Philosophy 206 midterm

Branch of philosophy addresses the nature of reality: What is the really real?

Metaphysics

“The love of wisdom” is the ____ definition of philosophy

Etymological definition

In the regression test, who is the AI built to represent in this story?

Titilope’s mother

Which question/topic clues Titilope that the AI has taken on aspects that are not of her mother?

The question: “What temperature would you like the room set to?” Titilope’s mother used to always say the desired temperature was little off, and that its a subjective preference from person to person rather than an objective answer. But the AI version of her mom sticks with the objective answer, despite Titilope thinking of the room as slightly uncomfortable.

What philosophical question is “The Regression Test” addressing?

It heavily addresses the metaphysical questions of philosophy, such as: “What is the really real?” “What is the nature of humanity?” and “What makes one a person?” It ties into the rice heap metaphor: how much rice can I remove until it is no longer a heap?

Does the author of “The Regression Test” answer the philosophical questions it addresses?

No, the author doesn’t provide a definitive answer. Instead they leave it open ended and up for interpretation.

What did Frankenstein study to understand the source of human life?

Dead human bodies

What did Frankenstein think would happen after successfully creating life from death?

He would be viewed as a creator/God.

According to the monster, what did he first have to learn?

How to understand what he perceived.

What philosophical questions does Frankenstein address?

Its a mixture of metaphysics and epistemology. The story starts with a metaphysical lean as Victor creates life from death, leaning into metaphysical questions such as “What makes one a person?” But as the story progresses, it takes an epistemological lean. We see the questions of: “How do we know?” (The monster first learning how to percieve his senses, how do speak and read French), “What is the meaning of human history?” (the monster learning tales of human history from the cottage family) and “How do we determine right and wrong?” (The monster learning morals and appreciating human life vs. constantly being outcasted and lashing out because of it.)

This period of history has significantly shaped the scope and direction of Modern Western philosophy:

The Enlightenment

Historically, the goal of philosophy has been:

The Good Life

When Okonkwo returned to Umuofia, the colonists had established a church as well as _____ in the tribe

A school

Is there a definitive definition of philosophy?

There is no definitive definition of philosophy-even philosophers disagree over the nature of philosophy.

How did ancient Greek philosophers mirror the wisdom traditions of the day?

They believed philosophy was a way of life. Right knowing = Right living (the good life).

what was the late middle ages like for philosophy?

Seedbed is set for the Renaissance and Enlightenment. When the scientific revolution kicks off, it leads science as the new topic and philosophy as a “dead science” since people believe it has been stuck in the same debates for centuries.

What has modernity-mid 1700s to now-done for philosophy?

Science has taken over as the standard measure of truth, side lining philosophy (which had once been throned the “queen of science”).

Bertrand Russell states that philosophy studies the residue of science.

Four divisions of philosophy

Metaphysics, epistemology, morality (ethics), and aesthetics

Define logic in philosophy

The study of reasoning. Provides structure for valid reasoning and argumentation.

Define ethics in philosophy

Studies moral principles, values, and what is right and wrong.

Axiology =

Morality

True or false?: Though the four divisions of philosophy are Western philosophical categories, the questions they ask are asked by every philosophical tradition.

True

Knowledge/wisdom vs. information

Knowledge/wisdom = the perception and application of human understanding. Can be subjective.

Information = Foundational, structural bases of reality. This is objective.

What are two divisions of philosophy that are Foundational to ethics?

Metaphysics and epistemology. This is because ethics involves deciding what is right and wrong, which requires knowing what exists in reality (metaphysics) and how we can know it (epistemology).

Abstract ideas vs. concrete ideas

Abstract = Things we can’t physically obtain. For example, the feeling of love and the different types of love.

Concrete = Something we can grasp; something that is objective, like 2 + 2 = 4.

6 World View Questions and the divisions of philosophy they represent

What is the really real? (Metaphysics)

What is the nature of the world? (Metaphysics)

What is the nature of humanity? (Metaphysics)

How and why is knowledge possible? (Epistemology and ethics)

What is the meaning of human history? (Epistemology and ethics)

How do we determine right and wrong? (Epistemology and ethics)

“What is the really real?” asking for?

What grounds the universe?

“What is the nature of the world?” asking for?

Is the world material only? Or material and immaterial?

“What is the nature of humanity?” asking for?

Are humans unique from other creatures? What makes one a person?

“How and why is knowledge possible?” What is this asking for?

How do we know? Is there truth? What counts as truth?

“What is the meaning of human history?” Asking for?

Is history linear? Cyclical? Or non-existent? What is the nature of time?

“How do we determine right and wrong?” What is this question asking for?

What grounds morality, If at all?

This branch of philosophy addresses knowing and knowledge: How do we know what we know?

Epistemology