Socrates
Strange to be starting the course with a dude who didn't write a darn thing. Actualy, good gig if you can get it.
SO, no, Socrates didn't write anything down himself, but his pupils did -- notably Plato. And so, because of this, we have "The Apology of Socrates" which is our first text of the semester.
Socrates and his Followers 430-370
Main Center: Athens Names: Socrates
Key Problem: Can we avoid the dangers of relativism, which seems to undermine morality and make the pursuit of truth impossible?
Possible Solution: Although both senses and reason are riddled with doubts, right thinking will lead to truth, and moral goodness will naturally follow from a perception of the truth.
Summary: Doubt leads to goodness
Philosophy 1301 - Intro to Philosophy
Welcome to the course. The main purpose of the site is to provide you with .pdfs of all the readings in the course. You are, of course, welcome to purchase the texts or print them out, but if you find yourself digitally adept, feel free to simply use the .pdfs. A brief word of caution on that, however, is that there are times when a web address for the .pdf moves or is removed.
Also contained on the site are the various assigments you will have during the course, discussions of the periods we are covering, and other material. These will be stable, but many find it best to print them out.
An 8-bit introduction to Socrates
Thomas Aquinas
Now for something different, but entirely beholden to Aristotle all the same.
Christians
Main Center: North Africa, Italy and France Names: Aquinas and Augustine
Key Problem: What are the logical implications of Christ's teachings, and are they compatible with pagan philosophers?
Possible Solution: Although Aristotle and Plato lacked Christian revelation, their ideas on metaphysics, politics, virtue, and logic fit well with Christianity, and greatly extend it as an itellectual theory. Christian problems like free will and the existence of evil need the help of pagan philosophers.
Summary: Follow Christ rationally
Ted Nugent "Stranglehold"
Ted, you're an artisan with the guitar. Leave it at that so you can avoid being lyrically challenged and commenting on politics.
Mary J. Blige "Doubt"
Maybe Blige doubted herself before this song which lead her to renewed success? Hard to tell, but she blames her prior economic failures on trusting others.
Rhetorical Questions or
Socratic Dialogue?
Plato
So, he might have been Socrates, but he, no doubt, was Plato.
Platonic Academy
Main Center: The Academy in Athens Names: Plato
Key Problem: Shouldn't we be committed to some eternal and unchanging ideals if we are going to be committed to some unrealistic ideals which we can't experience?
Possible Solution: Reason shows us that there must be a set of fixed and unchanging ideas, which not only explain our highest ideals, but also the ordinary way we understand concepts and language
Summary: Follow Ideals
Another artisan gone wrong? A case of doubt correctly applied? Run amock? B.o.B. as philosopher king?
One of the more absurd rap battles ever to be played out perhaps provides a bridge between Socrates and Plato and our consideration of how doubt could lead to goodness or why one might want to follow ideals.
TIme provides background and the story.
Aristotle
At the end of the day, in the West at least, we are much more Aristotelian in our beliefs than we are Platonic or Socratic.
Aristotle and the Peripatetics (person who travels from place to place also an Aristotelian philosopher).
Main Center: The Lyceum in Athens
Key Problem: Can't we get a clear grip on knowledge and goodness, without being committed to some unrealistic ideals which we can't experience?
Possible Solution: The essence of things we experience are eternal and unchanging, so that we can come to understand the truth, purpose, and virtue of each thing by a careful combination of observation and analysis.
Summary: Analyse the Essence of Each Thing
A little 8-bit philosophy to help you through the cave and some of what you missed by skipping ahead to Book 4. And yes, you do need to know this stuff even if it is in an 8-bit format. Don't be guilty of ad hominem attackes.
Welcome to 3 Minute Philosophy. You'll either love or hate this guy by the end of the semester. Most of you will love it as a study guide and the humor. Yes, like 8-bit, you need to know the "stuff" that's in here. Most often, it will be just a nice, condensed version of what you read: thus helpful as a study guide.