Philosphy

Liam is so sexy and cute and little and hairy.

Blackburn

“Introduction”
Philosophy as “conceptual engineering”: Blackburn describes philosophy as "conceptual engineering

Reflective vs. empirical questions: Reflective questions are those that concern the nature of concepts and ideas

such as “What is justice?” or “What does it mean to be free?” These are different from empirical questions

Why we ask non-empirical reflective questions: Human beings are inclined to ask non-empirical reflective questions because of our curiosity about meaning

purpose

What it takes to do philosophy well: To do philosophy well

one must engage in careful

Why bother with philosophical reflection: Blackburn's “high

” “middle

Middle-ground: It helps us clarify our thinking and improve our reasoning skills

Low-ground: Philosophy helps in making practical decisions and solving real-world problems. Examples include philosophical reflection on ethics

which can guide actions in personal life and society

Goya’s observation: Goya’s phrase

“the sleep of reason produces monsters

Plato

“Socrates’ Trial”
Athenian vs. contemporary American democracy: Both systems have democratic elements like voting and participation in decision-making

The agora: The agora was the central public space in Athens

a marketplace and gathering place where people engaged in discussions

Historical events leading to Socrates’ trial: These included Athens’ defeat in the Peloponnesian War

the rise of oligarchic rulers

Ancient Athenian vs. contemporary trials: In Athens

trials were often decided by a large jury of citizens who could vote directly. Socrates defended himself in a public speech

Charges of public opinion: Socrates faced charges based on public opinions

such as being a corrupter of youth and impiety. He responds by defending his character and denying the accusations

Chaerophon and the oracle at Delphi: Chaerophon asked the oracle if anyone was wiser than Socrates. The oracle answered "no one

" leading Socrates to investigate what this meant

Socratic dialogue: This is a method of questioning used by Socrates to stimulate critical thinking and draw out underlying assumptions. It typically aimed to show the person being questioned that their beliefs were contradictory or incomplete

Socratic wisdom: Socrates' wisdom was not knowledge but recognition of his ignorance. This was valuable because it led him to seek true understanding and to question the status quo

Formal charges against Socrates
Socrates was formally charged with corrupting the youth and impiety (not believing in the gods of Athens)

Socrates on corrupting the youth
Socrates argues it would be irrational for him to corrupt the youth intentionally

as doing so would harm himself in the long run

Socrates and spiritual beings
Socrates was accused of introducing new spiritual beings. He argues that his belief in these beings is consistent with belief in traditional gods

as he must believe in some divine entities to have a guiding force in his life

Socrates’ provocation of the jury
Socrates’ behavior was intentionally provocative

as he believed that the truth was more important than placating the jury. He was not afraid to criticize the system and his accusers

Socrates' service to Athens
Socrates believed that his role was to encourage critical thought and help the Athenians examine their lives and beliefs

Fear of death
Socrates argues that fearing death is irrational because we do not know what death entails. It could be a peaceful eternal sleep or a continuation of life in some form

McLeod

“The Analects of Confucius”
Similarities and differences between Socrates and Confucius:
Similarities: Both focused on ethics and the importance of virtue in life

Differences: Socrates focused on individual philosophical inquiry and critical dialogue

while Confucius focused more on societal harmony

Lindemann

“The Importance of Who We Are”
Reidentification vs. characterization: The reidentification question asks how to identify a person or thing over time (e.g.

Personal identities and ethics: Personal identities matter in ethics because they shape our decisions

responsibilities

Characteristics of identities:
Socially constructed: Identities are shaped by society’s expectations and norms

Multiple: People have many facets of their identity (e.g.

cultural

Relational: Identities are formed through relationships with others

Chosen and unchosen: Some aspects of identity are within our control

while others are imposed by external factors

Narratively constituted: Identities are formed through the stories we tell about ourselves

Master narratives: These are dominant cultural or societal stories that shape our identities. Dominant identities are those that are socially privileged

while necessary or damaged identities reflect those that are marginalized or harmed by societal structures

Impossible identity: An impossible identity refers to identities that are contradictory or unattainable

making them difficult or impossible to fully embody or maintain

Counterstories: Counterstories are alternative narratives that challenge the dominant master narratives

and they are important because they allow marginalized voices to reshape their identities and resist societal harm

Challenges with damaged identities and counterstories: Those with damaged identities often struggle to repair them because their narratives are suppressed

distorted

Brison

“Surviving Sexual Violence” and “Outliving Oneself”
Brison’s experience in 1990: Brison was a victim of sexual violence in 1990. People in her life sometimes dismissed her trauma or failed to understand her pain

Brison’s methodology: Unlike traditional philosophy that abstracts away from personal experience

Brison centers her lived experience

Trauma: Trauma is an intense psychological and emotional response to an event or series of events that deeply affect a person's ability to function normally

Outliving Oneself: This phrase captures the disorienting experience of surviving trauma

where the person feels disconnected from their former self and must rebuild a new sense of identity

Three aspects of the self:
Embodied self: Our sense of self connected to our body and physical experiences

Self as narrative: Our sense of self built through the stories we tell about our lives

Autonomous self: Our self as a free agent

capable of making decisions independently. Brison argues these are relational because our sense of who we are is deeply connected to others

Rachels

“What is Morality?”
Moral philosophy: Moral philosophy attempts to understand the nature of morality

Minimum conception of morality: This is the basic idea that morality requires us to treat others with impartiality

respect

Baby Theresa case: Baby Theresa

born with severe brain damage

Jodie and Mary case: The twins

conjoined at the abdomen

Tracy Latimer case: Mr. Latimer’s euthanasia of his daughter

who was severely disabled

Morality and feelings: Morality is about reasoned judgments

not mere emotional reactions. It requires impartiality and good reasons

Impartiality: Impartiality means treating all people fairly

without bias

Conscientious moral agent: A conscientious moral agent is someone who is fair

impartial

Rachels

“Does Morality Depend on Religion?”
Morality’s dependence on religion: Three views: (1) Morality requires religion for guidance

Religion and moral values: Many believe religion provides moral insight because it offers divine guidance on right and wrong

but Rachels argues that morality can exist independently of religion

Divine command theory: This theory holds that morality is based on God’s commands. Actions are right if God commands them and wrong if God forbids them

Dilemma for divine command theory: If moral rightness depends on God’s will

then either:
God’s commands are arbitrary

Mistaken religious derivation: Rachels argues that many people mistakenly think their moral views come directly from religion when

in fact

Fetus and abortion: Rachels critiques the claim that religious doctrine unambiguously defines when a fetus becomes a person

arguing that both Scripture and church tradition are open to interpretation

Morality and religion: Rachels concludes that morality is independent of religion

though religion may influence moral thinking. Morality involves reason