Summary
Summary Philosophy & Ethics - Lecture 1
- Course
- Institution
Philosophy & Ethics - Lecture 1
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
rishology
Reviews received
Content preview
Philosophy & Ethics – Lecture 1 (18-04-2018): Introduction to PhilosophyWhat is philosophy?
- The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence,
especially when considered as an academic discipline.
- A theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour.
- Thinking
Origin and drivers of philosophy:
Humans are ‘open beings’.
Philosophy is a Greek word;
*Filo means love
*Sophia means thinking.
Dutch: Wijsbegeerte
Socrates:
- Philosophy is not wisdom, but a desire or longing [eros] for wisdom.
- Socratic (= self-aware) ignorance.
Realizing that ‘we do not know’ is the first step towards wisdom.
Socrates questioned everything therefore he became popular, he was the most
paradigmatic questioner.
Pseudos=illusion
- Quest for true knowledge – instead of illusory (pseudos) knowledge and
opinions (doxa).
- Philosophy started of as a struggle with the sophists (‘bluffers’), those not
interested in truth but in something else, e.g. money, power, fame, influence,
etc.
Philosophical ideal of Socrates:
Socrates: ‘The unexamined life (the life that does not critically look at itself) is not
worth living.’
Two commands from Apollo:
‘Know thyself!’
‘Take care of thyself!’
*Goal: a good, true and beautiful life.
Apollo was ‘the God of wisdom’, son of Zeus who created everything.
Oracle: ‘truth-sayer’
When an oracle told Socrates he was the smartest, he did not believe this and began
questioning everything.
Philosophical questions:
- Questioning of the ‘what’ of things/phenomena:
, o What is truth?
o What is time?
o What is space?
o What is matter?
o What is life?
o What is humanity?
- Questioning the presuppositions of our thinking and reasoning, e.g.:
o Our senses are a reliable source of knowledge
o The world (cosmos) is intelligible (can be known)
o The human is a free creature (possesses free will)
The human:
Human: rational animal, animal rationale, zoon logon echon.
- Every human is a philosopher by nature?
- The human is a being that can put him- or herself and the world at large in
question.
- The human is a creature that wants more than it can do, and that can do more
than it may. (W. Wickler)
4 fundamental questions (Immanuel Kant):
1. What can I know? (science)
2. What must I do? (ethics)
3. What may I hope? (religion)
4. What is man? (anthropology)
Science vs. Philosophy:
Science:
- Always researches one specific domain of objects
- Object is already understood in a certain way
- Thus based necessarily on theoretical presuppositions
- Hypothetical
- Empirical-theoretical
Philosophy:
- Researches being in its totality and as such
- Object is questioned in its sway of being
- Critical examination of these theoretical presuppositions
- Problematizing
- Reflexive-theoretical
First philosophers (Presocratics):
- Asked for the unchanging foundations and regularities behind the permanent
change and changeability of the phenomena (phainomena).
- Looked for the first principles (archai) behind reality.
- The fundamental question was invariably: what is the original element or
principle? What constituted the world at its origin? And how have all the
various things come to be out of this origin?
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller rishology. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $6.96. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
52355 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now