30 Questions
What is the primary goal of education according to Rudolf Steiner?
To develop free human beings who are able to impart purpose and direction to their lives.
How does Albert Einstein distinguish between imagination and knowledge?
Imagination is more important than knowledge because it encompasses the entire world, including all that will be known and understood.
What is the origin of the word 'philosophy'?
The Greek word meaning 'love of wisdom'.
How does philosophy differ from science according to the text?
Philosophy is synthetic interpretation, whereas science is analytical description.
What is the primary feature of philosophical inquiry?
The use of logical argument.
What does T.H. Huxley suggest is the task of each generation in the pursuit of knowledge?
To reclaim a little more land from the infinite ocean of inexplicability.
What is the primary purpose of a syllogism in reasoning?
To draw a conclusion based on two given premises
In the example of Socrates, what is the conclusion drawn from the two premises?
Socrates is mortal
What is the direction of reasoning in deductive logic?
From the general to the specific
What is the process of deduction in logic, from the most general to the most specific?
Theory → Hypothesis → Observation → Confirmation
What is the direction of reasoning in inductive logic?
From the specific to the general
What is the result of inductive reasoning, starting from specific observations?
Development of general conclusions or theories
What is the role of observation in the scientific process?
Observation plays the role of both motivating and testing theories.
What is the difference between a physical act of sensation and a scientific observation?
A scientific observation is an epistemic act with sufficient meaning and credibility to contribute to knowledge, whereas a physical act of sensation is just a raw sensory experience.
What is the distinction between a 'Yes, I see' report and a meaningful observation report?
A meaningful observation report must describe what is seen, i.e., 'I see that...', whereas a 'Yes, I see' report is merely a acknowledgement of a sensation.
How can one learn about their own mind, apart from introspection?
One can learn about their own mind by reading psychology texts, observing facial expressions, examining readouts of brain activity, or noting patterns of past behavior.
Why is introspective knowledge often thought to be particularly secure?
Introspective knowledge is often thought to be particularly secure because it is considered to be more immediate or direct than sensory knowledge.
What is the significance of introspection in epistemology?
Introspection is a key concept in epistemology, as it is often held to be immune to skeptical doubt.
What is the focus of ontological questions in philosophy?
The existence or otherwise of a certain entity, and the general features and relations of entities that do exist.
In the context of social research, what does ontology refer to?
Beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality, particularly social reality.
What is axiology, and what is its focus?
Axiology is the philosophical study of goodness, or value, in the widest sense, and its focus is on the nature of value and its metaphysical aspects.
How does axiology differ from ethics?
Axiology studies values, whereas ethics studies moral principles.
What are some of the concepts that ethics deals with?
Moral concepts like right and wrong, virtue and vice, as well as good and evil.
What is the origin of the term 'axiology', and what does it mean?
The term 'axiology' comes from the Greek words 'axios', meaning 'worthy', and 'logos', meaning 'science', and it refers to the study of value or goodness.
What is the ultimate goal of Buddhism according to the text?
Perfect bliss and knowledge in Nirvana
What are the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism?
The truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering
What are the two root causes of suffering according to Buddhism?
Desire and ignorance
What is the result of not having the capacity for mental concentration and insight in Buddhism?
One's mind is left undeveloped, unable to grasp the true nature of things
What does the Third Noble Truth have dual meaning of?
Either the end of suffering in this life or in the spiritual life, through achieving Nirvana
What is achieved when one has reached Nirvana?
Spiritual enlightenment
Study Notes
Quotes on Education
- Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.
- The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility.
- Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.
What is Philosophy?
- Philosophy is all of rational inquiry except for science.
- Derived from the Greek word meaning ‘love of wisdom’.
- Philosophy began in Greece in the sixth century B.C.
- Philosophy is an activity: it is a way of thinking about certain sorts of questions.
- Its most distinctive feature is its use of logical argument.
- Philosophers also analyze and clarify concepts.
Science vs. Philosophy
- Science is analytical description, philosophy is synthetic interpretation.
- Science wishes to resolve the whole into parts, the organism into organs, the obscure into the known.
Introspection
- Introspection is a means of learning about one’s own currently ongoing, or perhaps very recently past, mental states or processes.
- Introspective knowledge is often thought to be particularly secure, maybe even immune to skeptical doubt.
- Introspective knowledge is also often held to be more immediate or direct than sensory knowledge.
The Four Noble Truths
- The truth of suffering.
- The truth of the cause of suffering.
- The truth of the end of suffering.
- The truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.
- Desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering.
- The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings.
Syllogism
- A form of reasoning which draws conclusions based on two given premises.
- Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
Deduction and Induction
- Deductive reasoning works from the more general to the more specific.
- Deductive reasoning: Theory → Observation → Confirmation → Hypothesis.
- Inductive reasoning works the other way, moving from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories.
- Inductive Logic: Observation → Hypothesis → Theory.
Ontology
- Deals with whether or not a certain thing, or more broadly entity, exists.
- Concerns the most general features and relations of the entities which do exist.
- One of the longest standing ontological questions in philosophy concerns the existence, or otherwise, of God or at least some sense of a higher being.
Axiology
- The philosophical study of goodness, or value, in the widest sense of these terms.
- The branch of practical philosophy which studies the nature of value and its metaphysical aspects.
- The main difference between axiology and ethics is that axiology is the study of values whereas ethics is the study of moral principles.
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