Philosophy in Western Culture

1. Philosophy in Western Culture Donald T. Williams, PhD Toccoa Falls College

2. I. What is Philosophy? • A. Etymologically • Filew(phileo) = Love + • Sofia(sophia) = Wisdom • “The Love/Pursuit of Wisdom”

3. I. What is Philosophy? • A. Etymologically • B. By Example: Answer the “Great Questions” by Rational Thought: • What is Real? (Metaphysics) • Who is Man? (Anthropology) • Why are we Here? (Axiology) • How do we Know? (Epistemology)

4. I. What is Philosophy? • B. By Example: Answer the Great Questions by Rational Thought • But Existentialists & Logical Positivists Deny the Meaning of the Questions. • Therefore some say 20th C. has only “Anti-Philosophy.” • But: Answers implied by the very Denial.

5. I. What is Philosophy? • C. By Usage: “Philosophy of X ” • View of what nature/purpose of X ought to be. • Kinds of Questions asked: • What constitutes Data? • What are the valid Rules of Interpretation? • How does it relate to First Principles? • What is its Meaning for Life as a Whole?

6. A. Etymologically,fileo+sofia B. By Example: Ask “Great Questions” C. By Usage: “Philosophy of X” D. Summary Understand X in terms of First Principles Primarily through Reason Ultimately concerned with Great Questions Metaphysics Anthropology Axiology Epistemology I. What is Philosophy?

7. II. Relation to Theology & Christianity • A. Relation to Theology • 1. Both Deal with the “Great Questions.” • 2. Use different Methodology • Theology is Expository • Philosophy is Analytic • 3. Can be Complementary.

8. II. Relation to Theology & Christianity • B. Can Philosophy Be Christian? • 1. Problems • Inherently Humanistic? • Biblical References • Acts 17:18 • Col. 2:8

9. Acts 17:18, 32 • “And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, ‘What would this idle babbler wish to say?’ . . . Now when they heard of the resurrection from the dead, some began to sneer . . . .”

10. Colossians 2:8 • “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of this world, rather than according to Christ.”

11. B. Can Philosophy Be Christian? • 2. Answers • Biblical Command • Biblical Precedent • Philosophy can choose Obedience • “The Handmaid of Theology”

12. B. Can Philosophy Be Christian? • 3. What can Philosophy offer as Handmaid? • Sharpen Tools of Thought (Logic) • Identify Questions, Implications • Perceive Architectural Unity/Structure • Keep us in Touch with the World

13. B. Can Philosophy Be Christian? • 3. What can Philosophy offer as Handmaid? • Summary: “Fides quaerens intellectum,” “Faith seeking understanding.” --Anselm of Canterbury

14. III. Some Key Moments in the History of Western Philosophy • The Greeks: Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle • Augustine: A Christian Role-Model • Rationalism: DesCartes, Kant, Hegel • Empiricism: Lock, Hume • 20th Century: Positivism, Existentialism, Etc.

15. Heraclitus Ca. 500 BC Flux “You can’t step in the same river twice.” Parmenides Born ca. 515 BC Change is an Illusion Mnemonic Device: “Par”menance The Pre-Socratics

16. The Pre-Socratics Men once thought that it would be nice To step in the same river twice. But then Heraclitus, As if just to spite us, Said, “No! Once will have to suffice.”

17. The Pre-Socratics “The water is flowing away; The new that arrives does not stay. Therefore my conclusion: All else is illusion. There is change; that is all we can say.”

18. The Pre-Socratics Parmenides answered, “Not so! The stream doth eternally flow. What is permanent’s real. So, whatever you feel, There’s no motion and no place to go.”

19. The Pre-Socratics He went on, “Heraclitus, you dunce! Why attempt such ridiculous stunts? With no motion nor change, You can’t even arrange To step in the first river once.”

20. The Pre-Socratics Is the world all in flux or immutable? The answers both seemed irrefutable. But while they were debating, Some children went wading Once—twice—and it seemed somewhat suitable.

21. The Greeks: Socrates • Circa 400 BC • No Writings; No System • Oral Teachings preserved by Plato • Oracle: The Wisest Man • Socratic Method • “The Unexamined Life is not worth living.”

22. The Greeks: Plato • 427-347 BC • Disciple of Socrates • Emphasized Ideas, Forms, Universals • Particulars/Things = Reflections of Ideas • Father of Rationalism • “Myth of the Cave”

23. Platonism Ideas ESSENCE Form (reality) (less real) Things EXISTENCE Matter

24. Plato’s Myth of the Cave

25. Plato’s Myth of the Cave The fleeting shadows flow across the wall; That’s all we know. We think they may arise Outside our minds and bring before our eyes Some glimpse of truth—but by the time they fall To us, a faint and hieroglyphic scrawl Is all that’s left. We try to analyze, Deduce from patterns what the shapes disguise— They’re hard to catch and harder to recall.

26. Plato’s Myth of the Cave We think reflections of reality Are cast by sunlight shining—how we crave To turn and look—but still we strive in vain. No merely mortal man will ever see Whether the Door behind us in the Cave Is there, so firmly Fate has bound our chain.

27. The Greeks: Aristotle • 384-322 BC • Disciple of Plato,Tutor of Alexander the Great • Emphasized Particulars, Things, Observation • Father of Empiricism • “In philosophy there is Plato and Aristotle; all else is footnotes.”

28. Augustine of Hippo • 354-430 AD • Confessions, City of God • “Tolle, lege.” “Take up and read.” • Biblical Approach to Platonism • logos (logos); Illumination (John 1:9)

29. Augustine, continued • “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it. . . . There was the true light, which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John. 1:1, 4-5, 9).

30. Augustine, continued • Biblical Approach to Platonism • logos(logos); Illumination (John 1:9) • Rationes Aeternae (Eternal Reasons) • “Credo ut intelligam,” “ I believe in order that I may understand.” • Scientia(Knowledge)vs.Sapientia(Wisdom)

31. The Conversion of Augustine The Voice cried out in answer to his need To take the plunge, to be converted now, Singing, “Tolle, lege, take and read.” For years he’d stumbled over the hard creed Of Jesus in the flesh—who could see how? But nothing less would answer to his need.

32. The Conversion of Augustine His mother’s prayers were destined to succeed Through Ambrose’ preaching, his own quest, & Thou Singing, “Tolle, lege, take and read.” “But can you live without us?” they would plead— His mistresses—as if to disallow The Voice that cried in answer to his need.

33. The Conversion of Augustine “Yes! Rather put on Christ, who came to bleed, And make no plans the field of flesh to plow.” Such was the answer he took up to read. At last the Hound of Heaven had him treed, Weeping, broken, and prepared to bow. The Voice cried out in answer to his need, Singing, “Tolle, lege, take and read.”

34. Thomas Aquinas • 1225-1274 AD • Summa Theologiae • Scholastic Method • “Baptized” Aristotle • Two Important Ideas: • Two Kinds of Knowledge • The “Five Ways”

35. Aquinas on Knowledge • Two Ways of Knowing • A. Philosophy • 1. Reason Alone • 2. Includes Knowledgethat God exists. • B. Theology • 1. Adds Faith and Revelation • 2. Includes Belief in God

36. Aquinas on Knowledge • Critique • Definition of Faith vs. Reason • Augustine: Faith required for all knowing • Schaeffer: Aquinas made Reason “Autonomous” • Law of Unintended Consequences

37. Aquinas: the “Five Ways” • 1. Motion/Change requires a Prime Mover. • 2. Effects require a First Cause. • 3. Contingency requires a Necessary One. • 4. Imperfection requires a Perfect One • 5. Design requires a Designer • Therefore God exists.

38. Aquinas: the “Five Ways” • Critique • 1. Infinite Regress? • 2. Is it the God of the Bible? • 3. Focuses General Revelation (Ps. 19:1) • 4. Useful to Clarify Alternatives • 5. Needs to be Supplemented

39. Rene DesCartes • 1596-1650 • Rationalism • Principle of Doubt • “Cogito ergo sum.” • “I think; therefore, I am.”

40. DesCartes There once was a man named DesCartes Who asked, “Where should philosophy start?” He said, “If I can doubt it, I’ll just do without it. Now, that out to make me look smart.”

41. DesCartes So he doubted the clear and the plain To see what would finally remain. ‘Twas thus he found out There was no way to doubt The doubt in the doubter’s own brain.

42. DesCartes “I exist!” then with joy he concluded. “On this point I cannot be deluded. Even though it sounds dumb, If I think—ergo sum!” To this day he has not been refuted.

43. DesCartes If you ask what this tale is about, It’s that doubting must always run out. For there’s no way to doubt That you’re doubting the doubt That you doubt when you’re doubting your doubt.

44. John Locke • 1632-1704 • Empiricism • Foundations for Science • Tabula Rasa • “Blank tablet”

45. David Hume • 1711-1776 • Skeptical Empiricism • Miracles contradict “universal experience.” • Theology = “nothing but sophistry and illusion.”

46. Hume David Hume Would never presume To believe in a miracle: He was much too empirical.

47. Immanuel Kant • 1724-1804 • Rationalist • Subject-Object • “Ding an Sich,” “Thing in itself” • “Bluspels” (C. S. Lewis)

48. Immanuel Kant • Subject - Object

49. Kant “Our knowledge,” one sage used to rant, “Is inevitably always aslant. The true Ding an sich Is so sly and so slick, That when you try to see it, you Kan’t.”

50. G. F. W. Hegel • 1770-1831 • Rationalist • Dialectic • Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis • Influenced Marx • “Dialectical Materialism”