Welcome to Philosophy Welcome to Philosophy and Ethics!and Ethics!

Ms. KrallMs. Krall

Room 347Room 347

What is What is Philosophy?Philosophy?

First, let’s answer First, let’s answer some questions…some questions…

What is wisdom?What is wisdom? What is common What is common

sense?sense? What is What is

knowledge?knowledge? What does it mean What does it mean

to be ‘book to be ‘book smart?”smart?”

PhilosophyPhilosophy

PhiloPhilo (love) + (love) + sophiasophia (wisdom) (wisdom)

Philosophy is the Philosophy is the love (or pursuit) love (or pursuit) of wisdomof wisdom

The Simplest Definition is Sometimes the Best!

“Philosophy is thinking really hard about something.” (Alvin

Plantinga)

What it means to have What it means to have perspectiveperspective

Look at the object. Look at the object. Take 3 minutes to Take 3 minutes to

think of every way think of every way this item can be this item can be used besides its used besides its originally intended originally intended function.function.

Based on Two PremisesBased on Two Premises

One: One: Wisdom, Wisdom, (having good (having good judgment)judgment)

So, Philosophy is So, Philosophy is the love (or the love (or pursuit) of good pursuit) of good judgmentjudgment

Number Two…Number Two…

Philosophy Philosophy begins with begins with wonder.wonder.

Wonder —> Wonder —> reflection —> reflection —> critical critical examinationexamination

At the worldAt the world At what we doAt what we do At what we areAt what we are

Philosophy Philosophy involves involves argument: giving argument: giving reasonsreasons

The Great Eight QuestionsThe Great Eight Questions

“ “worldview”worldview”

“ “beliefs”beliefs”

The perception of the The perception of the surrounding world, which surrounding world, which could include personal could include personal beliefs.beliefs.

We need to define the We need to define the reason for believing what reason for believing what we believe!we believe!

Components of PhilosophyComponents of Philosophy((go back to the pencil sharpenergo back to the pencil sharpener))

LogicLogic EpistemologyEpistemology

AestheticsAesthetics MetaphysicsMetaphysics

EthicsEthics

LogicLogic

This branch of Philosophy deals with This branch of Philosophy deals with the METHOD of argument.the METHOD of argument.

It offers answers to questions such It offers answers to questions such as:as:

“ “Is that reasoning sound?” Is that reasoning sound?”

“ “Is that statement true?”Is that statement true?”

“ “Is that conclusion valid ?”Is that conclusion valid ?”

EpistemologyEpistemology

The theory of The theory of knowledgeknowledge

What is knowledge? What is knowledge? How do I know?How do I know? Can I know anything Can I know anything

at all?at all? If so, where do I get If so, where do I get

it?it? Can I know anything Can I know anything

independently of independently of experience, through experience, through philosophical philosophical reflection alone?reflection alone?

AestheticsAesthetics

This branch deals This branch deals with with beautybeauty in Music in Music and Art.and Art.

It offers answers to It offers answers to questions like:questions like:

““Is that good music?”Is that good music?” ““Is that painting Is that painting

better than this better than this one?”one?”

MetaphysicsMetaphysics

The study of what there isThe study of what there is What is the world made of?What is the world made of? What kinds of things are there?What kinds of things are there? What is real? What is merely What is real? What is merely

apparent?apparent? What am I?What am I? Is there a God?”Is there a God?”

EthicsEthics

The pursuit of good The pursuit of good judgment about judgment about action.action.

What should I What should I dodo?? What should I What should I bebe? ?

What kind of life What kind of life should I lead?should I lead?

““What makes What makes actions actions ““rightright”” and and “wrong“wrong”?””?”

But…Is Philosophy But…Is Philosophy Practical?Practical?

Philosophy asks questions…Philosophy asks questions… What the world is like,What the world is like, How we know it, andHow we know it, and What we ought to do about it,What we ought to do about it,

Which, in turn affect our lives every Which, in turn affect our lives every dayday

Philosophy is the most practical of all Philosophy is the most practical of all disciplinesdisciplines

Four steps to Philosophical Four steps to Philosophical AnalysisAnalysis

““Stop the world”Stop the world” Decide “what and how”Decide “what and how” Zero in on an ideaZero in on an idea Think about itThink about it

Socrates (470 -399)Socrates (470 -399)

Wrote nothing; Wrote nothing; appears as appears as character in character in dialogues of Plato dialogues of Plato (427-347 BCE)(427-347 BCE)

First in West to First in West to advance advance philosophical philosophical argumentsarguments

To philosophize is toTo philosophize is to

Seek wisdom and virtueSeek wisdom and virtue Lead an examined lifeLead an examined life Reflect on what life is and ought to Reflect on what life is and ought to

bebe Put your life in perspectivePut your life in perspective To see and reflect on “the big To see and reflect on “the big

picture”picture”

Socratic method (Socratic method (dialecticdialectic))

Socrates asks what ___ isSocrates asks what ___ is Someone answersSomeone answers Socrates analyzes the definition and Socrates analyzes the definition and

asks questions to show thatasks questions to show that It’s unclearIt’s unclear It’s too narrowIt’s too narrow It’s too broadIt’s too broad

Someone proposes another definition, Someone proposes another definition, etc.etc.

DialectDialect

Form of argument where one person Form of argument where one person starts with a question or idea (thesis) starts with a question or idea (thesis) and another person states the and another person states the opposite idea (anti-thesis); The opposite idea (anti-thesis); The discussion will eventually lead to a discussion will eventually lead to a universal definition (synthesis).universal definition (synthesis).

Example of the Socratic Example of the Socratic methodmethod

Fold a piece of Fold a piece of paper in half paper in half lengthwiselengthwise

Left side write Left side write “Statement”, on “Statement”, on the right, write the right, write “Question.”“Question.”

#1 Only people #1 Only people over the age of 18 over the age of 18 should be able to should be able to drivedrive

#2 The United #2 The United States should States should abolish the sale of abolish the sale of firearms to the firearms to the publicpublic

What is dialectic for?What is dialectic for?

Socrates was accused Socrates was accused of undermining belief in the Athenian of undermining belief in the Athenian

gods and gods and of corrupting the youth of Athensof corrupting the youth of Athens

His defense, and his explanation of His defense, and his explanation of his methods, is in Plato’s dialogue, his methods, is in Plato’s dialogue, The ApologyThe Apology

ApologyApology

“I sought to persuade every one of you to look to himself, and seek virtue and wisdom before he looks to his private interests, and look to the state before he looks to the interests of the state; and that this should be the order which he observes in all his actions.”

ApologyApology

Socrates' assumption: To be virtuous, you need to know what virtue is,

Or at least engage in dialectic to find out

Socrates was convicted

The prosecution proposed the death penalty

Socrates got to propose an alternative punishment

People expected him to propose exile

The Unexamined LifeThe Unexamined Life

“If I say again that the greatest thing a man can do is to converse about virtue every day, and that the unexamined life is not worth living-- you are still less likely believe me.”

Plato (428-348)Plato (428-348)

Student of SocratesStudent of Socrates Founded the Founded the

AcademyAcademy Created a system Created a system

to explain all major to explain all major philosophical philosophical issues.issues.

Wrote Wrote The The RepublicRepublic

The RepublicThe Republic

Referred to as the Referred to as the Polity (constitutional Polity (constitutional government of the government of the city.)city.)

Plot centers around 6 Plot centers around 6 men meeting in a men meeting in a house of a rich house of a rich merchant.merchant.

Socrates is primary Socrates is primary charactercharacter

Meeting discusses Meeting discusses questions on justice, questions on justice, rule, obedience, art, rule, obedience, art, and education.and education.

One major concept One major concept discussed is the discussed is the “Allegory of the Cave”“Allegory of the Cave”

Is divided into ten Is divided into ten chapters and is chapters and is regarded as a regarded as a philosophical classic.philosophical classic.

The Allegory of the CaveThe Allegory of the Cave

What does the phrase “appearance What does the phrase “appearance versus reality” mean?versus reality” mean?

Think of an example where something Think of an example where something you thought to be true or real ended you thought to be true or real ended up being false and an illusion.up being false and an illusion.

And what the heck is an “Allegory?”And what the heck is an “Allegory?”

(symbolic representation)(symbolic representation)

Premise to Allegory of the Premise to Allegory of the CaveCave

Socrates explains two Socrates explains two existing worlds…existing worlds…

To Sum up, according To Sum up, according to Plato, the world to Plato, the world accessible through accessible through reflection is more real reflection is more real than the world we than the world we sense around us.sense around us.

One of being (reality One of being (reality attainable only attainable only through through contemplation)contemplation)

One of becoming One of becoming (appearance found (appearance found through our senses)through our senses)