Introduction: What is Philosophy?

Introduction to Philosophy

  • Welcome by Dave Ward, University of Edinburgh

  • Aim of the lecture: Understand what philosophy is as a subject

    • Overview of structure:

      • Definition of philosophy

      • Relation of philosophy to other subjects

      • Features of philosophy derived from the definition

      • How to engage in philosophical thinking

      • Great philosophers and their contributions

What is Philosophy?

  • Philosophy defined simply as the activity philosophers engage in.

    • Emphasizes that philosophy is more than just a subject; it is an activity.

    • Encouragement for students to actively engage with the material throughout the course.

    • Philosophy is the activity of determining the best way to think about things.

Philosophy vs Other Subjects

  • Distinction between merely thinking about a subject and stepping back to evaluate the best way to think about it.

    • All subjects (e.g., astronomy, zoology) aim to think about their domains correctly.

    • Philosophers differentiate by examining the fundamental inquiries of those domains.

Example 1: Physics

  • Performing physics involves data collection, measurements, experiments, and theory-building.

  • Transitioning from physics to the philosophy of physics:

    • Asking foundational questions, such as:

      • What does it mean for data to confirm/refute a theory?

      • What constitutes our understanding of reality?

Example 2: Medieval Medicine

  • Medieval medicine's explanation of diseases based on the 4 humors: blood, black bile, phlegm, yellow bile.

    • This perspective is outdated and has been replaced by more accurate understandings.

  • Change in medical thought can arise from:

    • Questioning identities (e.g., what does it mean for a disease to be an imbalance of humors?)

    • Acknowledging important factors beyond humors.

    • Observing the ineffectiveness of treatments based on the outdated framework.

Ways to Revise Our Thinking

  • Two sources prompting philosophical revisions:

    • Insight: Philosophical questioning can prompt changes without external validation.

      • Example: Inquiry into the meaning of disease treatment.

    • External Evidence: Observations and discoveries that challenge existing frameworks.

      • Example: Developments in quantum mechanics impacting physics understandings.

Quantum Mechanics as a Revision Case

  • Quantum mechanics reveals complexities in traditional thinking about causes and effects:

    • Non-locality: One event can instantaneously affect another far away.

    • Wave-particle duality: Objects exhibiting properties of both waves and particles.

Philosophy's Relationship with Other Subjects

  • Philosophy is closely linked to various academic fields.

  • Examples include:

    • The philosophy of mind influenced by artificial intelligence developments.

    • Philosophy stepping back to reassess and rethink understanding based on empirical evidence.

Conclusion

  • Philosophy characterized as the activity of stepping back to evaluate the best way to understand various domains.

    • Importance of active engagement in this activity, not merely consumption of information.

    • Encouragement for students to think critically and participate in philosophical discussions.