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Introduction to Western Philosophy

Introduction to Western Philosophy. What is Philosophy?. Hard to define The word comes from Ancient Greek and means “love of wisdom” Attempts to solve problems that may not be “wrong” or “right” Not scientific, but still tries to use logic to prove arguments. Big Types of Philosophy.

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Introduction to Western Philosophy

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  1. Introduction to Western Philosophy

  2. What is Philosophy? • Hard to define • The word comes from Ancient Greek and means “love of wisdom” • Attempts to solve problems that may not be “wrong” or “right” • Not scientific, but still tries to use logic to prove arguments

  3. Big Types of Philosophy • Epistemology = what do we “know” and how do we know it? • Ethical = what is a “moral” life? What does “moral” even mean? • Political = what is the “best” way for people to live together? • Metaphysics = what are the basic parts of reality (time, mind vs. body, what does it mean for something to “exist”)?

  4. Ancient Greece • Foundation of Western philosophy • Starts around 6th century B.C.E • Pre-Socratics • Sort of like early science • Pythagoras = understanding the universe with numbers • Democritus = a universe of “atoms” • Sophism = everything is subjective to the individual

  5. Socrates (469-399 B.C.E.) and Plato (424-348 B.C.E) • Socrates = never wrote anything • Plato = his follower • Wrote “dialogues” using the ideas of Socrates • Famous concepts • Socratic dialogue • Analogy of Plato’s Cave • Theory of Forms • Ideal government

  6. Socratic Dialogue/Method • Clarification Questions • “Why are you saying that?” • “What does that mean?” • Probing Assumption • “Why do you assume that?” • “What would happen if…?” • Probing rationale • “What is the proof?” • “Why?”

  7. Socratic Dialogue/Method (continued) • Questions on viewpoints • “What could someone else think?” • “What is the difference between ______ and ______?” • Probing consequences • “If this is true, then what about…?” • Final conclusion

  8. Plato’s Cave

  9. Platonic Ideal

  10. Plato’s Ideal Society (and Self)

  11. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) • Student of Plato • Really emphasized logic • “All men are mortal; Socrates is mortal; thus Socrates is a man” • Everything has a purposeand “moves” towards that purpose • E.g. seeds have the purpose of becoming a plant move toward that • “Unmoved mover” = God (or Spirit or All-Powerful something)

  12. Unfortunately, He Also Believed This:

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