why study philosophy? finishing the introduction
TRANSCRIPT
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!