Lecture Notes: History of Philosophy in 16 Questions - Lecture 1

Introduction

• Series Title: History of Philosophy in 16 Questions (with a mysterious 17th question due to 17 weeks in the summer)
• Lecture Format: One section per week, stand-alone lectures
• Post-Lecture: Follow-up discussions, space available until 8 PM
• Online Availability: Lectures available on YouTube

Question 1: What the Hell Happened?

Human Development Timeline

• Measurement Scale: Arm span as a timeline, each inch representing 30,000 years
  • 75 Inches = 2.1 million years (rounded to 70 inches)
• 2.1 million years ago: Early humans (Homo habilis, Homo erectus) using tools
• For 1.7 million years: Slow tool improvement; no significant leap
• 300,000 years ago: Homo erectus and early Homo sapiens improve tool quality significantly
• 50,000 years ago: Explosion in sophistication (art, tools, social structures)
  • For last 50,000 years: Rapid development leading to modern civilization
• 10,000 years ago: Agriculture, leading to specialization and civilization
• 5,000 years ago: Earliest recorded philosophy

Key Insight: Evolution vs. Philosophy

• Long Tool Use: 2 million years of tool usage
• Philosophy Begins: Only last 5,000 years
• Intellectual Evolution: Evolution did not prepare us for philosophy; it's a relatively new concept

What is Philosophy?

Distinction from Religion and General Thinking

• Religion: Starts with answers (gods, spirits) and works backwards
• Philosophy: Starts with questions and explores from there
• Normal Thinking: Focused on problem-solving, immediate issues
• Philosophical Thinking: Begins with open-ended questions, often with no immediate concrete answers

Historical Context

• Freedom to Question: Essential for philosophy, rare historically
  • Examples: Socrates put to death for questioning
• First Recorded Philosophy: The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Summary

• Plot: Gilgamesh seeks immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu
• Encounter with Siduri: Wise woman advising Gilgamesh

Key Philosophical Insight

• Siduri’s Advice: Embrace mortal life, joy in daily living, love and family
  • Philosophy Begins: The rejection of divine answers, focusing on human experience
  • Conflict with Myth: Moves away from immortal promises to managing mortal existence

Core Themes in Philosophy

What the Hell Happened?

• Need for Questioning: Develops under unique historical circumstances
• Collective Human Experience: Modern humans compared to early tool users

Questions Raised in Gilgamesh

• What Makes Us Human? Civilization vs. Nature
• Meaning of Dreams: Ancient interest, modern neglect
• Importance of Art: Inherent drive for beauty and creation
• Fear of Death: Universal preoccupation, earliest philosophical question

Final Thoughts: Human Curiosity and Exploration

The First Leap

• Curiosity vs. Safety: Human driven to explore despite dangers
• Example: Early humans migrating out of Africa, crossing ice sheets
• Philosophical Parallel: Desire to know and question despite unknowns

Homework & Further Questions

• Consider and ponder personal and collective historical questions raised
• Encourage use of the freedom to question and explore philosophically

Lecture Ending Note: Encourage continuous questioning and understanding of human development from tool-users to philosophical beings.