Intro Philosophy: Review and Exam Prep

Intro Philosophy & Exam Preparation

The goal of this class is to prepare you for the exam, essentially allowing you to succeed by attending only Tuesday and Thursday classes. The plan is to create a supportive learning bubble.

A sign of mastering content is the ability to organize it in various ways, making connections between different features that may not be immediately obvious to someone learning the material for the first time. On the exams, connecting different concepts together is crucial for learning the material better and developing the skill of combining and applying ideas. The upcoming session will remind us of the course as a whole by organizing and recombining chunks of information in different ways, refreshing your memory for the exam.

Free Will

Free will is usually defined as the ability to do otherwise. Determinism argues that actions are determined by natural laws, negating free will. Conceptualizing free will in this context means distinguishing it from everything else, including natural laws, objects, plants, and even personal attributes.

  • If free will exists:
    • It would be distinct from natural laws.
    • It would be separate from your body, mind, personality, preferences, background, history, and values.
    • This implies free will is uniform and interchangeable among individuals.

Determinism posits that if all other factors are real, free will does not exist.

Wolf suggests that the traditional notion of free will is akin to a magic power, like conjuring an elephant with a snap of the fingers, which operates outside natural laws.

Agency & Responsibility

Wolfs deep self view focuses on agency and responsibility rather than free will. This perspective values your background, preferences, personality, and character, aligning with the real-world aspects of our existence.

In this view, you are embedded in natural laws with your unique body, mind, preferences, interests, background, and experiences. Responsibility is determined by your interaction with the world and your ability to respond to reasons, evidence, and self-awareness.

  • Key aspects of this view:
    • Reflection and revision of behavior in relation to the world.
    • Working within natural laws.
    • The capacity to reflect and revise distinguishes humans from inanimate objects, emphasizing responsibility.

The essence of Wolfs argument is that the conventional idea of free will is an unappealing magic power. Reflection and revision, particular to the individual, are more significant because they are linked to personal identity and values.

Connections to Indigenous Philosophy

The deep self view aligns more closely with indigenous philosophy, as reflection and revision mirror the cycle Burkhart discusses. Skills are developed within natural laws and predictable systems.

Cordova's perspective also aligns with Wolf's view, emphasizing ethics and practical skills, which are essential in indigenous philosophy.

Western views of autonomy often emphasize independence. In contrast, indigenous philosophy views autonomy as self-sufficiency in relation to others. Free will is considered independent, in line with Western ethics, where there is a sharp distinction between the individual and everything else, contrasting with the holistic view of indigenous philosophy.

Descartes' concept of reality features a thinking thing (the self) separate from everything else (including the body and external world), mirroring the structure of free will as distinct from everything else. This Cartesian influence may shape how people perceive free will.

Burkhart's philosophy offers an alternative perspective, emphasizing the interconnectedness of individuals with the world and practical, everyday actions that reflect agency, reflection, revision, and skills.

Beliefs and Critical Thinking

Alula's argument: beliefs are not always obvious and require investigation to understand their reasons, evidence, and origins.

  • Benefits of examining beliefs:
    1. Increases reliability and truthfulness.
    2. Enhances the ability to convince others.
    3. Facilitates coordination with others and access to better evidence through collective engagement.

Critical thinking and belief evaluation are more effective when conducted collaboratively.

Key Philosophers and Their Focus
  • Nagel, Lord, Hooray, Wolf: Metaphysics and Epistemology (reality, knowledge).
  • Aristotle, Burkhart, Cordova: Ethical theories.
  • Rydald & Laura: Theories of difference, care work, political philosophy, and societal issues.
  • Valor, Bray & O'Connor: Technology and ethics.
  • Gray & Wolf: Free will and responsibility, influence of technology on control.

These philosophers can be connected in various ways to explore different aspects of philosophy and their interrelations.
Connections between texts enhance understanding of the material, improve exam answers, and demonstrate the value and sophistication of thought. Engaging with various texts helps place ideas into different contexts and seeing what emerges.