Introduction to Philosophy

• Socrates questioned Euthyphro on holiness: "Is something holy because the gods love it, or do the gods love it because it is holy?"
• Some argue that holiness is random if it's solely based on the gods' love; if gods love something because it's holy, then holiness exists independently.
• Euthyphro did not fully explain holiness
• Socrates thought improving the soul through wisdom and truth seeking is more important than gaining wealth or fame.
• Socrates' message is still relevant today because society still tends to focus on money and status over seeking deeper truths.

Branches of Philosophy

• Logic involves clear thinking and telling the difference between good and bad arguments.
• Ethics involves discerning right from wrong which helps people decide the optimal way to act in life.

Pre-Socratics

• Thales believed that everything originates from water, which he considered the basic building block of life.
• Pythagoras believed that the universe is explainable through numbers and math.

Multiple Choice Study Guide

• Logic consists of thinking clearly.
• Ethics consists of discerning right and wrong
• Metaphysics involves determining what is real.
• Aesthetics consists of beauty and art.
• Social-political philosophy involves how society should work

Pre-Socratic Philosophers

• Thales believed everything is water.
• Anaximander believed the universe is infinite.
• Pythagoras believed numbers rule the world.
• Democritus believed everything is made of tiny particles (atoms).
• Xenophanes believed people create gods in their own image.
• Heraclitus believed everything is always changing.
• Parmenides believed change is an illusion

Schools of Thought

• Monism means everything is one thing.
• Dualism means there are two main components, like mind and body.
• Materialism means only physical objects exist.
• Idealism means that ideas and thoughts are the most real.
• Skepticism means humans can't be sure of anything.

Other Key Exam Topics

• Socrates cared about truth, while Sophists cared about winning arguments.
• Mythos means stories and myths, while Logos means logic and reason.
• Arguments use logic, while rhetoric uses persuasion.
• Logic is good, while a fallacy is a mistake in reasoning.
• Deduction starts with a big idea and moves to small details.
• Induction starts with small details which builds to a big idea.
• Syllogisms are logical structures used to prove ideas.
• Real knowledge is based on truth, while fake knowledge is false or misleading.

Philosophers

• Parmenides believed change is an illusion, and reality is unchanging.
• Thales is considered the Father of Philosophy because he started asking scientific questions.
• Socrates is considered the Father of Ethics because he focused on what makes a person good.
• Plato is considered the Father of Epistemology because he studied how people know things.
• Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth and not believing in the city's gods.
• Plato's "Euthyphro” questions what makes something truly holy or moral.

Final thoughts

• Focus on understanding philosopher's big ideas.
• Contemplate how these ideas still matter today.
• If there is any confusion, try to connect a concept to something in real life.

Review Sheet for Exam

• Metaphysics involves what is real.
• Epistemology involves how people know things.
• Ethics involves what is right and wrong.
• Metaphysics studies reality, existence, time, and space.
• Epistemology studies of knowledge, how we learn, and what is true..
• Ethics studies morality, right vs. wrong, and how to act.

Socrates and the Euthyphro Dilemma

• Socrates questioned Euthyphro, asking if something is holy because the gods love it, or if the gods love it because it is holy.
• It prompts deeper thinking about morality's origin, whether it comes from a divine source or exists independently.
• The problem with saying "holy things are holy because the gods love them" is it makes holiness seem random.
• The problem with saying “the gods love holy things because they are already holy" is holiness exists without the need for the gods to define morality.

What was important to Socrates?

• Socrates believed wisdom and truth were more important than money and reputation.
• Socrates challenged people with questions to encourage deeper thinking.
• Socrates’ message is still relevant today because society still places significant emphasis on wealth and fame over truth and self-improvement.

What were the Pre-Socratics believe?

• Thales believed everything originates from water.
• Pythagoras believed the universe is explained through numbers and math.
• Democritus believed the world is made of tiny particles called atoms.
• Heraclitus believed everything is always changing; "You cant step in the same river twice."
• Parmenides believed change is an illusion and reality is unchanging.

Logic, Fallacies and Arguments

• Logic is the study of clear and correct thinking.
• A fallacy is a mistake in reasoning that weakens an argument.
• Deduction starts with a big idea and moves towards small details: all men are mortal; Socrates is a man therefore Socrates is mortal.
• Induction starts with small details and moves toward to a big idea: the sun rose today and yesterday, it will rise tomorrow.

Types of Syllogism

• Categorical (All A are B)
• Hypothetical (If A, Then B)
• Disjunctive (Either A or B)

Other Key concepts exam

• Socrates cared about truth, while Sophists cared about winning arguments.
• Mythos signifies stories and religion, while logos signifies logic and reason.
• Argumentation uses logic to prove a point.
• Rhetoric employs persuasion to convince people.

Key philosophers

• Thales is the father of philosophy because he asked scientific questions.
• Socrates is the father of ethics because he focused on morality.
• Plato is the father of epistemology because he studied knowledge.

Socrates Trial and Death

• Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth and not believing in the city's gods.
• Socrates argued he was encouraging critical thinking rather than corrupting people
• Socrates was sentenced to death by poison (hemlock).

Understanding Differents School of Thought

• Monism means everything is one substance.
• Dualism means reality is composed of two elements (like mind and body).
• Materialism means only physical entities exist.
• Idealism means ideas and thoughts are the most real things.
• Skepticism is belief that there is no way of knowing anything for certain.

Exam Tips

• Focus on the core ideas and avoid solely memorizing names.
• Create examples to enhance your understanding.
• Practice communicating these concepts in your own words.