PHIL10 Module #2

Western Civilization

Societies whose origins, major influences, or historical development are connected to Europe

Eastern Civilization

• Societies whose origins, major influences, or historical development are connected to Asia 

Western Philosophy

philosophy practiced throughout the history of Western civilization

Eastern Philosophy

• philosophy practiced throughout the history of Eastern civilization

Philosophy

the pursuit of wisdom

wisdom

a potential quality of human understanding (deeper level of understanding)

2 ways to study philosophy

• Human activity 

• Body of knowledge 

the topical approach

•  Focus on 1 topic, area, or branch of philosophy 

→ ex. Knowledge, reality, morality

historical approach

• study philosophy by time period

→ ex. Ancient Greece, the Enlightenment

primary activity of the philosopher

conceptual analysis 

conceptual analysis

deliberate, systematic analysis of the concepts relevant to a given inquiry

ideal goal of the philosopher

to identify tenable criteria by which we can justify our judgements 

criterion

a standard or quality used to make judgements

criteria

-a quality by which we make judgements

Criteria

plural of criterion

a set of qualities by which we make judgments

judgement

-conscious decision regarding the status of a proposition, or regarding the status of a set of propositions.

-rendered by implicit or explicit reference to criteria

justify

to demonstrate the appropriateness of believing a given proposition.

justification

 reasons/evidence that demonstrate that it is appropriate for a subject to believe a given proposition

justified

having adequate reasons/evidence supporting it

necessary condition and sufficient condition

-something that must be present for something else to happen or be true

Criterion problem

How do we know that the criteria we use to justify our beliefs are actually correct?

Infinite regress

• Every claim needs a criterion (reason/standard) to justify it, but that criterion is also a claim that needs another criterion 

• Never reaches final justification

circular justification

• To know what we know, we first need to know how we know it

• But to know, we first need to know what we know

metaphysics

philosophy of reality

epistemology

• philosophy of knowledge

ethics

• philosophy of morality 

logic

• philosophy of inference

inference

•  mental process of recognizing the presence/absence of conceptual interrelations between multiple propositions

aesthetics

•  philosophy of beauty 

vulgar

•  understanding of subject prior to engaging in philosophy

Naïve

•  understanding of subject prior to engaging in philosophy

philosophical

understanding of subject after engaging in philosophy

The Core Values of philosopher

-wisdom

-critical thinking

-lifelong learning

critical thinking

• making good decisions abt what to believe 

lifelong learning

• ongoing intellectual process of continuously refining one’s understanding whenever one discovers either clearer thinking, better arguments, or better evidence

Collaboration

working together w/ others

philosophical dialogue

• discussing philosophical ideas w/ others

principle of charity

•  trying to understand someone’s argument in the best & most reasonable way possible before criticizing it

Interpersonal values

-collaboration

-philosophical dialogue

-freedom of expression

-open-mindedness

-principle of charity