DOING PHILOSOPHY

 METAPHYSICS
 from the term, “meta ta physika” which means Beyond Physics – dealing with realities beyond the
physical;
 Study of the nature of things; studies the ultimate reality
 EPISTEMOLOGY
 from the Greek word, “episteme” which means knowledge;
 deals with the question of “what do we know?” “where do knowledge come from?” “how do
we know?”
 Two sides: Rationalist vs Empiricist
**separated handouts, please read about this**
 ETHICS –
 Ethics is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with actions and behaviour of man in the
society.
 Ethics can be defined etymologically as coming from the Greek word ethos meaning character/
personal character.
 It is, therefore, an investigation into the nature of a virtuous life or the right way of to live.
 Ethics is concerned with understanding/ evaluating the character of individuals.
 It studies moral values and standards by which we ought to live.
 Difference between Morality and Ethics: Whereas morality concerned with habits, manners &
social manners, ethics is a philosophical study of how man behaves. -Therefore, morality is the
material object of study. -Hence, we can conclude that ethics is a discipline that studies
morality.
 AESTHETIC
 is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and appreciation of art, beauty and good
taste. It has also been defined as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature".
 ask questions like "What is a work of art?", "What makes a work of art successful?", "Why do we
find certain things beautiful?", "How can things of very different categories be considered equally
beautiful?", "Is there a connection between art and morality?", "Can art be a vehicle of truth?",
"Are aesthetic judgments objective statements or purely subjective expressions of personal
attitudes?", "Can aesthetic judgments be improved or trained?"
 The importance of aesthetics to philosophy can, on reflection, not be denied: if philosophers
want to explore what it means to be human, they must study this mysterious and significant
ability of human beings to make aesthetic judgements.
 Aesthetic Judgment: Judgements of aesthetic value rely on our ability to discriminate at
a sensorylevel, but they usually go beyond that. Judgments of beauty are sensory, emotional,
and intellectual all at once.

 LOGIC
 is a branch of Philosophy that is concerned with the study of reason. i.e. how humans should
reason; not how they actually reason
 Reasoning is making a claim and giving justifications for the claim.
 Argument means reasoning is technically referred to as an argument
 In an argument there are 2 forms of reasoning; Claims and Conclusion
 The preposition whose truth is claimed to be inferred from the truth the other preposition is
called conclusion while the other prepositions from whose truth the conclusion is called
premises
 the argument in which the truth of the conclusion is claimed to be inferred necessarily from the
premises is called a deductive argument.
First Principles
Principle of Identity
 whatever is is and whatever is not is not; everything is what it is.
 Everything is its own being, and not being is not being.
 Formula: A is A, B is B
 Particular and has characteristics that are part of what it is.
Principle of Non-Contradiction
 Whatever is, not –not is;
 It is impossible for a thing to be and not to be at the same time, and at the same respect.
 Formula: A cannot be A and not A at the same time
 If it contradicts each other, they cannot be both true
 Nothing can be true and false at the same time and in the same context/respect
 Truth is NOT self-contradictory
Principle of Excluded Middle
 a thing is either is or is not; everything must be either be or not to be;
 between being and not-being, there is no middle ground
 formula: A or B – NOTHING ELSE. There is no in between.
Syllogism – A group of statements, at least two of which are premises, with the final statement as conclusion.
Types of Premises:
Hypothetical Premise – If A is true then B is true (If A then B)
Categorical Premise – If A is in C then B is in C (syllogism)
Disjunctive Premise – If A is true, then B is false (A or B)
Parts of a Premise: Major, Minor, and Conclusion
Example: Categorical Premise: A is in C, B is in C
Major: All men are mortal.
Minor: Socrates is a man.
Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

Major: Plants need carbon dioxide to live.

Minor: The oak tree is a plant.
The oak tree needs carbon dioxide to live

“For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he
giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity
and vexation of spirit.
- Ecclesiastes 2:26