The Philosophical Journey

I. Introduction to the Philosophical Journey

A). Philosphy- Search for self understanding, love and pursuit of wisdom.
1. Philosphers
a). Pythagoras(570-495 B.C.)- First known philospher
b). Socrates (470-399 B.C.)
c). Plato (428-348 B.C.)
2. What do philosophers study?
a). Logic
b). Epistemology
c). Metaphysics
d). Philosophy of Religion
e). Ethics
f). Political Philosophy
g). The Philosophical Foundations of other disclipines
3. Four skills acquired in studying philosophy:
a). General problem solving
b). Communication skills
c). Persuasive powers
d). Writing skills
B). Socrates and the Search for Wisdom
1. Socrates to his death
a). Charged with two charges of corrupting the minds of the youth
and teaching about gods other than official gods of Athens.
b). Prisioner housed in state prison
c). Executed in the year 399 B.C.by means of drinking poison
hemlock.
2. Socrates’ Method
a). Socrates’ Method of doing philosophy was to ask questions.
b). Socrates’ philosophical converstations go through seven
stages as he moves toward greater understanding.
c). Plato referred to method as “dialectic”
C). Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
1. Plato believed, we must have correct understanding of knowledge
and reality.
2. Allegory of the Cave represents Plato’s view of reality,
knowledge and personal enlightenment.
D). Argument and Evidence: How do I decide what to believe?
1. 6 C’s for evaluating philosophical claims and theories
a).Conceptual clarity
b). Consistency
c). Rational coherence
d). Comprehensiveness
e). Compatability with well-established facts and theories
f). Support of compelling arguments
 2. Arguments
a). Philosphers attempt to establish the truth of their claims by
means of arguments
E). Goal of Philosphy
1. Not simply to have emotionally satisfying beliefs, but the goal is to
have beliefs that are true.