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Anthony Lopez Metaphysics Professor Sauret Date Due: March 20, 2013 Word Count: 2000 !s it Possi"#e to Phi#osophize $ithout Pre%udice& 'i"#io(raphy: C#ass Docu)ent *+, -ruth, Lan(ua(e, and -i)e C#ass .otes/ 0roup Discussion Maritain, 1ac2ues3 4An !ntroduction to Phi#osophy35 6o$)an 7 Litt#efie#d Pu"#ishers: 89ford, 200:3 Pa(es 1;0,1;13

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!s it Possi"#e to Phi#osophize $ithout Pre%udice&

!ntroduction: -o "e honest, ! ne<er rea##y thou(ht that pre%udice e<er had anythin( to do $ith the su"%ect of Phi#osophy3 ! a#$ays associated pre%udices $ith the sciences "ecause they are preconcei<ed notion and that on#y science cou#d fi(ure out if the pre%udice $as %ust opinion or a fact3 8n #earnin( )ore a"out $hat phi#osophy rea##y is, it )a=es sense that pre%udices are intert$ined $ithin this su"%ect of thou(ht3 !t on#y )a=es sense that phi#osophy, or the #o<e of $isdo), tries to so#<e any and a## pre%udices3 Actua##y, as it see)s, phi#osophy has )ore to do $ith pre%udices than does any of the sciences3 ><en thou(h Phi#osophy has a #ot to do $ith pre%udices, that doesn?t )a=e e<erythin( fine and dandy3 -his is actua##y a <ery hard concept to (ra" for )any peop#e3 !f phi#osophy $ants to find truth, then $hy $ou#d you associate it $ith pre%udices, $hich are not a#$ays true& -his "eco)es a parado9 in and of itse#f@ one that isn?t that easy to fu##y understand3 So the rea# 2uestion "eco)es, 4!s it possi"#e to phi#osophize $ithout pre%udices&5

Difficu#ty to Phi#osophize $ith Pre%udice: When #oo=in( at the idea of intert$inin( pre%udices $ith phi#osophy, the point co)es up that preconcei<ed notions, or the so ca##ed pre%udices, shou#d not "e a##o$ed to "e used $hen phi#osophizin(3 !f in phi#osophy the (oa# is to co)e to a "etter understandin( of $hat rea# -ruth is, then the idea of usin( preconcei<ed notions, $hich are not a#$ays correct, see)s si##y and

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i##o(ica#3 -his is "ecause the on#y $ay to find rea# -ruth is "y usin( facts and s)a##er truths and $hat they point to$ards3 -o so)e de(ree Maritain a(rees $ith this, sayin( that it "eco)es e<ident that certainty reasonin( )ust co)e forth not fro) the )ere idea or notion of the thin(, "ut fro) facts that are undisputa"#e AMaritain pa(e 1;0,1;1B3 'asica##y, this )eans that true reasonin( co)es forth fro) $hat cannot "e $ron(3 -his )a=es #o(ica# sense for it sho$s that if so)ethin( is pro<en to "e a#$ays ri(ht, or indisputa"#y ri(ht, then it can ne<er "e $ron(3 Co##o$in( this #o(ic, anythin( that is true, e<en rea# -ruth, shou#d co)e fro) facts that are undisputa"#e3 -his see)s to contradict the a"i#ity of pre%udice "ein( a"#e to "e used $ith phi#osophy3 !t see)s that pre%udices are not undisputa"#e3 -he fact is that pre%udices are for)u#ated "ecause no truth or prior =no$#ed(e is in p#ace3 With no prior =no$#ed(e at hand, pre%udices "eco)e opinionated3 Since pre%udices are opinions, the 4truth5 that is percei<ed can either "e an idea (rounded upon truth or #ies, $hich is so)ethin( that is fa#se AC#ass DiscussionB3 Since there is no idea if the pre%udice is either true or fa#se, there is no indisputa"i#ity $ithin the)3 !f there is no indisputa"i#ity, then there see)s to "e an inconsistency $ith ha<in( pre%udices used in phi#osophy3 -his is "ecause, as it present#y see)s, #o(ica# states that phi#osophy, $hich needs undisputa"#e facts, cannot use pre%udices for they are neither undisputa"#e nor are necessari#y facts3 -he fact if the )atter at hand, is that, to this point, any rationa# person $ou#d hear $hat has %ust "een stated and "e satisfied3 Do$e<er this )ay see), any true phi#osopher =no$s that there isn?t a#$ays a c#ear ans$er $hen phi#osophizin(3 -here is usua##y so)ethin( that other side of the 2uestion states that has the a"i#ity to )a=e sense as $e##3 !f this is true, then to tru#y understand the 2uestion $e )ust #oo= at the other side3

Difficu#ty to Phi#osophize $ithout Pre%udice: -he other side of the 2uestion states that there )i(ht "e a possi"i#ity to phi#osophize $ith pre%udice3 -o tru#y #oo= at this side?s ar(u)ent, it )i(ht "e "etter to restate the position so that $e )ay ha<e a "etter #oo= at $hat $e are rea##y #oo=in( at3 8ne $ay to do this is to state that there is a need for phi#osophy to ha<e pre%udices3 Accordin( to $hat has "een pre<ious#y stated, this see)s a"surd3 Do$e<er, $ith a different 2uestion, a different set of #o(ic is )ost #i=e#y to "e created3 'y sayin( that phi#osophy needs pre%udices, it co)es to )ind that there is so)ethin( a"out pre%udices that are i)portant in the construction of phi#osophy3 So the ne$ #o(ic co)es fro) the fact that there is so)ethin( a"out pre%udices that is needed to tru#y phi#osophize3 !n this #i(ht, $e see pre%udices as so)ethin( co)p#ete#y different@ they are no$ "ui#din( "#oc=s of a (reater so)ethin(, $hich is phi#osophy in this case3 'y #oo=in( at pre%udices rea#ize that pre%udices ta=e on another for), not %ust $hat they #itera##y )ean, "ut the purpose of $hat they are for3 A rea#ity ne$ co)es forth for the reason of pre%udices $hich is the process of ho$ pre%udices are for)ed3 Pre%udices, #i=e pre<ious#y stated, are opinions "ased on $hat is thou(ht to "e ri(ht3 -his is on#y "ecause there is a #ac= of =no$in( any truth3 'asica##y anythin( ne$ that co)es up that a

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person does not =no$ a"out cannot "e =no$n as fact ri(ht off the "at3 -here )ust "e so)e sort of sharin( of truth or testin( for truth to "e a"#e to =no$ the truth3 !n the ti)e that the truth is not ac=no$#ed(ed, a preconcei<ed notion, or a pre%udice, is for)ed3 !f a pre%udice is not for)ed, then there is no thou(ht or rationa#e "ein( produced at the si(ht of $hate<er ne$ thin( appeared3 'asica##y, 4-here is a need for preconcei<ed notions5 AC#ass DiscussionB3 Without the), no ne$ inf#u9 of thou(ht $ou#d "e (ained3 Another $ay to #oo= at pre%udices is that e<erythin( =no$n to a person $as at one point un=no$n, )eanin( a## current =no$#ed(e $as at one ti)e a pre%udice3 !n this #i(ht, it )a=es #o(ica# sense that there is an unintentiona# need for pre%udices3 A#so, it shou#d "e noted that a## pre%udices $i## at one point "eco)e facts, either throu(h tests or the spread of =no$#ed(e fro) others $ho =no$ the rea# truth3 A## of this "eco)es intert$ined $ith phi#osophy "ecause phi#osophy is so)ethin( that is thou(ht inducin(3 !t is tru#y i)possi"#e for so)eone to try to phi#osophize if there is no thou(ht3 Since pre%udices are thou(ht, e<en thou(h they )ay "e fa#se thou(hts, and e<erythin( $as once pre%udices, then #o(ic says that at one point phi#osophy )ust ha<e used pre%udices $hen they $as on#y preconcei<ed notions3 Actua##y, so)eti)es phi#osophy is used direct#y on pre%udices, )a=in(, in a $ay, the pre%udices into rea# truths3 -his can "e done $hen, $hi#e phi#osophizin(, the pre%udice co)es to #i(ht in a ne$ $ay to $here it is either pro<en ri(ht or $ron(3 When this is done, the pre%udice e<o#<es, turnin( either into thou(ht that is ri(ht AtruthB or $ron( Anot truthB3 .o$ $ith that a## "ein( said and done, it co)es to rea#ization that there is so)e contradiction3 -his contradiction is that phi#osophy and pre%udices are "oth supposed to $or= to(ether and supposed to not $or= to(ether3 -his can "e 2uite confusin(, "ecause there is #e(iti)ate infor)ation that supports each side of the ar(u)ent3 -his confusion is a#so =no$n as a parado9, or so)ethin( that )ay present truth thou(h there are contradictions $ithin it3 So, $hat no$& -he "est $ay to step for$ard is to atte)pt to o<erco)e the parado9, other$ise there $ou#d "e not on#y the unans$ered 2uestion, "ut a#so )any ne$ 2uestions that arose fro) the atte)pt to ans$er the 2uestion3

8<erco)in( the Parado9: !n order to try to o<erco)e this parado9 of phi#osophy "ein( intert$ined $ith pre%udice, first it )ust "e rea#ized that "oth parts of the parado9 are tru#y ri(ht@ they "oth contain so)e truth3 -he second thin( that needs to "e done is to rea#ize that each part of the parado9 is ri(ht for a different reason3 Phi#osophy cannot ha<e pre%udice "ecause it is usua##y a hindrance to the truth that is "ein( sou(ht, for pre%udices are opinionated3 8n the other hand phi#osophy needs pre%udices "ecause pre%udices occur "efore and rea# truth can occur, )eanin( it is the steppin( stone for truth3 Since these t$o sections are in fact on#y see)in(#y contradictory, the rea# point is that they (o hand in hand@ one part #eads to the other3 -his )ay see) odd and confusin(, "ut the rea#ity is that they $or= "etter $ith each other than is thou(ht3 !n other $ords, pre%udices are used to on#y (et phi#osophy started, "ut there is a point $hen they )ust "e #eft "ehind so as to

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ac2uire rea# truth AC#ass DiscussionB3 -he $ho#e point then, is that, in phi#osophy, pre%udices are used unti# truth is )ade =no$n, then to continue on$ard phi#osophizin(, one )ust put aside the pre%udices and use the ne$#y found truth3 -his see)s easy enou(h, yet it is 2uite difficu#t to acco)p#ish3 -his is "ecause pre%udice isn?t the easiest thin( to (et rid of, especia##y if you ha<e had it for such a #on( ti)e and "e#ie<ed it as $e##3 -his can "e the hardest part actua##y, "ecause 4!f you ha<e pre%udice you $i## fo##o$ it5 AC#ass DiscussionB3 Pre%udice isn?t so)ethin( that is easy co)e easy (o, it is so)ethin( that one "e#ie<es $hen they see or hear so)ethin(3 -o rid onese#f of pre%udice usua##y ta=es a #ot of proof and hard, tan(i"#e e<idence3 -his is one reason as to $hy the parado9 see)s so difficu#t, "ecause the fact that pre%udices )ust "e used and then (otten rid of is a <ery difficu#t process3 With the pro"#e) of riddin( onese#f of pre%udices "ein( hu(e, it is no $onder $hy peop#e auto)atica##y say that it is i)possi"#e to use pre%udices for phi#osophy3 -he thin( that peop#e need to rea#ize, ho$e<er, is that 4-ruth refers to the facts5 ADocu)ent *+B3 !f so)eone rea##y desires to o"tain truth, one )ust ha<e true =no$#ed(e3 -o o"tain this true =no$#ed(e one )ust (o throu(h the process of creatin( pre%udices, for e<ery thou(ht is a pre%udice "efore it is =no$n as a fact3 Since phi#osophy is a## a"out tryin( to find rea# -ruth, it )a=es sense to conc#ude that e<ery ti)e one phi#osophizes, they )ust use pre%udices and )ust as $e## not use pre%udices3 Actua##y the process of phi#osophizin( is rea#izin( $hat pre%udices one has and o<erco)in( the) so as to #earn the rea# -ruth of the )atter3 !n a $ay, this )eans that the process of phi#osophizin( is a parado9 in and of itse#f, yet it is so)ethin( that )any peop#e ha<e done throu(hout the a(es3 !t is "ecause of those peop#e that $e are a"#e to rea##y understand ho$ to rid ourse#<es of pre%udices after ha<in( e)"raced the) at one point3

Conc#usion: -o say it si)p#y, pre%udice and phi#osophy are t$o thin(s that are 2uite e9traordinary3 -hey need to $or= $ith each other as )uch as they need to $or= $ithout each other3 -his is "ecause pre%udices are #i=e the "ui#din( "#oc=s to truth3 8ne )ust start $ith ordinary "ric=s if they $ant to construct a "ui#din(3 !n this thou(ht process, it is i)portant to note that no "ui#der in their ri(ht )ind $ou#d use "ad "ric=s Ai3e3 one $ith crac=s and ho#es or one that is deterioratedB to construct a "ui#din( that is sta"#e and secure3 !n this sa)e $ay a phi#osopher $ho $anted to find -ruth $ou#d ne<er use "ad pre%udices3 -he phi#osopher $ou#d e#i)inate a## "ad pre%udices and ta=e a## the (ood pre%udices and )a=e the) into facts3 !n the end, it is i)portant to =no$ this: a## thou(hts are first for)ed as pre%udices3 -o )a=e a pre%udice thou(ht into truth, it )ust "e created ane$ so as to "e factua# and not fa#se3 !t is on#y throu(h this process that one )ay "e a"#e to tru#y co)e to find rea# -ruth3 Curther)ore, this process is e9act#y $hat phi#osophy is a## a"out: findin( -ruth "y $or=in( throu(hout pre%udices3 8ne )ay sur)ise that, fro) a## of $hat has "een said, to "e the (reatest phi#osopher, one )ust "e the "est at "oth usin( pre%udices and at =no$in( $hen to rid the)se#<es of pre%udices so as to fo##o$ facts3