INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
FINAL EXAM STUDY REVIEW
Exam date: 5/8/03
I) CONTENT
A. New Course Material
(approximately 50%)
1. René Descartes
An architect
of the modern age
Epistemology in general: nature, scope, and justification of knowledge
Descartes’ epistemology:
rationalism, foundationalism, subjectivity, autonomy
Founder of modern philosophy:
break with Scholasticism, mechanistic model of explanation reflective turn,
autonomy/heteronomy distinction, autonomy in modern cultural spheres, and
epistemological emphasis
Scholasticism: Medieval
synthesis of Aristotle and Christianity, teleological model of explanation,
epistemological status of faith and reason, autonomy/heteronomy distinction
Radical foundationalism:
levels and types of reasoning
Pyrrhonian skepticism: suspension
(epochê) of belief, equipollence of evidence,
and serenity (ataraxia)
Cartesian certainty: beyond doubt,
indubitable, cogito ergo sum
Meditations on First
Philosophy:
First philosophy, meditation: general traits
Preconceived
opinions (praejudicia): sources: tradition and experience,
epistemological significance
Cartesian doubt:
methodic, hyperbolic, stages, systematic procedure, devices, objects,
result
Cogito ergo sum: thought,
certainty of self-consciousness, performance/inference distinction, temporal
qualification, performative implication, criticism
ataraxia
(Gr.):
serene, imperturbable, tranquil state of mind
cogito ergo sum
(L): I am thinking, therefore I am
epochê
(Gr): cessation or stoppage; withholding or
suspension of judgment
mathêsis universalis
(L): universal knowledge, discipline, or learning
philosophia prima (L):
first philosophy
praejudicia (L):
preconceived opinion, prejudice
B. Prior Course Material
(approximately 50%)
1. The Historical Origin of Western
Philosophy: From Mythos to Logos
Matrix: generative context, framework, or soil
from which something originates
Mythos: story, tale, fable, account, or legend
Logos: language,
articulated speech, account, reason, explanatory principle, intelligible law
Mythical worldview:
general characteristics (10); Homer and Hesiod; anthropomorphism; analogical
reasoning, human action model of explanation, survival value of myth, etc.
The Greek Philosophical Revolution: Thales of
Miletus (624-546 BC):
Archê: origin, beginning,
first principle, primary element
Physis: nature
interpreted as an impersonal, dynamic process accessible by rational methods
of inquiry (Greek: historia).
Naturalistic-causal explanatory model (e.g., Thales’ “all is water”)
Speculative metaphysics:
reality/appearance, permanence/change, being/becoming, or one/many
distinction; theoretical reduction of multiple appearances to the unity of
an underlying primary element (archê), cosmology, metaphysical
monism.
Metaphysical positions:
monism, dualism, pluralism
Xenophanes of Colophon: Critic of the Mythic Gods (c. 565-c.470
BCE)
- Applied critical tools
and consequences of philosophical revolution to the mythical gods
- Polytheistic gods
interpreted as anthropomorphic, idealized projections
- Philosophical movement
toward monotheism or mystical monism
- Mythic gods interpreted
as immoral
- Philosophical theology
and ethics
2. The Sophists
New stage in Greek education: commercialization,
rhetoric, pragmatic values
Anthropological, ethical focus on human affairs
Epistemological and moral relativism, skepticism
Convention (nomos)/nature (physis)
distinction
3. Socrates
Philosophical practice and confusion with Sophists
Anthropological, ethical focus of philosophical inquiry
Socrates’ divine mission:
-
Proclamation
of the Delphic oracle: Socrates is wisest among men
-
Cross-examination (Greek: elenchus) of “the wise”: politicians,
poets, and artisans
-
Wisdom/ignorance distinction and relationship
-
Socratic
midwifery and enlightenment (awareness of ignorance, “Know thyself”)
Socratic Method
Historical testimony on Socratic method:
Aristotle, Mill, and Schopenhauer
General traits of Socratic definition:
-
Dialectic
-
Irony and
ignorance
-
Cross-examination (elenchus) as method of enlightenment (awareness
of ignorance)
-
Methodical
correspondence between Socratic irony and the interlocutor’s intellectual
arrogance
-
Confusion with
Sophists
-
Maieutic:
intellectual midwifery (i.e., assisting in the intellectual birth
of his interlocutors through dialectical cross-examination (elenchus)
Logical Requirements and Characteristics of Socratic Definition:
-
Conceptual,
general, formal, or universal (i.e., not a particular example, instance,
or case)
-
Principle of
self-identity and the logical exclusion of opposites
-
Essentiality =
real, independent, objective, essential common characteristic (eidos)
-
Distinction
between real/nominal types of definitions
-
Relation to the general Greek philosophical problem of the
One and the Many
-
Aims of
Socratic definition: theoretical (definition of essence), practical
(standard for judgment)
-
Inductive
reasoning (epagōgē): searching for the universal concept on the
basis of particular instances
Euthyphro (the dialogue):
-
Model
definitional dialogue: What is X?
-
Aporetic:
without resolution; no satisfactory definition (Greek = aporia)
-
First three
(3) definitions of piety: violation of logical requirements, dialectical
correction of definitions
-
Third
definition: relation between the gods’ love and piety: issue of cause or
effect, essential character or secondary quality, metaphysical
independence or dependence, arbitrary authority or rational justification
Euthyphro (the character
in the dialogue of the same name):
-
Self-deluded
and arrogant expert on the gods, myth, and piety
-
Represents the
mythical mindset: authoritarianism, literalism, traditionalism,
conservatism
II) FORMAT
1. 10 T/F questions (15 points)
2. 30 Multiple choice questions (45 points)
3. 6 Short answer questions (24 points)
4. 2 Essay questions (16 points)
5. Extra credit? |
