Notes on Philosophy Lecture

Introduction

• Philosophy addresses fundamental questions:
  • Does God exist?
  • What is the purpose of life?
  • What makes actions right or wrong?
  • Is beauty subjective?
  • What constitutes a fair law?
• These questions signify engagement in philosophical thought.

Defining Philosophy

• Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and knowledge.
• Origin of the term: Greek for 'love of wisdom'.
• Key focus areas include:
  • Nature of the universe
  • Limits of human knowledge
  • Values and meaning of life
• Distinguishes itself from sciences and humanities:
  • Philosophers ask broader questions (e.g., existence of causation).
  • Philosophy evolves as topics become empirical.
• Main method: Constructing and evaluating arguments.
  • Arguments justify conclusions about theories and concepts.

Branches of Philosophy

• Logic
  • Study of good/bad arguments and reasoning.
• Metaphysics
  • Inquiry into existence, entities, and causation.
• Epistemology
  • Study of knowledge, evidence, and justified belief.
  • Questions of trust in senses and science.
• Values
  • Examination of morality, politics, and aesthetics.
  • Questions include:
    • What is wrong?
    • What defines good lives?
    • What is a just society?
• Philosophy of various fields:
  • e.g., philosophy of science, religion, feminism, etc.
• Inclusion of diverse cultural perspectives in philosophy.

The Points of Philosophy

• Philosophy differs from sciences lacking consensus and clear answers.
• Key purposes of philosophy:
  • Discovering truth.
  • Enhancing the quality of life.
  • Understanding one’s views and choices.
  • Improving reasoning and critical thinking.
• Importance of philosophical inquiry:
  • Addresses moral certainties (e.g., human rights).
  • Correlation with academic success (e.g., GRE scores).

Conclusion

• Philosophical inquiry is non-empirical but seeks fundamental answers about values and existence.
• The question "What is philosophy?" remains a philosophical question itself.