Lecture 2: What is Philosophy?

1. Lecture 2: What is Philosophy?

2. Topic Recap

3. Topic Recap • What is Philosophy? • Philosophy involves the activity of asking questions • Philosophy asks questions about itself (Meta-Philosophy) • Philosophers seek to build theories and explanations • Philosophy is NOT a science • Philosophers Primarily deal with Open Concepts • Philosophy involves making arguments

4. Topic Recap • Who Does Philosophy? • Not Just academics/students/professors/people wearing togas • Anyone that asks a philosophical question • We are all capable of being philosophers, it just depends on the questions we ask and how we look at them • Why should we do philosophy? • Perhaps it is in our nature to ask philosophical questions. • Some philosophical questions are important. • Some questions are wholly philosophical and there is no other way of looking at them or avoiding them. • Philosophy can be a powerful tool and can help us learn valuable skills. • Self-Improvement

5. Topic Recap • How do we do Philosophy? • Philosophy involves formulating arguments • There are many different means of making philosophical arguments (comic books, letters, paintings, essays, film, literature, music, poetry etc. etc.) • ... To be continued

6. What is Philosophy?

7. Today’s Lecture In today’s lecture we will: Look at the origins of philosophy Discuss in further detail the differences between science and philosophy Discuss the methodological differences between science and philosophy Conclude by discussing the value of philosophy

8. The Origins of Philosophy

9. Origins of Philosophy The origins of philosophy and science The natural sciences were originally a part of philosophy (Prior to figures such as Galileo and Newton) Before modern science there was little, if any, distinction to be made between the natural sciences, mathematics, astrology, and philosophy. Science and philosophy are distinct spheres of inquiry But their shared origins suggest that there are some crucial similarities between science and philosophy Where did Philosophy come from?

10. Origins of Philosophy Thales of Miletus Lived 580 B.C.E. Regarded as the first philosopher in the Western tradition Thales formulated the first metaphysical theory Believed that everything was composed of water

11. Origins of Philosophy • Thales’ Metaphysical Theory • Observation (O) • The Nile, unlike almost every other known river, dries up in the winter and floods in the summer. • Hypothesis (H1): • O is caused by the wind.

12. Origins of Philosophy • Thales’ Metaphysical Theory • Question: • What is everything composed of? • Hypothesis (H2): • Everything is composed of water.

13. Origins of Philosophy • An alternative to Thales’ metaphysical theory • Observation (O): • The Nile, unlike almost every other known river, dries up in the winter and floods in the summer. • Hypothesis (H3): • O is caused by the will of the Gods.

14. Thales’ Hypothesis in contrast to his Predecessors • Hypothesis (H1): • The Nile’s flooding and drying up is caused by the wind. • Hypothesis (H2): • Everything is composed of water. • Hypothesis (H3): • The Nile’s flooding and drying up is caused by the will of the Gods. Origins of Philosophy

15. Thales’ Hypothesis in contrast to his Predecessors • Hypothesis (H1): • The Nile’s flooding and drying up is caused by the wind. • Hypothesis (H2): • Everything is composed of water. • Hypothesis (H3): • The Nile’s flooding and drying up is caused by the will of the Gods. Natural Phenomena Origins of Philosophy SupernaturalEvents

16. Origins of Philosophy • The significance of Thales’ Question • Question: What is everything composed of? • Assumptions: • Despite the numerous changes we observe, something must remain constant for change to be possible • The world is composed of many different things; the concept of difference is logically dependent on the concept of sameness • The human mind is capable of knowing and fathoming what the one behind the many is • Why is this question significant? • Thales was the first to maintain the belief that reality is composed of one thing

17. Origins of Philosophy • Discussion: • 1. In what way, if any, is Thales’ theory of reality similar to the theories endorsed by modern natural scientists? • In what way, if any, is Thales’ theory distinct from his peers and predecessors? • How does Thales’ come to his conclusion that everything is composed of water?

18. Origins of Philosophy Mythical Thinking (Mythos) Thales’ predecessors used supernatural and mythical explanations to account for natural phenomena Mythical thinking maintains that everything can be traced back to gods and supernatural events Mythical explanations often begin ‘Once long ago...’ Mythical explanations are often unhistorical, unchanging, and are handed down from generation to generation within a culture

19. Origins of Philosophy An example of mythical thinking: Once when ‘Care’ was crossing a river, she saw some clay; she thoughtfully took up a piece and began to shape it. While she was meditating on what she had made, Jupiter came by. ‘Care’ asked him to give it spirit, and this he gladly granted. But when she wanted her name to be bestowed upon it, he forbade this, and demanded that it be given his name instead. While ‘Care’ and Jupiter were disputing, Earth arose and desired that her own name be conferred on the creature, since she had furnished it with part of her body. They asked Saturn to be their arbiter, and he made the following decision, which seemed a just one: ‘Since you, Jupiter, have given its spirit, you shall receive that spirit at its death; and since you, Earth, have given its body, you shall receive its body. But since ‘Care’ first shaped this creature, she shall possess it as long as it lives. And because there is now dispute among you as to its name, let it be called ‘homo’, for it is made of out humus (earth).’ Martin Heidegger, Being and Time, Trans & Ed. John Macquarrie & Edward Robinson. (New York: Harper & Row, 1962), p. 242

20. Origins of Philosophy • Thales’ Thinking • Thales employed reasoning and rational thinking (logos), as opposed to mythical thinking (mythos) • Rationalism • “The view that affirms reason, with its interest in evidence, examination, and evaluation, as authoritative in all matters of belief and conduct”(Miller, Ed L. Questions that Matter, 2009. ) • Examples of rational thinking include: • Science • Philosophy • Mathematics • Natural Theology • Thales traces natural phenomena back to their ontological roots

21. Origins of Philosophy • Two Quick Definitions: • Nonrational: • A nonrational claim is one that is justified, if at all, through an appeal to something other than or different from reason. Authority, feeling, intuition, religious illumination, mystical experience and the like are all nonrational justifications. • Irrational: • An irrational claim is contrary to reason. There are two forms of irrational claims. • A claim that flies in the face of everything we would expect from history, experience, and nature. • A claim that could not conceivably be true: it involves a self-contradiction and is therefore logically impossible. • (Miller, Ed L. Questions that Matter, 2009. p.13)

22. Science and Philosophy

23. Science and Philosophy Similarities between Science and Philosophy? In what way are science and philosophy similar? Both science and philosophy promote reason and rationalism as authoritative, particularly over mythical modes of thinking Both are seeking knowledge Both are attempting to formulate explanations Both proceed by appealing to evidence, examination and evaluation

24. Science and Philosophy • What is the difference between science and philosophy? • What knowledge does science seek? • Knowledge of the natural, physical world • Science seeks to arrive at closed concepts and theories • How does science proceed? • Empirical research • Depends on quantifiable evidence • Formulates and tests theories to explain natural phenomena • The scientific method (observation, control and experimentation) • Uses scientific tools (test tubes, laboratories, microscopes)

25. Science and Philosophy • What is the difference between science and philosophy? • What knowledge does philosophy seek? • Knowledge of the world (not just restricted to the natural world) • Primarily investigates open concepts • Knowledge of the human experience • How does philosophy proceed? • Discussion • Critical thinking • Tests the logic and validity of arguments, concepts and theories • Conducts rational investigations into objects and concepts that cannot be investigated empirically

26. Science and Philosophy Closed Concepts: What is a Triangle? A closed shape with three sides and three angles that equal 1800

27. Science and Philosophy Open Concepts What is Time? What is Truth? What is Justice? Time saving truth from falsehood and envy, François Lemoyne, 1737. Justice, Luca Giordano, 1684-1686

28. Science and Philosophy What is a Mammal? A Warm-Blooded Vertebrate Mammals Not Mammals

29. Not everything can be examined scientifically! Everything is Water! Oh No it Isn’t! Nothing Changes but Change Itself! (Heraclitus) Err... If you say so!

30. What is This? Is it a duck or is it a rabbit? Science and Philosophy

31. What is This? Square suspended in a frame Lampshade seen from above Lampshade seen from below Looking into a tunnel Aerial view of a truncated pyramid Some questions do not have any definite answers but are still valid questions! Science and Philosophy

32. Conclusion

33. Topic Recap • What, How, and Why do we do Philosophy? • Philosophy involves the activity of Critically and Rationally thinking about the question it asks • Philosophy involves formulating arguments • Philosophy has a wider investigative and methodological scope than science • Examines questions and formulates theories that science is unable to investigate: • Is lying wrong? • Does god exist? • Is the scientific method valid? • Philosophy of.. [insert discipline] • Philosophy can be useful tool for critically examine the assumptions implicit in other systems of thought • Remember: Philosophy like any tool has a limited role and application!

34. Discussion

35. Discussion Questions for Discussion: Is the distinction between mythical and rational thinking valid? Or does modern science constitute another form of myth-making? Could science do without philosophy or vice versa? Can philosophy be scientific? Can science be philosophical?