Philosophy

INTRODUCTION

TO PHILOSOPHY

DICHOSOIntroduction to Philosophy


PHILOSOPHY – portmanteau of Greek terms:

“Philo” – Love

“Sophia” – Wisdom

• Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means;

• Investigation of the nature, causes or principles of reality,

knowledge, or values based on logical reasoning rather than

empirical methods

• A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry

• A system of values by which one lives

PHILOSOPHER – Lover of wisdom

SOPHIST – Worker of wisdom

DEFINITION


2 DIVISIONS OF PHILOSOPHY

1. PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY

1.1. Logic

1.2. Ethics

2. SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY

2.1. Metaphysics

2.2. Aesthetics

2.3. Reality

2.4. Cosmology

2.5. Anthropology

2.6. Epistemology

2.7. Rational Psychology

2.8. Social Philosophy

2.9. Political Philosophy


PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY

LOGIC – the use of valid reasoning and correct

thinking

ETHICS – moral philosophy, deals with

systematizing, defending and recommending

concepts of right and wrong conducts


SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY

METAPHYSICS – study of the fundamental nature

of being and the world

AESTHETICS – study of art, beauty and taste

REALITY – state of being in existence

COSMOLOGY – study of the origins and eventual

fate of the universe

ANTHROPOLOGY – science of humanity


SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY

EPISTEMOLOGY – study of knowledge

RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY – normative concept of

one’s reason to believe or one’s reason for action

SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY – study of questions about

social behavior

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY – study of politics,

liberty, justice and the enforcement of laws


MILESIAN SPECULATION

• 16th century BC, a group of Milesian thinkers

began to engage in an extended exploration of

the speculative issues

• Their central urge was to show that the

complex world has a simple, permanent

underpinning in the reality of a single kind of

stuff which all else emerges

PRE-SOCRATIC

PHILOSOPHERS

DICHOSOPre-Socratic Philosophers


THALES OF MILETUS

624-550 BC

1 of the “7 Wise Men of Greece”

Measured the height of pyramid through the

length of its shadow

Considered water as the basis of all matter

Believed that the universe was controlled by

fixed laws

Founder of the Ionic School of Philosophy

The earth is a flat disc which floats upon

water

Studied geometry in Egypt

Predicted an eclipse in 585 BC

Theory of right angles

Deductive Science, Magnetism, Electrostatic

Effects


7 WISE MEN OF GREECE

CLEOBULUS of Lindos

SOLON of Athens

CHILON of Sparta

BIAS of Priene

THALES of Miletus

PITTACUS of Mytilene

PERIANDER of Corinth


ANAXIMANDER OF MILETUS

611-546 BC

Pupil of Thales

Theory of “apeiron” (boundless and

infinite)

First man to draw map of the world

The universe is boundless and must be

infinite

Air, water, earth and fire are in

opposition to each other

Founded geography and astronomy

Wind is the fine and moist effluvium of

air massing together

Lightning and thunder are caused by

pneuma or compressed air which

builds up inside thick clouds

Earth is cylinder, diameter is 3x height


ANAXIMENES OF MILETUS

570-500 BC

Pupil of Anaximander

Basic principle of the universe is air

Air transforms to fire, wind, cloud,

earth, water and stone

Earthquake is a big product of

moisture

The rainbow is a natural phenomenon

rather than the work of a god

Lightning is a reaction of rain and

cloud


PYTHAGORAS OF SAMOS

569-500 BC

Earth was a sphere rotating around a

central fire

Pythagorean Therom (Baudhayana)

2 kinds of reasoning:

Demonstrative Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Truly, spirits, ghosts, souls and

transmigration were believed

Believed in metempsychosis

Some teachings:

Don’t eat beans (origin of light)

Don’t eat white cocks (offerings)

Don’t face mirror beside light

(reflects devil)


HERACLITUS OF EPHESUS

535-475 BC

“Weeping Philosopher”, “The Obscure”

The first nobleman in the cabinet of

Greek philosophers, “impermanence”

“No man ever steps in the same river

twice” – (universe)

“The path up and down are one and the

same” – (unity of opposite)

Considered “fire” to be the primary form

of the real world

Everything is in the process of flux (panta

rhei)

Everything fights against the other (Yin-

Yang), concept of “logos”

Believed in self-mastery

He is a “pantheist”, fiery element is the

expression that God is everything


PARMENIDES OF ELEA

515 BC

Founder of Eleatic School of

Philosophy

2 fragmentary sections from the

poem “On Nature”

The Way of Truth

Reality is one

Change is impossible

Existence is timeless

The Way of Opinion

World of appearance

(false and deceitful)


ZENO OF ELEA

490-430 BC

Pupil of Parmenides

Idea of “Monism” – existence of

single reality is Being

“The Dialectic”, for paradoxes

Epichierema – dialectic syllogism


EMPEDOCLES OF ACRAGUS

490-430 BC

First philosopher stated the 4

primordial elements: earth, air,

fire, water

Approached for “oracles”

Works through “verse”

Cosmology, he focused on “earth”

Added the forces of “love”

(harmony) and “strife” (discord) to

4 elements similar to Yin-Yang

Yin-male, Yang-female (I-Ging)

Idea of “survival of the fittest”


ANAXAGORAS OF CLAZOMENAE

500-428 BC

First philosopher to bring philosophy

from Ionia to Athens

Associated with Pericles – Athens’

statesman and Euripides – writer of

tragedies

Died in Lampsacus as a honoured guest

Composition and Decomposition

Snow contains black and white

“Separation” – process by which

matters are formed, dichotomization

Popularized astronomy – galaxy, milky

way, etc.

DICHOSOAncient Greek Philosophers

LEUCIPPUS & DEMOCRITUS

460-370 BC, Abdera

“Shadowy figure”

Expanded “atomic theory”

Did not accept that “everything

is one; change and motion is

illusion”

Overthrown “monism”

“Change is an observation that

does not deceive the senses”

Thought many sizes and shapes of

atoms, moving around in space

Protons

Electrons

Neutrons


PRE-SOCRATIC PHILOSOPHERS

SUMMARY OF NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS:

1. THALES – water, pyramidal and ship measurement

2. ANAXIMANDER – apeiron, geography, astronomy, first map

3. ANAXIMENES – air, rainbow formation

4. PYTHAGORAS – Pythagorean theorem, metempsychosis

5. HERACLITUS – fire, flux (panta rhei)

6. PARMENIDES – Eleatic School, On Nature

7. ZENO – dialectic, monism

8. EMPEDOCLES – oracles, verse, love & strife

9. ANAXAGORAS – composition/decomposition, snow, dichotomy

10.LEUCIPPUS & DEMOCRITUS – atomic theory

SOPHISTS AND

SOCRATES

DICHOSOSophists and Socrates


PRODICUS OF CEOS

465-399 BC, a sophist

Idea of “hermeneutics” – text

interpretation

Followed the dictate of his master

Socrates

Case subjected to corrupting the

minds of the youth

Rationalize “religion” to natural

object

Used “personification”


HIPPIAS OF ELIS

Mid 5th c. BC, a sophist

Attached to Leucippus and Democritus

Popularized 2 dialogues:

Hippias Major (Arrogant)

Questions beautiful

Puts into ludicrous light

Hippias Minor (Vain)

Deficiency of knowledge

Characterizes ridiculous vain

Natural law, “elements of rights”:

Object

End or intention of agent

Circumstances

Good Act

Indifferent Act

Evil Act


THRASYMACHUS OF CHALCEDON


Character in Plato’s Repubic

“Justice”

Advantage of the stronger

Giving what people deserve

Advantage for another


SOCRATES


1 of the “3 Giant Philosophers”

“I know that I know nothing”

Idea – “goodness” (summum bonum)

“Know Thyself” (Johari’s Window)

Done market model of instruction

Parapathetic Method – art of

continuous questioning

FREE BLIND

HIDDEN UNKNOWN


3 GIANT PHILOSOPHERS

SOCRATES

PLATO

ARISTOTLE


SOPHISTS AND SOCRATES

SUMMARY OF NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS:

1. PRODICUS – hermeneutics, religious rationality, personification

2. HIPPIAS – Hippias Major/Minor, elements of rights

3. THRASYMACHUS – Plato’s Republic, justice

4. SOCRATES – goodness (summum bonum), know thyself, parapathetic

Philosophy

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