philo prelim

• comes from two Greek words: philos (meaning “love”) and sophia (meaning “wisdom”).

• means “the love of wisdom.”

philosophy

philos mean

love

sophia means

wisdom

means having a deep desire to learn, understand, and seek truth about life, the world, and ourselves.

love of wisdom (philosophy)

It’s about being curious and open-minded, wanting to know what is right, true, and good.

philosophy

• an ancient Greek thinker, is often credited with using the term “philosopher” for the first time.

• He did this to describe people who are not just experts or teachers (called sophos), but those who seek wisdom with passion and curiosity.

pythagoras of samos

Pythagoras visited a city called ___ where he Leo, the local prince, with his knowledge.

phlius

he explained that a philosopher is not someone who claims to be wise (sophos) but someone who loves wisdom (philo-sophos).

pythagoras of samos

is not someone who claims to be wise (sophos) but someone who loves wisdom (philo-sophos).

philosopher

In ancient Greek society, people pursued activities for various reasons:

• glory

• profit

• curiosity

Seeking fame and recognition.

glory

Gaining wealth or power.

profit

Simply observing events without deeper involvement.

curiosity

• They aren’t driven by fame or money.

• They dedicate themselves to understanding the world and discovering the truth behind all things.

• They show humility and emphasize the idea of continuous learning rather than claiming complete knowledge.

philosopher

• It is now a field of study that seeks to understand reality, truth, and the meaning of life.

• Also looks at how people relate to their environment and society.

• It explores questions about right and wrong and how we should live together.

• About being curious and asking deep questions about everything.

• Journey of discovery and understanding.

• Helps us think rationally and explore big questions about reality.

philosophy

they never stop wondering and searching for answers

philosophers

big questions asked by the philosophers:

• What is real?

• What is true?

• What is the purpose of life?

main functions of philosophy: (3)

1. creating a complete worldview

2. examining the basics of other disciplines

3. philosophy questions and examines beliefs and traditions

• Philosophy helps us see the bigger picture by connecting different areas of knowledge, such as science, art, and culture.

• It doesn’t focus on just one aspect of life but seeks to understand how everything fits together as a whole.

creating a complete worldview

• Philosophy asks deep questions about the core ideas in other fields like art, science, and religion.

• It looks at their main principles and foundations.

examining the basics of other disciplines

• Philosophy helps us think carefully about what we believe and the traditions we follow.

• It teaches us not just to accept things because “that’s how it’s always been,” but to understand why we believe them.

philosophy questions and examines beliefs and traditions

core branches of philosophy: (4)

1. metaphysics

2. epistemology

3. ethics

4. aesthetics

• Comes from the Greek word metaphysika, which means “beyond physics.”

• It is the branch of philosophy that studies what is real and what it means to exist.

• It asks big questions about life and reality.

• Seeks to answer the question, “what is?” and encompasses everything that exists, as well as the true nature of existence itself.

• Also answers the question, “Is the world real, or merely an illusion?”

metaphysics

metaphysika means

beyond physics

• Comes from the Greek words episteme (knowledge) and logos (study).

• It is the branch of philosophy that studies knowledge — what it means to know something, how we learn it, and how we can tell if something is true.

• About understanding how people know things are true.

• It studies ideas, reasoning, and whether we can trust what we see, hear, or feel.

• Asks how we know what is real

epistemology

episteme means

knowledge

logos means

study

two types of epistemology

1. rationalism

2. empiricism

We gain knowledge through reason and logical thinking — by using our minds to question, analyze, and understand things instead of just relying on our senses.

rationalism

• He believed that thinking carefully and doubting what we’re told helps us find real truth.

• He is known for saying, “I think, therefore I am.”

• He said that we are born with some basic knowledge (called innate ideas), meaning, we don’t need to experience everything to understand some truths — we can use our mind and reason to figure them out.

• He thought our senses could mislead us, so thinking and reasoning are more trustworthy than what we perceive.

rené descartes

Cogito ergo sum

I think therefore I am

Even if we doubt everything — the world, other people, or what we see — we cannot doubt that we are thinking. And if we are thinking, that means we exist.

I think therefore I am

what does “I think therefore I am” means according to rené descartes

Because I can think, it proves that I am real.

• According to René Descartes, we are born with some basic knowledge (called innate ideas).

• We don’t need to experience everything to understand some truths — we can use our mind and reason to figure them out.

rationalism

We gain knowledge through experience and our five senses (seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling).

empiricism

• A key philosopher in empiricism.

• He believed that we are born with a mind like a tabula rasa (blank slate). All our knowledge comes from what we experience and learn.

John Locke

• Also called moral philosophy,

• The study of what is right and wrong.

• Ethos comes from the Greek word “custom” or “habit.”

• This helps us understand what behaviors are acceptable and what are not.

ethics

comes from the greek word, “custom” or “habit”

ethos

three branches of ethics

1. metaethics

2. normative ethics

3. applied ethics

• It looks at where our ideas of “good” and “bad” come from and what these terms really mean.

• Main Question: “What does it mean when we say something is ‘immoral’?”

• Asks where our ideas of right and wrong come from and what they mean.

metaethics

• It focuses on setting rules or standards for what’s right and wrong.

• Main Question: “What should people do to act morally?”

• Gives us rules or standards for what’s right and wrong.

normative ethics

• It takes moral ideas and applies them to real-world issues, like laws or social problems.

• Main Question: “How do we use ethical ideas to solve problems in real life?”

• Helps turn ethical ideas into practical solutions for everyday problems, like creating rules or policies

• Uses those rules to solve real-world problems, like creating laws.

applied ethics

asks what things like “right” and “wrong” really mean.

metaethics

sets the rules for what’s right and wrong.

normative ethics

helps us use these rules in real life.

applied ethics

• Is the study of art, beauty, and taste.

• It looks at how people judge and appreciate art, whether they think it’s beautiful or not.

• The word comes from the Greek word “aisthetikos”, which means “of sense perception”—basically, how we experience things with our senses (sight, touch, etc.).

aesthetics

aisthetikos means

of sense perception

key ideas in aesthetics: (2)

1. more than just what we see

2. art and personal values

When we judge something as beautiful, it's not just because of how it looks. We also feel something about it and think about it deeply

more than just what we see

is emotional and intellectual, not just about appearance.

aesthetic judgment

A famous philosopher who said that beauty and art are both universal (things that can be beautiful to everyone) and subjective (based on personal taste).

immanuel kant

• Our judgment of art can also depend on things like politics, money, and morality.

• For example: Some people may think an expensive handbag is beautiful because it shows wealth or status.

• Others might think it’s unnecessary or wrong to spend so much money on something like that.

art and personal values

Our judgment of art can also depend on things like?

• politics

• money

• morality

Questions aesthetics asks: (10)

1. Can art show the truth?

2. What makes art great?

3. What makes something beautiful?

4. Is art judgment objective or personal?

5. Does art relate to religion or spirituality?

6. Can art have a moral message?

7. Can art express emotions?

8. How does art connect to politics or money?

9. How does culture affect art?

10. Can everyone be an artist?

Does art help us understand deeper truths about life or the world?

can art show the truth

What qualities make some art stand out and be considered excellent? 

what makes art great

How do we decide what is beautiful or not?

what makes something beautiful

Is there a right way to judge art, or is it all about personal opinion?

is art judgment objective or personal

Can art express spiritual or religious ideas?

does art relate to religion or spirituality?

Can art teach us something about right and wrong?

can art have a moral message

How does art make us feel, and can it communicate emotions?

can art express emotions

Can art reflect or challenge political or economic ideas?

how does art connect to politics or money

How do different cultures shape how we see and understand art?

how does culture affect art

Is art only for a few talented people, or can anyone create art?

can everyone be an artist

Deals with the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and what lies beyond the physical world.

metaphysics

Focuses on knowledge, belief, and truth.

epistemology

Concerned with moral values, principles, and what is right or wrong.

ethics

Examines the principles of valid reasoning and argument.

logic

Studies beauty, art, and the nature of aesthetic experience.

aesthetics

development of philosophy: (2)

1. pre-socratic philosophy

2. classical philosophy

where did philosophy began?

miletus

It is a Greek colony in Ionia (now in Turkey).

miletus

They were the first to use reason and logic to explain the world, instead of relying on myths and stories about gods

ionian philosophers

Key Ionian Philosophers:

1. Thales of Miletus

2. Anaximander

3. Anaximenes

4. Heraclitus

• Considered the first philosopher.

• He believed that water is the basic substance of everything in the world.

• He thought all living things and objects came from water.

• He might have noticed that water is essential for life, helps plants grow, and can change forms (liquid, solid, and gas), so he saw it as the source of everything.

Thales of Miletus

• For him, the apeiron is the basic substance or principle of the world.

• He believed that everything in the universe comes from this undefined, endless substance, which is not a specific element like water or air. Instead, it is something beyond what we can see or measure.

• He thought everything in the universe comes from this endless, undefined source.

Anaximander

means something infinite, limitless, or without boundaries.

apeiron

• Believed that air is the basic substance that makes up everything in the world.

• He thought all things come from air and that it changes to form different materials and objects.

Anaximenes

• Argued that fire is the primary element of the universe.

• Famous for his idea that everything is constantly changing (“constant flux”).

• His belief that change is the only constant was a major contribution to early philosophy.

Heraclitus

“change is the only constant” means?

everything in the world is always changing and nothing stays the same forever.

Classical Philosophers:

1. Socrates

2. Plato

3. Aristotle

• He was one of the greatest philosophers, but he didn’t write anything down.

• What we know about him comes from his student Plato and others who knew him.

• Focused on the soul and how people should live.

• He is considered the first major philosopher of ethics, which is about understanding what is right and wrong.

• He believed that people should use reason to make decisions and that philosophy should help make society better.

• Thought people to choose what they do based on their desire for happiness.

• He believed that true wisdom comes from knowing yourself, and the more you understand yourself, the closer you get to real happiness.

• Famous for the Socratic method.

Socrates

• asks questions to help others think deeply and find answers.

• a way of teaching where the teacher asks questions to help students think and find answers by themselves.

Socratic Method

• He was a very famous philosopher and Socrates’ best student.

• He believed there is a better, more perfect world beyond what we can see and touch.

• According to him, the things we experience in our world are just copies of perfect forms that exist in another realm (Platonic Realism)

• Thought the goal of life is to make the soul better by learning and gaining true knowledge. As we learn more, our soul becomes more pure.

• “The Republic” (his famous book)

Plato

the things we experience in our world are just copies of perfect forms that exist in another realm

platonic realism

Plato believed there should be three groups of people:

1. workers

2. soldiers

3. rulers.

wise leaders who know what is best for everyone

philosopher-kings

• He was Plato’s student

• He is called the “Father of Logic” because he developed a way of thinking clearly and logically.

• He thought we could understand the world by observing and using our senses.

• Created “syllogism” and thought “golden mean”

Aristotle

a way of reasoning that connects two ideas to make a conclusion

syllogism

• means living a balanced life

• we should avoid too much of anything, like too much anger or too much laziness, and aim for moderation.

golden mean

• Aristotle’s book where he explained that ethics is about making good choices that lead to a happy, fulfilling life.

• He believed the more we make wise choices, the closer we get to happiness.

Nicomachean Ethics

He said that people who don’t think philosophically may live with the ideas and beliefs from society or culture without ever questioning them.

Bertrand Russell