WEEK 1 LESSON
What the course will be about
• Philosophy
o ‘Philosophy’ from Ancient Greek (philosophia), (philos, “loving”) + (sophia,
“wisdom”)
▪ Pursuit of wisdom, understanding, insight about important questions.
• Philosophical method
o Centrally about constructing arguments for and against answers to important
and difficult questions
• Doing philosophy
o Centrally about constructing arguments for and against answers to important
and difficult questions.
▪ This includes when you evaluate or criticize someone else’s argument
• Objection/critique of an argument is also an argument
• How does this differ from science then?
o Not that different (used to be the same!) and often collaborate, but:
▪ Method: philosophers do not (typically) inquire by conducting
experiments and observations
▪ Questions: those that science cannot answer or cannot answer by itself
with observation and experimentation (at least not yet)
• Some main areas of philosophy (wisdom about):
o Epistemology (Knowledge)
o Philosophy of religion (God, religious belief)
o Philosophy of mind (the mind, consciousness)
o Ethics (right and wrong, the good life)
o Metaphysics (reality, being)
o Political philosophy (justice, fairness)
o Philosophy of science (science, scientific knowledge)
o Aesthetics (beauty, art)
o Philosophy of language (meaning, language)
,Reading #WEEK1: Why Philosophy? Five Views (pg. xxvii-xxxii)
ALEX BYRNE
• What is knowledge, and why is it valuable?
o These are characteristic philosophical questions, which are dealt with in Plato's
Meno.
o As Socrates states in another of Plato's dialogs, Theaetetus, the wonder is where
philosophy starts.
o Philosophers take central importance: knowledge, justice, truth, religion, mind,
matter and ask what it is.
o Why is knowledge valuable? Is any religion true? How should a just society be
organized?
• Philosophers love asking “What is X?”
o This is rarely answered correctly
o Are very good at telling us what X isn’t
▪ Socrates explains why knowledge is not “true opinion.”
o Often say helpful things about X
▪ In effect, Socrates points out that there is something that cannot be
proven to be wrong
o Their efforts to say what X is and to provide a description of X almost always fail.
o It is unlikely that there will be an exception when X = philosophy
• Is philosophy the study of fundamental and general problems that relies on logic and
argument?
o There are fundamental and general problems in many things such as math,
history, and biology.
▪ People in all these fields do rely on logic and argument
o Then, the study of fundamental and general philosophical problems but this is
almost completely insightful, but not the kind of response that counts as a
description.
• What’s the value in philosophy? Will philosophy help you get into law school?
o Philosophy majors do have a very high average LSAT scores but its more about
the type of person who wants to be major in philosophy than about the
academic health advantages of the subject itself.
• Does philosophy make you a better person?
o A few years back, a philosopher with a spare afternoon broke the evidence and
argued that ethicists were more likely than other thinkers to rob library books.
, o Even if it's false, there's no evidence that ethicists are particularly ethical.
• The Problems of Philosophy philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote.
“a person who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices
derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from
convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his
deliberate reason.” He continued, “removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those
who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of
wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect.”
o This way of thought is closed to speculation or to the theory of possibility.
o Philosophy, on the other hand, allows us to see even the most common things in
an unexpected way.
o While such consideration reduces our flawed certainty about the universe, it
indicates a range of possibilities "which expand our thoughts and free them from
the slavery of custom."
o While we lose some of our faith in what things are, we gain awareness of what
they might be.
o Philosophy banishes "arrogant dogmatism" and frees "our sense of wonder."
• If you are willing to fight the temptation of philosophy, even the powers of rationality
are unable to alter your mind.
JOSHUA COHEN
• First, philosophers think carefully.
o They simplify problems and address them one step at a time.
o That does not mean they get things right.
o It does mean that if you work hard at the reading, you will get a better sense of
how to wrestle with questions in an intellectually careful way.
• Second, philosophers think deeply.
o When a philosopher hears that keeping promises is the right thing to do, he or
she wants to know why.
o They also question what does it mean that it is right? What is rightness? Why
does
o rightness matter? And how does it fit into the world?
o Work hard at the readings, then, and you will get a better sense of how to think
about fundamentals.
• Third, philosophers think critically.
o They disagree with one another, and they sometimes disagree with received
wisdom.
, o But they do not simply disagree.
o They give reasons for their disagreement.
o Study hard on readings, and you'll get a better idea of how to rationally question
settled theories and beliefs that you disagree with—and how to challenge
yourself.
• Fourth, philosophers think ambitiously.
o Look at the table of contents of this anthology.
o It does not cover every philosophical issue, but we have chosen themes that are
relevant, starting with God and ending with equality and challenge.
o Work hard on readings, and you'll get a better idea of how to learn about big,
complicated subjects.
• The promise of philosophy
o To think more carefully, deeply, and critically about issues that are genuinely
worth thinking about.
ELIZABETH HARMAN
• There are certain questions that philosophers have tended to think about
• Some philosophical questions are not surprising:
o Is there a God?
o How should people treat each other?
o When is a person blameworthy for her actions?
• Questions that are basic and central to ordinary human life, we may find surprising
further questions:
o Should I believe in God because that’s a safe bet?
o If someone is wrong about what his moral duties are, is he thereby blameless
when he does terrible things?
• A philosophical argument may blow your mind by convincing you of a shocking
conclusion.
o It may almost convince you, leaving you wondering whether the argument has
gone wrong, and if so, where?
o Thinking it through for yourself, exploring objections, thinking of how the author
might respond, and talking all of this through with your friends, classmates, and
teachers,
o Doing all these things, you are doing philosophy.
• The great thing about philosophy is that, whoever you are, and how much or how little
you know about philosophy to date, the burden is on the writers you read to persuade
you.
What the course will be about
• Philosophy
o ‘Philosophy’ from Ancient Greek (philosophia), (philos, “loving”) + (sophia,
“wisdom”)
▪ Pursuit of wisdom, understanding, insight about important questions.
• Philosophical method
o Centrally about constructing arguments for and against answers to important
and difficult questions
• Doing philosophy
o Centrally about constructing arguments for and against answers to important
and difficult questions.
▪ This includes when you evaluate or criticize someone else’s argument
• Objection/critique of an argument is also an argument
• How does this differ from science then?
o Not that different (used to be the same!) and often collaborate, but:
▪ Method: philosophers do not (typically) inquire by conducting
experiments and observations
▪ Questions: those that science cannot answer or cannot answer by itself
with observation and experimentation (at least not yet)
• Some main areas of philosophy (wisdom about):
o Epistemology (Knowledge)
o Philosophy of religion (God, religious belief)
o Philosophy of mind (the mind, consciousness)
o Ethics (right and wrong, the good life)
o Metaphysics (reality, being)
o Political philosophy (justice, fairness)
o Philosophy of science (science, scientific knowledge)
o Aesthetics (beauty, art)
o Philosophy of language (meaning, language)
,Reading #WEEK1: Why Philosophy? Five Views (pg. xxvii-xxxii)
ALEX BYRNE
• What is knowledge, and why is it valuable?
o These are characteristic philosophical questions, which are dealt with in Plato's
Meno.
o As Socrates states in another of Plato's dialogs, Theaetetus, the wonder is where
philosophy starts.
o Philosophers take central importance: knowledge, justice, truth, religion, mind,
matter and ask what it is.
o Why is knowledge valuable? Is any religion true? How should a just society be
organized?
• Philosophers love asking “What is X?”
o This is rarely answered correctly
o Are very good at telling us what X isn’t
▪ Socrates explains why knowledge is not “true opinion.”
o Often say helpful things about X
▪ In effect, Socrates points out that there is something that cannot be
proven to be wrong
o Their efforts to say what X is and to provide a description of X almost always fail.
o It is unlikely that there will be an exception when X = philosophy
• Is philosophy the study of fundamental and general problems that relies on logic and
argument?
o There are fundamental and general problems in many things such as math,
history, and biology.
▪ People in all these fields do rely on logic and argument
o Then, the study of fundamental and general philosophical problems but this is
almost completely insightful, but not the kind of response that counts as a
description.
• What’s the value in philosophy? Will philosophy help you get into law school?
o Philosophy majors do have a very high average LSAT scores but its more about
the type of person who wants to be major in philosophy than about the
academic health advantages of the subject itself.
• Does philosophy make you a better person?
o A few years back, a philosopher with a spare afternoon broke the evidence and
argued that ethicists were more likely than other thinkers to rob library books.
, o Even if it's false, there's no evidence that ethicists are particularly ethical.
• The Problems of Philosophy philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote.
“a person who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices
derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from
convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation or consent of his
deliberate reason.” He continued, “removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those
who have never travelled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of
wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect.”
o This way of thought is closed to speculation or to the theory of possibility.
o Philosophy, on the other hand, allows us to see even the most common things in
an unexpected way.
o While such consideration reduces our flawed certainty about the universe, it
indicates a range of possibilities "which expand our thoughts and free them from
the slavery of custom."
o While we lose some of our faith in what things are, we gain awareness of what
they might be.
o Philosophy banishes "arrogant dogmatism" and frees "our sense of wonder."
• If you are willing to fight the temptation of philosophy, even the powers of rationality
are unable to alter your mind.
JOSHUA COHEN
• First, philosophers think carefully.
o They simplify problems and address them one step at a time.
o That does not mean they get things right.
o It does mean that if you work hard at the reading, you will get a better sense of
how to wrestle with questions in an intellectually careful way.
• Second, philosophers think deeply.
o When a philosopher hears that keeping promises is the right thing to do, he or
she wants to know why.
o They also question what does it mean that it is right? What is rightness? Why
does
o rightness matter? And how does it fit into the world?
o Work hard at the readings, then, and you will get a better sense of how to think
about fundamentals.
• Third, philosophers think critically.
o They disagree with one another, and they sometimes disagree with received
wisdom.
, o But they do not simply disagree.
o They give reasons for their disagreement.
o Study hard on readings, and you'll get a better idea of how to rationally question
settled theories and beliefs that you disagree with—and how to challenge
yourself.
• Fourth, philosophers think ambitiously.
o Look at the table of contents of this anthology.
o It does not cover every philosophical issue, but we have chosen themes that are
relevant, starting with God and ending with equality and challenge.
o Work hard on readings, and you'll get a better idea of how to learn about big,
complicated subjects.
• The promise of philosophy
o To think more carefully, deeply, and critically about issues that are genuinely
worth thinking about.
ELIZABETH HARMAN
• There are certain questions that philosophers have tended to think about
• Some philosophical questions are not surprising:
o Is there a God?
o How should people treat each other?
o When is a person blameworthy for her actions?
• Questions that are basic and central to ordinary human life, we may find surprising
further questions:
o Should I believe in God because that’s a safe bet?
o If someone is wrong about what his moral duties are, is he thereby blameless
when he does terrible things?
• A philosophical argument may blow your mind by convincing you of a shocking
conclusion.
o It may almost convince you, leaving you wondering whether the argument has
gone wrong, and if so, where?
o Thinking it through for yourself, exploring objections, thinking of how the author
might respond, and talking all of this through with your friends, classmates, and
teachers,
o Doing all these things, you are doing philosophy.
• The great thing about philosophy is that, whoever you are, and how much or how little
you know about philosophy to date, the burden is on the writers you read to persuade
you.
