PowerPoint Presentation

C BlockPlease move the desks into a u-shape.

1DO NOW: Calvin & Hobbes 4 minutesWhat do you think this cartoon means? Why show it in this class? Please write in full sentences.

2I. What is philosophy?Philosophy isAn activity (demonstration)Rational inquiryComprehensive view of reality and our place in itGoal: systematic world viewPhilosophy is, continuedTraditional definition: love of wisdomExamplesNancy the thiefZenos paradoxI. What is philosophy?

B. Areas of inquiry/what Philosophers think aboutWhat is there?What can be known?How should life be lived?What is good reasoning?I. What is philosophy?I. What is philosophy?C. Names of branchesMetaphysicsWhat is there?What is a thing?How do parts make a whole?What are numbers?What is a person?Why is there something rather than nothing?I. What is philosophy?EpistemologyWhat is knowledge?How is knowledge different from belief?Can we know anything without experience?I. What is philosophy?EthicsHow should life be lived?Is war ever justified?Is lying always wrong?Is abortion ever acceptable? Do we have moral duties to other people?I. Unit 1: What is philosophy?AestheticsWhat is art?What does it mean to call something beautiful? A person?A flower? A house? A mathematical proof?9I. Unit 1: What is philosophy?LogicGood reasoningLogical fallaciesRules of correct reasoningConclusions that follow premisesI. What is philosophy?Philosophy of LanguageHow does language work?How do words have meaning?How do words refer to the world?Is language merely a game?

Should good and bad be determined by custom, law or some other person/concept?What makes some art beautiful and other art ugly?Can words have meaning other than what the speaker intends?How can I know that you are conscious like I am?

DO NOW: Four questions 3 minutesHere are four questions. Write which branch of philosophy the question represents.DO NOW: Baby Eric 8 minutesWarm up your philosophical brain.

Take a handout from the chair. You will have eight minutes to complete the task before we share answers.

You may discuss your ideas with one buddy as you work.

II. The love of wisdomTriple-A-Skill SetAnalysisWhat do I really want?What is life about?What can make me happy?

II. The love of wisdomAssessmentTo examine and decide among proposalsHow to assessIs it coherent?Is it complete?Is it correct?II. The love of wisdomArgumentReasoned presentation of ideas, using evidence, in favor of a conclusionReason

II. The love of wisdomWhy do arguments fail?Differ on evidenceBlind to truthRefuse to listenEmotion and logic in conflict

DO NOW: Failed Arguments 10 minutesGive examples of arguments in which these things happened. Be willing to share with the class. You may work in groups of two. Differ on evidenceBlind to truthRefuse to listenEmotion and logic in conflictHomeworkGo to www.philoteacher.wordpress.com and go to the page World View Spring 2012C block:Please move the desks back into a U-shape. If everyone moves one or two desks, nobody will have to work too hard.

Your recent notes & DO NOWs are graded and on the front chair. Find your work in the pile, please, if you want to use it for notes today.21Do Now Cow in the Field 3 minA farmer is worried his cow is lost. When the mailman comes, he tells the farmer not to worry, because hes seen that the cow nearby. The farmer takes a look for himself, sees the familiar black and white shape of his cow, and is satisfied that he knows the cow is there. Later on, the mailman stops at the field to double-check. The cow is indeed there, but its hidden behind trees. There is also a large sheet of black and white paper caught in a tree, and it is obvious that the farmer mistook it for his cow.

The question, then: even though the cow was in the field, was the farmer correct when he said he knew it was there?

22Chapters 4 6 EpistemologyHow do we know?

Platos parable of the cave

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Knowledge of things we seeVisual knowledge24

Do Now Hadron Collider 4 minutes

Scientific Knowledge: What does this cartoon suggest about science or experiments and knowledge? You may talk with a friend, but both of you must write your answers.Scientific Knowledge The Large Hadron Collider Our understanding of the Universe is about to change...The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100m underground. It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles the fundamental building blocks of all things. It will revolutionise our understanding, from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe.Two beams of subatomic particles called "hadrons" either protons or lead ions travel in opposite directions inside the circular accelerator, gaining energy with every lap. Physicists use the LHC to recreate the conditions just after the Big Bang, by colliding the two beams head-on at very high energy. Teams of physicists from around the world then analyse the particles created in the collisions using special detectors in a number of experiments dedicated to the LHC.There are many theories as to what will result from these collisions. For decades, the Standard Model of particle physics has served physicists well as a means of understanding the fundamental laws of Nature, but it does not tell the whole story. Only experimental data using the high energies reached by the LHC can push knowledge forward, challenging those who seek confirmation of established knowledge, and those who dare to dream beyond the paradigm.

25Watch Jonestown

What types of knowledge were involved?

Scientific Knowledge The Large Hadron Collider Our understanding of the Universe is about to change...The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100m underground. It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles the fundamental building blocks of all things. It will revolutionise our understanding, from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe.Two beams of subatomic particles called "hadrons" either protons or lead ions travel in opposite directions inside the circular accelerator, gaining energy with every lap. Physicists use the LHC to recreate the conditions just after the Big Bang, by colliding the two beams head-on at very high energy. Teams of physicists from around the world then analyse the particles created in the collisions using special detectors in a number of experiments dedicated to the LHC.There are many theories as to what will result from these collisions. For decades, the Standard Model of particle physics has served physicists well as a means of understanding the fundamental laws of Nature, but it does not tell the whole story. Only experimental data using the high energies reached by the LHC can push knowledge forward, challenging those who seek confirmation of established knowledge, and those who dare to dream beyond the paradigm.

26C BlockPlease move the desks into a u-shape.

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DO NOW Simpsons 1 minutes

What idea in epistemology is Bart Simpson referring to? In other words, how does Bart say people can prove things?

28Bad news

29Do Now Cyberbaby 2 min. What does this picture suggest about the limits of our knowledge? Explain.

30The Challenge of Skepticism Source SkepticismBeliefs about the pastTestimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.My parents told meSource Skepticism asks if The sources of our beliefs are sometimes reliable.Beliefs about the pastComes to us from testimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.Appeal to memory becomes circularComes to us from memoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)

31Other examples of circular reasoning"If such actions were not illegal, then they would not be prohibited by the law."

"The belief in God is universal. After all, everyone believes in God."

Interviewer: "Your resume looks impressive but I need another reference." Bill: "Jill can give me a good reference." Interviewer: "Good. But how do I know that Jill is trustworthy?" Bill: "Certainly. I can vouch for her." Source Skepticism asks if The sources of our beliefs are sometimes reliable.Beliefs about the pastComes to us from testimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.Appeal to memory becomes circularComes to us from memoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)

32Other examples of circular reasoningInterviewer: "Your resume looks impressive but I need another reference.Bill: "Jill can give me a good reference.Interviewer: "Good. But how do I know that Jill is trustworthy?Bill: "Certainly. I can vouch for her." Source Skepticism asks if The sources of our beliefs are sometimes reliable.Beliefs about the pastComes to us from testimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.Appeal to memory becomes circularComes to us from memoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)

33Do Now 2 minutesCircular ReasoningWrite two or more examples of circular reasoning.Source Skepticism asks if The sources of our beliefs are sometimes reliable.Beliefs about the pastComes to us from testimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.Appeal to memory becomes circularComes to us from memoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)

34The Challenge of Skepticism Source SkepticismMemoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)Source Skepticism asks if The sources of our beliefs are sometimes reliable.Beliefs about the pastComes to us from testimonyCircular: When I was young, my parents told me that other people can usually be trusted.Appeal to memory becomes circularComes to us from memoryI remember my memory being reliableCircular reasoning (appeal to memory to justify memory)

35The challenge of skepticism Beliefs about the presentComes to use from testimony already problematicComes to use from sense experience Memory already problematicCircular sense experience I can recall many times in the past seeming to see something, like a penny on the street, and when I got closer, there it was, just as it had appeared to be.

36The invisible gorillahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_m_9N_3u7o

Invisible Dog video37Do Now The Unexpected 3 minutesHave you ever seen something that you never expected to see and had trouble explaining it?

38The challenge of skepticism Beliefs about the futurePlagued by the same problems or worse!39Radical skepticismBertrand Russell: The Five Minute HypothesisThe entire universe sprang into existence from nothing five minutes ago, exactly as it then was, apparent fossils in the ground, wrinkles on peoples faces, and other signs of age all instantly formed and thoroughly deceptive.All of my memories are false.We cannot produce any evidence that this hypothesis is false. We should withhold judgment.40Radical skepticism2. Rene Descartes: dream/delusion/evil demonEverything that I think I experience now is just part of a big dream or delusion.We cannot produce any evidence that this hypothesis is false.3. Future Nihilism - radical skepticism about the futureThe future does not yet existIn order for a belief to be true, the object about which it is true must be among the furniture of reality it MUST existThe future does not yet exist it is a void41Do Now Your turn at skepticism 6 minutesDO NOW: Work with a partner. Imagine your own radical skepticism scenario. Write it on your DO NOW paper.

4243Do Now: English Muffin 4 minutesWhat in the world???

44Epistemology - Ways of Knowing

EmpiricismSense experience is the ultimate starting point for all of our knowledge45

Epistemology - Ways of Knowing

Empiricism (perception)

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47Epistemology - Ways of Knowing

Rationalism The starting point for knowledge is not the senses but reason.

Without categories and principles in our mind, we could not organize sensory information.48Rationalism

49Innate knowledge - Mental categories: Cause and effect

Cause and effect50Innate knowledge - Mental categories: Cause and effect

Cause and effect we dont actual see the cause make the effect when does it happen?51Innate knowledge - Mental categories: time

Cause and effect52Self-evident proposition

Propositions (statements) that we see as true without further explanation.

Any surface that is red is colored.If A is greater than B and B is greater than C, then A is greater than C.Cause and effect53Do Now: Self evidentBelow are five statements. Write SE if the statement is self-evident. Write n if it is not. You do not need to copy the statements.

1. Anything that is alive is not dead.2. When we are hungry, we should eat food.3. Anything that is yellow is a color.4. Anything that takes up space has mass.5. Dogs are smarter than cats.Cause and effect54Do Now: How can we know? 12 minutes

1. Work in groups of threes.2. Work out a plan on how you think you can know things.3. Come to your own conclusions. Do you side with the rationalist or the empiricist or neither? Explain why and give examples. (Maybe there are other sources of knowledge?)55Do Now: The Truman Show

1. How is The Truman Show about epistemology?2. What is truth for Truman?3. What does Truman know?

56Do Now: Move desks back into u-shape.

Prepare yourself to finish last weeks DO NOW presentations on The Truman Show.5758DO NOW: Prepare yourself for the last group to talk about The Truman Show.

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Ways of KnowingRationalism appeals to reason

60Rationalism or empiricism?

61Rationalism or empiricism?

62Rationalism or empiricism?

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65Knowledge: Properly Justified True Belief

Three elements:1) Properly justified2) True3) Belief

66DO NOW: 4 minutesBelow are a list of possible beliefs that Truman might have at the beginning of the movie. Finish the chart following the pattern.

Possible beliefProperly JustifiedTrueBeliefTruman can come and go from Seahaven as he wants.YesNoYesTrumans father is dead.There is a director controlling Trumans life.Trumans wife loves him.Trumans mother is an actress.Seahaven is not the real world. It is a world created by Christof.67DO NOW: 12 minutesComplete the bubbles in the Foxtrot cartoon to make it reflect your view of knowledge in some way. We will be sharing answers when done.

68DO NOW: 7 minutesIf knowledge is properly justified true belief, what is the hardest part to determine?

Explain and give two examples.You may work with one partner. Write your answers on both papers.6970