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Introduction to Philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy. philosophy. Our primary concern is to do what is right and to believe what is true. Philosophy provides us with some of the intellectual/conceptual skills we need to achieve this. But these skills are difficult to acquire. reading philosophy.

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Introduction to Philosophy

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  1. Introduction to Philosophy

  2. philosophy • Our primary concern is to do what is right and to believe what is true. • Philosophy provides us with some of the intellectual/conceptual skills we need to achieve this. • But these skills are difficult to acquire.

  3. reading philosophy • Reading philosophy is not like reading other sorts of texts. • It is not simply a matter of memorizing facts. • It involves being able to understand and evaluate claims (views, positions, theories, analyses, etc.). • That is, it is a matter of understanding the claims philosophers are arguing for and the reasons they give for them.

  4. philosophical lingo • Grasping philosophical concepts is of the utmost importance to understanding what philosophers are claiming (and why). • So, you should make sure to identify all terms or phrases that you do not understand. • Look them up in the dictionary (or better yet, in a philosophical dictionary). • If this fails, ask us.

  5. doing philosophy • Philosophy is not merely a matter of developing and defending one’s own view. • It requires understanding, considering, and giving fair weight to competing alternative views. • You will often see both of these things going on in the papers you read. • It is important to distinguish the philosopher’s own view from those he/she are arguing against.

  6. doing philosophy • Philosophy requires that we consider the rational implications/consequences of our beliefs. • If you believe that x, then what does that commit you to? what follows from x? • Often, upon examination, we find that our beliefs lead us to unacceptable conclusions: • “Lying is (always) wrong” • “Poor people are just lazy” • “God is omnipotent”

  7. doing philosophy • Philosophy involves evaluating arguments. • To give an argument for a claim is to give reasons (evidence) for that claim. • As this suggests, claims are not the same things as arguments. • What counts as good vs. poor reasons (evidence)? • Good: Perception/Introspection/Rational intuition/Reasoning/Empirical data/Expert opinion • Poor: Hearsay/Social conditioning/Popular opinion/Blind faith

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