Introduction to Philosophy Justin Amoroso Chapter 1. WHY Study Philosophy? Week 1 WHY Study Philosophy? The Benefits of Studying Philosophy • See Past Bad Arguments - We’re surrounded by bad arguments: ‣ The Mechanic ripping you off, the salesman pressuring you to buy, Thanksgiving dinners with the Family, Political Ads/Commercials emotionally manipulating you, Friends/Social Media/Teachers/Parents/ Religious Leaders asserting harmful beliefs as if they’re Truth. - Understanding Logical Fallacies can inoculate us and make us into better critical thinkers. • Thinking, Speaking, Writing Clearly (and Creatively) - Communication is a critical skill. ‣ Employers don’t just look at how good you might look on paper. They want someone who can think “out of the box,” who are articulate, and who can communicate effectively. It’s a marketable skill. ‣ Communication is critical for relationship. ‣ Communicating (and thinking) well turns persons into leaders. - Studying philosophy exercises thinking, both in logic and imagination. By improving your thinking skills you can improve your communication skills. • The “Indiana Jones” of Disciplines - Here’s why studying philosophy is EXCITING. ‣ When you study a subject like Chemistry or Sociology or Trigonometry or Computer Science, you’re in territory that’s already been discovered. ‣ Philosophy is different: You get to venture into the gray areas, uncharted territories. This can feel like an adventure. It’s both challenging and exciting. ๏ In fact, many disciplines we have today are thanks to philosophers who ventured into uncharted territories. Science, in fact, was called “Natural Philosophy” at first. And to this day PhD stands for “Philosophy Doctorate.” ‣ So, philosophy is probably the only class you don’t have to know all the answers. You can be dumb. Yes, D-U-M-B. Dumb. What’s more important than “knowing” is questioning, and going outside the “fenced off” areas. • The Renaissance Man of Disciplines - Building off the “Indiana Jones” idea, you could also say philosophy is the “Renaissance Man” of Disciplines. ‣ For example, Aristotle thought every human has three basic capacities: ๏ To think ๏ To act (or choose) ๏ To make ‣ Likewise, he divided philosophy into these three branches: • The “Renaissance Man” of Disciplines, cont’d ‣ Aristotle’s Three Branches of Philosophy: 1. THEORY (Thinking) - METAPHYSICS (what’s beyond the physical realm) - SCIENCES (what’s within the physical realm): The Big Five Sciences—physics, astronomy, chemistry, geology, biology. This subbranch also includes the “philosophy of science” - LOGIC (how to think): deductive logic, inductive logic/the scientific method, abductive logic/what Sherlock Holmes uses, mathematics. - EPISTEMOLOGY the limits of knowledge, how do we know, the philosophy of mind - SOCIAL SCIENCES (the human realm): anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy of history. This subbranch might straddle the line between “Theory” and “Practice” 2. PRACTICE (Doing) - ETHICS (choice and relationships on the individual level) - POLITICS (choice and relationships on the community level): includes Law and Economics 3. AESTHETICS (Making) - PHILOSOPHY OF ART (includes the fine arts, the physical arts, the practical arts, rhetoric) - PHILOSOPHY OF BEAUTY • The “Renaissance Man” of Disciplines, cont’d - In other words, with philosophy you’re not stuck looking at tree. You’re able to step back and see how the tree fits into the forest. - Who cares? ‣ A philosopher named Nietzsche thought we can get closer to Truth by seeing existence through as many perspectives as possible. ‣ Also, seeing the “whole picture” can lead to becoming more well- rounded, can broaden horizons, and can increase consciousness. • Consciousness (or Awareness) - This may be the most important benefit. ‣ This includes learning about the world and the universe “outside” of us and learning about the world “within” us. To “Know Thyself” is like turning the light on in a room, and can aid our psychological health. - Aristotle thought this was the highest aim of human life. “Ignorance is NOT bliss.” - Socrates might have added: becoming more conscious can help us to become more moral, too.
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