Introduction to Philosophy

What is Philosophy?

• Philosophy comes from the Greek words "philos" and "sophia" meaning "love of wisdom"
• It is a broad field of inquiry that delves into fundamental aspects of human existence and understanding using reason
• Philosophy involves abstract and general ideas to make sense of the world

Why Study Philosophy?

• Develops critical thinking
• Enhances clarity of concepts
• Encourages ethical considerations
• Provides a broad perspective
• Fosters creativity
• Promotes long-term thinking

Famous Ancient Philosophers

• Pythagoras: credited with the Pythagorean theorem, advocated for soul's immortality, virtuous behavior, and the significance of mathematics in understanding reality
• Heraclitus: proposed that everything exists based on a higher order or plan called "logos"
• Democritus: believed that natural phenomena have causes and that everything is composed of atoms
• Diogenes of Sinope: advocated for living a simple and virtuous life in accordance with nature and one's natural inclinations
• Socrates: developed the method of examining a topic through a series of questions to examine and analyze one's knowledge and views
• Aristotle: contributed to the development of deductive reasoning through logic studies
• Plato: introduced dialectic for inquiry and founded the Academy, a renowned institution of higher learning
• Epicurus: advocated for focusing on overall pleasure and pain distribution over a lifetime, rather than seeking short-term pleasures

6 Main Divisions of Philosophy

• Logic: the study of reasoning, including deductive and inductive reasoning
• Epistemology: the study of knowledge and knowing, including rationalism and empiricism
• Ethics: the study of what is right and wrong in human behavior, focusing on character and custom
• Metaphysics: the study of the nature of ultimate reality
• Aesthetics: the study of perception and ugliness, focusing on sensations, feelings, and intuitions
• Political Philosophy: the study of society, politics, and people, recognizing that society is inseparable from politics

Methods of Philosophizing

• Determining truth or drawing conclusions from a statement using various philosophical methods
• Truth: a fact that has been verified
• Knowledge: clear awareness and understanding of something
• Facts: propositions or statements that are observed to be real or truthful
• Claims: statements that require further examination to establish their truth or falsehood

Theories of Truth

• Correspondence Theory: a proposition is true if it corresponds to the facts
• Coherence Theory: a proposition is true if it coheres with other propositions taken to be true
• Pragmatic Theory: a statement is true if it is useful or practical to believe

Perspectives on Truth

• A belief is true if it can be justified or proven through the use of one's senses
• A belief is true if it is based on facts
• A belief is true if it is agreed upon by a consensus

Fact, Opinion, and Belief

• Fact: contains ideas or information that are easily verifiable
• Opinion: personal beliefs, judgments, or evaluations that reflect an individual's perspective
• Belief: statements that express convictions that are not easily and clearly explained by facts

Scientific Method

• Also called empirical method
• A process of determining truth or knowledge through experimentation, inductive and deductive reasoning