Philosophy HZT4U

WELCOME!

Course Expectations

• Respect We will argue on a daily basisArgue: Give reasons or provide evidence for

an idea or theory, usually with the intent to persuade others to share one's view

Raise your hand when you would like to say something. Please don’t shout out.

Attack ideas, not people

Course Expectations

• Note-takingyou are responsible for everything

said/written on the board• If you miss a test/assignment, you must have a

doctor’s note to rewrite/submit• No cellphones• No eating in the classroom

So…

Philosophy

What is “PHILOSOPHY”?

Not quite… That’s “a” philosophy (refers to one’s views on something E.g. my philosophy on teaching...)

but this doesn’t tell us what “philosophy” is…

PhilosophySo what then, is “PHILOSOPHY”?

Philosophy is defined as the “love of wisdom”

philos = lover sophia = wisdom

PhilosophyWhat is “PHILOSOPHY”?

Suppose that in life, we have black, white and grey matter.

A BA B

PhilosophyWhat is “PHILOSOPHY”?

The black and white represent what is concrete, what we know for sure.

A B

PhilosophyWhat is “PHILOSOPHY”? E.g. 2 + 2 = 4 (BLACK)= clearly right 2+ 2 = 20 (WHITE) = clearly

wrongB

In math, we don’t have to contend with “grey” area. An answer is simply “right” or “wrong”.

Philosophy Philosophy is the grey area.

A B

Philosophy

PhilosophyGrey area: we mean that a definite, unchanging answer is not as easy to identify.

A B

PhilosophyNow….this “grey area”…does that mean that a right or wrong answer doesn’t exist?

That’s a question of philosophy…

Does right and wrong even exist? Hmm…B

PhilosophyWhile we’re on the topic of “grey” area and philosophical questions, here are some more examples of philosophical questions:

• Does God exist? • What is the nature of reality? • Why should we be moral? • Can we be happy? • What is the meaning of life?• What is our purpose in life?• What does it mean to be “cool”?

Am I Going to Like This Course?

Well, let’s ask an age-old question…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqLRDgzuNXY

If a tree falls in a forest…does it make a sound?

For the next ten minutes, on a sheet of paper, discuss your answer to this question.

Responses

1. Who Cares?

While asking “Who cares?” or responding by saying “What a stupid question!” you are asking an intelligible question.

Responses

2. Of course it makes a sound! (Common Sense Realist)

If we imagine the situation, and assume that we are there, then it would only make sense that the tree falling does in fact make a sound; what’s the other alternative? However, to draw this conclusion we are ultimately making an assumption of something we have no awareness of.

Responses

3. I don’t know!Philosophers have to be satisfied with this answer. The tree question asks us, what is it like to be where there is no one? This question is impossible to answer in any final way, except to say, “I don’t know!”

Terms to Define

1. Philosophy2. Logic3. Inductive reasoning4. Deductive reasoning5. Cosmology6. Epistemology7. Metaphysics8. Ontology

9. Morality10.Ethics11.Truth12.Absolute truth13.Relative truth14.Syllogism15.Categorical syllogism16.premise

Terms to Define

17. Conditional syllogism 18. Antecedent 19. Consequent20. Fallacy21. Formal fallacy22. Informal fallacy