Philosophy An Introduction

What is Philosophy???

It begins and ends with wonder Alfred North Whitehead The study of things human and divine classical Greece Comes from the Greek literally meaning love of wisdom Process of bringing knowledge into existence
http://youtu.be/K3pFMibKrS8

Aims of Philosophy
Philosophers attempt to pursue an argument to its end and find
truth or at least come closer to it.

Asks us to become autonomous/independent thinkers Attempt to answer well reasoned arguments, the fundamental
questions about life, realityanything that gives meaning to human existence.

Philosophers Tools

Rules of logic Critical Reflection

Clear Thinking
Creative Imagination

Part of all fields

All fields have a philosophy at their core. The beliefs of the field or
profession form the philosophy of the field.

Science, history, coaching, art, laweven things like your own philosophy on
life or friendship

A VERY brief tour of philosophy

Said to have originated in Athens 5th c. b.c.e. First philosophers were concerned with metaphysics Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle set most of the
philosophical agenda to present day

The Classical Period

700 BCE 300 CE Ancient Chinese Philosophy
heavens, kingdom and family. Lao Tzu, founder of Taoism, is key figure Ancient Indian

Explores relationship between the celestial and earth. Links

Questions reality between illusions, reality and higher self Yajnavalkya and Vachaknavi are key figures in Upanishad
philosophy

 Ancient Greek Philosophers

Classical Period Cont

Socrates focused mostly on ethics Plato focused on metaphysics, ethics, human nature and rhetoric

Aristotle focused on metaphysics, ethics and considered the founder of the field of
logic

Stoic philosophers were influential c. 300 BCE to 180 CE and focused on more
spiritual philosophy looking at good, evil and logic in every day life. Ie) Zeno, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius

The Medieval Period

900 to 1400 In Europe Philosophical Thought was focused on Theology and Ethics due
to heavy influence of Church. Discussed the soul, immorality, salvation..ie) Thomas Aquinas

Other parts of the world focus on logic, physics, theology, and politics. Ie)
Adi Shankara, Shri Madhvacharya and Averroes.

The Renaissance Start of the Early Modern Period

1500 to 1600 Philosophers of Europe refocused on the classics. Humanitarianism and a move away from Theology ie) Montaigne,
Erasmus and Bacon
Not

Modern Philosophy
Rene Descartes I think, therefore I am considered the
father of modern philosophy

Creates new focus on what can we know for certain? and

What is the relationship between mind and body?

Includes the period of the Scientific revolution and the

Enlightenment

Other key writers: Hobbes and Pascal

The Enlightenment
1687-1789 Newton writes Principia marking the start of The Enlightenment
(although some earlier 17thc philosophers like Locke are included)

A new focus on science and philosophy emerges as people start

looking for proof to base their knowledge.

As science explained more, philosophy turned more to how

people know and why they know. Also a new focus on social and political philosophy ie) Locke, Hume, Rousseau, Kant.

The Contemporary Period

1900 to Present Existentialism, structuralism, linguistics emerge along with new perspectives
ie) other cultures, other religions, feminists etc.

New sub-disciplines such as philosophy of science, history, science Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Russell Bertrand, Chomsky