

• Aristotle (author of Metaphysics)

• Gottfried Leibniz (A Philosopher’s Creed)

• G.W.F. Hegel (The Science of Logic)

• Alfred North Whitehead (The Concept of Nature)

Deconstructing or stripping down earlier work

• Friedrich Nietzsche (Beyond Good and Evil)

• Martin Heidegger (Being and Time)

• Simone de Beauvoir (The Second Sex)

Just how N.B. is Plato?

• “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.”

– Alfred North Whitehead

The Main Fields of Philosophy• Philosophical Reasoning & Logic truth

– Tools of an argument? Agreed upon rules? Valid vs. Sound

• Metaphysics: – Nature of being; What exists? What is real? Can we speak of what is

not? What is the meaning of life?

• Ethics:– How should we live? What is good behaviour?

• Epistemology:– About knowledge. What does it mean to “know?” How do we?

A couple more..• Philosophy of Science

– “science-focused” questions: What counts as science? Features of the Scientific Method?

• Social and Political Philosophy– way society organizes itself; How should we govern ourselves? Justice?

• Aesthetics– What is beauty? What is the role of art in society?

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave• Pages 11 & 12

• http://ed.ted.com/lessons/plato-s-allegory-of-the-cave-alex-gendler

Enduring Understandings• From Russell: the questions persist, lingering longer than the

answers

• There are many ways to establish:– SOUND (compare to invalid) argument forms, and;

– Ways to avoid bias, prejudice, faulty reasoning

• Seeing the strength in others’ arguments is a virtue– Being philosophically inclined is not being hyper-rational, but learning

to balance rational justice-seeking dispositions with emotional dispositions

Enduring Understandings:• History & Culture affect one’s thinking

– Ideas vary over time & across cultures

– Avoid bringing own standards onto other times/cultures

– Yet, avoid RELATIVISM (i.e., we don’t need to see all views as equally valid)

• It’s wise to consider many answers to big questions– Avoiding dogmatism is a virtue for philosophers

• Philosophers may change their ideas– They reflect on their work, respond to others’ critiques

– Translations of primary sources may modify ideas

– Read widely, with skepticism

A couple more…• Convey ideas clearly, concisely, consistently

– Philosophy a form of moving literature

– Philosophers use: analogy, demonstration, dialogue…

• Philosophy is found in other genres:– Narratives

– Poems

– Songs

– Paintings

– Films

– Plays

– Dances

• IT’S ALL ABOUT MAKING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO THE WORLD AROUND US!