INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

CARLO P. CARLON
COMMON DEFINITION

1. Philosophy of life - a persons overall theory or outlook.
We are who we choose to be.- Green Goblin
"Be the best I can be to help others, and never stop improving."

2. Business Philosophy - the way we ran/manage our own
business.
Motto/Slogan:

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
Etymology - derived for Greek words etimos and logos
Etimos-root, origin, cause, basis, history
Logos-study
Etymology-study of the history of the word

Philosophy - comes from the Geek Words Philia and Sofia.
Sofia- wisdom
Philia- love, desire for, interest in
Philia and Sofia coined by Pythagoras - 600 B.C.

Philosophy is the love of wisdom



ETYMOLOGY
Concrete Definition - the exact explanation of a situation, event, person

1. Philosophy is an academic discipline that exercises reason and logic in an
attempt to understand reality and answer fundamental questions about
knowledge, life, morality and human nature.

2. Philosophy is a systematic and comprehensive study of truth about life,
about the universe, and everything including events, relationships, and
experience

CONCRETE DEFINITION
Cognitio rerum per altissimas causas
sola rationes in luminis comparata.


Knowledge of all things, in their ultimate causes,
in the light of reason alone.
CLASSICAL DEFINITION
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Philosophy
attempts to
answer life's Big
Questions.

SOME BIG QUESTIONS?

What is real?
Does God exist?
What happens after
death?
Do we have souls?
How should I think about
things?
What can I know?
How do I know?

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?
Activity:
Write down 5 questions
that you feel are the
most important
questions in life.
PHILOSOPHY IS ABOUT QUESTIONS
What?
Why?
How?

PHILOSOPHERS ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE
What are the REASONS
for a particular belief ?
Do you believe in God?
WHY?
Do you believe your
ancestors protect you?
WHY?
Do you believe that
murder is wrong? WHY?
PHILOSOPHY IS ABOUT EXAMINING
OURSELVES & OUR BELIEFS
The Unexamined
Life is not worth
living. (Socrates)
Have you ever looked
in the mirror and
asked:
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What should I do with
my life?
EXAMINING OURSELVES
Activity
Answer the question:
Who are you?

Rules
- Don't give your name.
- Don't say what you do.
- Don't describe your
gender.

People can clarify their beliefs.
People can be stimulated to think of the ultimate
questions.
Philosophy can give us a better understanding of
ourselves.
Philosophy can help the student to systematize and
evaluate the uses of information that he or she seeks from
various sources.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY?
BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
Ethics
Politics
Religion
Metaphysics
Logic
Epistemology
Aesthetics
Science

ETHICS
Moral Philosophy
Explores questions about morality
Good and Evil
Right and Wrong
Virtue and Vice
Justice
ETHICS
Questions:
How should we live?
What is good and evil?
What is the best way to live?
What is Justice?
Is right and wrong the same
everywhere or different everywhere?
EPISTEMOLOGY
Knowledge Science
Explores the nature and limitations
of knowledge
Definition of knowledge
Investigates how
knowledge is obtained
Explores the relationship
between belief, truth and
knowledge
EPISTEMOLOGY
Questions:
What is knowledge?
How is knowledge
acquired?
How do we know what we
know?
METAPHYSICS
Knowledge Science
Explores the fundamental nature of
reality and being
Ontology
Existence
Objects
Properties
Space and Time
Cause and Effect
METAPHYSICS
Questions:
What is real?
What is reality?
What is reality like?
POLITICS
Political Philosophy
Explores the relationship between
citizens and governments
Liberty
Legal Justice
Property Ownership
Citizen's Rights
System of Law
POLITICS
Questions:
How should government be
organized?
What makes a government
legitimate?
Who decides who the leaders
should be?
What laws are good and
necessary?
How should law be
enforced?
AESTHETICS
Sensori-Emotional Values
Explores the nature of beauty, art, and
taste with the creation and appreciation
of beauty
AESTHETICS
Questions
What is beauty?
What is art?
What is the value of beauty and
art?
Who should judge what is
beautiful or artistic?
How should art and beauty be
judged?
LOGIC
Rules for Thinking
The systematic principles (or rules) for
thinking rationally.
Inferences are made by
construction of Arguments
Rules of Logic determine
which arguments are VALID
and which are FALACIES
RELIGION
Philosophy of Religion
Branch of philosophy
concerned with questions
regarding religion
Nature & Existence of God
Theology
Examination of Religious
Experience
Analysis of Religious
language and texts
Relationship between Religion
and Science
RELIGION
Questions
Does God exist?
What is God?
What is the nature of the
relationship between God and
humans?
Is God active in the world?
How?
Is there life after death?
What is the relationship between
Religion and Ethics? ...Religion
and Science?