Philosophical Perspectives

Prof. Kumar Neeraj Sachdev

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
6168-F
 Philosophical Perspective
A philosophical perspective begins in response to
questions such as who am I? from where the world has
come to be? does god exist? how do I know? is
there a difference between good and bad? and the like.
A philosophical perspective is a point of view of a thinker
about a topic such as truth, reality, god, soul, values,
nature etc. that is not limited by space and time.
It has its origin in mans sense of wonder; we humans feel
surprised to experience everything or anything that
philosophical questions emerge in the mind of their own
accord Ex. A ball and a cat.
There are reasons to philosophize, namely curiosity,
intellectual autonomy and (possibly) liberation.
 Philosophical Perspectives

The Ancient
The Modern
The Contemporary
 The Ancient
Thales to Democritus: Natural Philosophers Problem
of substance and change
Problem of Substance: Thales Water; Anaximander
Boundless or Indefinite; Anaximenes Air
Problem of Change: Parmenides Human reason
informs that there is no actual change and if we see
change it is all perceptual illusion; Heraclitus
Constant change is the basic characteristic of nature.
We cannot step into the same river twice. World is
characterized by opposites such as day and night or
winter and summer. Logos or universal reason is the
guiding force.
 The Ancient
Empedocles Nature consists of four elements or roots:
earth, air, fire and water. All objects in the world are the
result of coming together and separating of these four
elements. Love and hate are responsible for binding and
separation.
Anaxagoras Nature is built up of an infinite number of
minute particles or seeds invisible to the eye. Nous or mind
is responsible for change.
Democritus Nature consists of an unlimited number and
variety of atoms which are eternal, absolute and indivisible.
There is no conscious design or force involved in change
because in nature everything happens mechanically.
Everything that happens has a natural cause, a cause that is
inherent in the thing itself.
 The Ancient
Shift from nature of the physical world to man and his place
in society:
Sophists the word sophist means a wise and informed
person; teaching the citizens for money; Protagoras Man
is the measure of all things. No absolute norms for what is
right or wrong.
Socrates never wrote a single line but Platos portrait of
Socrates has inspired thinkers in the western world for
nearly 2,500 years; the art of discourse; a philosopher really
means one who loves wisdom; one thing only I know, and
that is that I know nothing; people are either certain or
indifferent but a few admit of their ignorance and pursue
their quest for truth; the right insight leads to the right
action; Socrates was concerned with finding clear and
universally valid definitions of right and wrong.
 The Ancient
Plato (428 347 BC)
The Eternally True, Eternally Beautiful, and Eternally Good
The World of Ideas
True Knowledge
An Immortal Soul
Out of the Darkness of the Cave
The Philosophic or Utopian State
Body Soul Virtue State
Head Reason Wisdom Rulers
Chest Will Courage Warriors
Abdomen Appetite Temperance Workers
 The Ancient
Aristotle (384 322 BC)
No Innate Ideas
The Form of a Thing Is Its Specific Characteristics
The Final Cause (Material, Efficient and Formal)
Logic (Deductive Logic of Categories)
Natures Scale (Nonliving things and Living
things: plants, animals and humans)
Ethics (Virtues and Good Life)
Politics (Monarchy, Aristocracy and Democracy)
Views on Women
 The Modern
Rationalism holds that certain knowledge is obtained only
through rational thought.
Rene Descartes (1596 1650)
The act of doubt proves that I think, therefore I am. (or I
exist)
The presence of the idea of Perfect Entity in mind proves
that God exists.
Quantitative terms such as length, breadth and depth that
we can perceive with our reason but not qualitative terms
such as color, smell and taste that we can perceive with
our senses, of Outer Reality prove that the External world
exists.
Mind (thought) and Body (extension) dualism and
interaction between the two.
 Empiricism is a belief that all contingent knowledge is
derived from and justified by sensory experience
David Hume (1711-1776)
Perceptions Impressions Simple and
Ideas Complex

Impressions: Immediate sensations of external reality

Ideas: the recollection of such impressions
The perception of the I or the ego is nothing but a
bundle or collection of different perceptions, which
succeed one another and are in a perpetual flux.
The law of causation is nothing but the force of habit.
If you decide to help someone in need, you do so
because of your feelings or sentiments, not your reason.
 The Contemporary
Sigmund Freud (1856 1939)
Psychoanalysis: A perspective of human mind and a
therapy to cure mental disorders
Id (Pleasure Principle),
Ego (Reality Principle), and
Superego (Moral Principle)

Conscious, Preconscious, and Unconscious

Dream Analysis
Rationalization
Projection
 The Contemporary
Existentialism is a point of view giving primacy to
human existence.
Jean Paul Sartre (1905 1980)
Man is condemned to be free.
Existence precedes essence; human existence; in itself
and for itself; the individual and consciousness of
something; bad faith; authenticity
Freedom and value; individual choice and
responsibility; responsibility goes beyond pleasure or
comfort of the individual; personal commitment
Thank You.