Philosophy 2010: Unit I Study Notes

• Study notes for Philosophy 2010: Unit I

Cultural Importance

• René Descartes aimed for certainty and foundational knowledge in philosophy.
• Immanuel Kant's three central questions include: What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope?
• New Scientific Rationalism marks a shift from medieval scholasticism to empirical and rational methods.
• Scholasticism is a medieval tradition combining Christian theology with classical philosophy.
• Philosophical subdisciplines include epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and ethics.

Argumentation

• Argument by Dilemma presents two options, both leading to a specific conclusion.
• Dialogue is philosophical inquiry through conversation, exemplified by Socratic dialogue.
• Circularity is when an argument assumes the very point it is trying to prove.
• Arguments consist of premises, which are supporting statements, leading to a conclusion, or the claim being argued for.

Epistemology

• Epistemology is the theory of knowledge.

Concepts

• A priori knowledge is independent of experience, while a posteriori knowledge depends on experience.
• The Causal Adequacy Principle states that the cause of an idea must possess as much reality as the idea itself.
• Clear and distinct perception is Descartes' criterion for truth.
• "Cogito ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am) is Descartes' foundational claim resistant to doubt.
• Justification is the evidence or reason supporting a belief.
• Skepticism involves the role of doubt in Descartes' Meditations and its resolution.

Theories

• Foundationalism views knowledge as based on self-evident beliefs.
• The JTB (Justified True Belief) thesis, proposed by Plato links knowledge to justified true belief.
• Gettier cases challenge JTB with beliefs that are true by luck.
• Solutions to Gettier include "no false lemmas" and "not true due to luck."

Arguments

• René Descartes' arguments in Meditations outlines his method of doubt and its resolution.
• Gettier's argument presents a critique of the JTB thesis.

Metaphysics

• Metaphysics concerns the nature of reality.

Concepts

• Abstract Objects are non-physical entities.
• Aristotle's metaphysics emphasizes substance, form, and matter.
• Extension is the property of occupying space, with debate over space as discrete versus continuous.
• God is the monotheistic conception of an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent being.
• Identity concerns what makes something the same over time.
• Leibniz's Law states that if two things share all properties, they are identical.
• Differentiating Numbers from Numerals: numbers are abstract, numerals are their symbolic representations.
• Ontology is the study of what exists.

Theories

• Subjective Idealism posits that reality is mentally constructed
• Platonic realism views numbers as abstract objects that exist.
• Conceptualism considers numbers as mental constructs.
• Nominalism suggests that numbers are just names or labels.

Arguments

• The Benacerraf Problem challenges reconciling mathematical truth with human knowledge.
• The Ship of Theseus is a paradox regarding identity over time.

Philosophy of Mind

Concepts

• "Cogito ergo sum" is Descartes' claim about the existence of the thinking self.
• Consciousness is the state of being aware.
• Qualia are the subjective experiences of consciousness.
• Mental states are beliefs, desires, and perceptions.

Theories & Arguments

• Monism vs. Dualism describes Idealism, Materialism/Physicalism, and Cartesian Dualism.
  • Idealism: Reality is mental.
  • Materialism/Physicalism: Reality is physical.
  • Cartesian Dualism: Mind and body are distinct substances.
• Descartes' arguments for Dualism:
  • Primary Attributes: Mind (thinking) and body (extension) are distinct.
  • Real Distinction: Mind and body can exist independently.
• Armstrong's Argument for Physicalism asserts the mind is a physical entity.
• Functionalism defines the mind by its functions versus its substance
• Princess Elisabeth's objection addresses the interaction problem of how mind and body interact.
• Jackson's Mary Thought Experiment challenges physicalism, arguing that qualia cannot be fully explained by physical facts.
• Epiphenomenalism suggests mental states are byproducts of physical processes.

Personal Identity

Concepts

• Anticipation is the ability to foresee future experiences.
• Identity defines what makes a person the same over time.
• Fission/Fusion are scenarios where one person splits or two merge.
• Memory plays a key role in personal identity.

Theories

• Bodily Theory of Identity ties identity to the physical body.
• Soul Theory of Identity ties identity to an immaterial soul.
• Locke's Memorial Theory bases identity on memory.
• Transitivity of memory describes the chain linking past and present selves.
• Parfit's Reductionism deemphasizes personal identity in favor of psychological continuity.

Arguments

• Objections to the Bodily Theory note the issue of changes to the body.
• Arguments from Fission and Fusion challenge theories of identity by raising questions about what happens when a person splits into two or two people merge.

Key Figures

• René Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, is known for "Cogito ergo sum" and dualism.
• Galileo bridged physics and philosophy, emphasizing empirical methods.
• Socrates, known for the Socratic method, was a key figure in Greek philosophy alongside Plato and Aristotle.

Study notes covering key philosophical concepts in Philosophy 2010 Unit I. Topics include Descartes' quest for certainty, Kant's fundamental questions, the rise of New Scientific Rationalism, and an overview of Scholasticism. Also covers epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, arguments etc.