Philosophy

A Short Introduction
 What is Philosophy?
Philosophy is about:
– Finding answers to serious questions about ourselves
and about the world we live in:
What is morally right and wrong? And why?
What is a good life?
Does God exist?
What is the mind?
What is art?
Is the world really as it appears to us?
What can we know?
…and much, much more

– Questioning existing knowledge and intuitions to get

closer to the truth
 What will you do when studying
Philosophy?
Philosophy is different from many other arts subjects:
– To study philosophy you have to do philosophy
We analyze and criticize existing arguments
We construct our own arguments
– We use fun thought experiments too
 What will you get out of
Philosophy?
Skills that will help
you:
– With your other studies
– Good career prospects
– Understand yourself
and the world around
you
– Prevent being conned
and duped
What will you get out of Philosophy?
The skills are:
– Critical thinking,
– Argument skills,
– Communication,
– Reasoning,
– Analysis,
– Problem solving…

Which allow you to:

– Justify your opinions
– Spot a bad argument, no matter what the topic
– Explain to people why they are wrong and you are
right
– Philosophy basically teaches you to think!
 Health & Safety Warning:
Philosophy can be
dangerous!
– You’ll have the skills to
poke holes in just about
everything anyone says
(which often doesn’t go
down so well)
– With great power,
comes great
responsibility
– Make sure that you use
your powers for good!
 Ground Rules:
Philosophy is not angry debating or
arguing
– Don’t make others feel bad by arguing them
into a corner
– Don’t pick holes just because you can
Be charitable (it’s what good philosophers do)
– Be constructive – work together to find the
truth!
– If you all respect each other (and me!), then
you’ll all get the chance to have your say
 The Philosophy Subjects
What is it to know something (and how can we come to
know something)?
– Epistemology, philosophy of science, logic
What is there (and what are the natures of these things)?
– Metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion
What has value (and why)?
– Aesthetics, moral & political philosophy
 Knowledge
What can we have knowledge
about?
What does it mean to have
knowledge about something?
Where can we get knowledge
from?
How can we get knowledge?
Are we just brains in vats?
Can we be sure we know
anything?!
Descartes: “I think, therefore I am”
 Metaphysics
What is time?
Is time travel possible?
Was there time before the universe?
How did the universe start?
What happened before the universe?
Is everything in the universe caused?
Is it possible for us to have free will?
What is the meaning of life?
 Philosophy of Religion
What are the arguments for believing in a god?
Do those arguments give good reason to believe
in a God?
What are the arguments that certain kinds of
Gods cannot exist?
Do those arguments give good reason not to
believe in a certain type of God?

Why would a God who is all powerful, and all

good let bad things happen to innocent people?
 Aesthetics
How can we tell
what is art and
what isn’t?
Is popular art bad
for us?
Why do people
enjoy watching
scary movies?
 Moral & Political Philosophy
Are there universal moral facts?
What is the best possible life someone
can have?
What makes actions morally right or
wrong?
What is the best form of government?
Are human rights real?
When, if ever, is it permissible to go to
war?
 Applied Ethics
Applying moral theories to current real life
situations to assess what we should do
Topics include:
– Animal rights
– Environmental ethics
– Euthanasia
– Abortion
– Cloning and genetic engineering
– Business ethics (e.g. is advertising immoral?)
– Global poverty
How to study
Philosophy
• Philosophy is about persuasion
- understand what strategies the author used
to convince you.

• Read to understand
- developing analytical skills.

• Think on your own

- evaluate what you are reading.
Philosophy is reflection
- think deeply and carefully.

Take part in philosophical discussions

- sharpen through exercise.