PHILOSOPHY
 Provides motivation intellectual
abilities for exploring life’s most
challenging issues.
 Provides map, compass, and tools
needed to explore core questions of
life
 Greek definition of happiness/soul
powers (eudaemonia)
 Conceptual tools required to craft a
life inspiring in its challenges and
rich in its fulfillment
 Not intended to limit your options or
dictate your choices
DEFINING PHILOSOPHY
 Mother of all disciplines
 Natural science –natural world
 Social science – human behavior
 Evolving role is to examine
methodologies of other academic
disciplines
PHILOSOPHY IS THE PURSUIT OF WISDOM
(PERICTIONE)
 Originally a Greek word with two
Greek roots which are:
1. Philein - love
2. Sophia – wisdom
 Wise – to use and apply knowledge
intelligently
 Human life central purpose is to
know the essence of the universe
and wisdom is the divine gift we to
accomplish this
 Understanding how and why the
universe is the way it is and the core
principles that underlie and govern
the whole of experience (Western
philosophy)
 Pre-Socratics (Sophos) – guide thought and actions
questioned principles of human life
and the natural world
 School of Athens – painting
PHILOSOPHY BEGINS WITH WONDERS
 Penetrates beneath the surface
(Why?)
 Catalyst for thinking philosophically
– wonder and human desire for
synthesis and integration (put all
pieces together)
 Drive toward integration is in our
concept of world as a universe, that
there are principles of thought and
reality that form the structure of our
experience.
PHILOSOPHY AS DYNAMIC PROCESS
 Dynamic nature is dialectical
(analyzed in terms of opposites) =
more enlightened synthesis
 Philosophical process is powered by
conflict
 Language – key partner of thinking
 Heart of Socratic Method – ongoing
process of comparing and
contrasting and analyzing and
synthesizing
 Socratic Method – relentless
questioning, clear definition,
dialectical analysis, and critical
evaluation to disentangle complex
issues and more ways of thinking
ULTIMATE AIM OF PHILOSOPHY
 Complete liberty of mind
 Freedom from all social, political,
religious prejudice
 Care for the well-being of the soul
 Answer question “what it is all
about?”
THINKING PHILOSOPHICALLY: CRITICAL
THINKER
 Socrates – the unexamined life is
not worth living
 Philosophy of Life – beliefs that
 Thinking philosophically – think
critically about beliefs to ensure
they are most accurate
 Writing is a vehicle for creating and
communicating your ideas and a
catalyst for your intellectual
development.
QUALITIES OF A CRITICAL THINKER BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
 Critical thinker – changes the way a
qualitatively view the world, make
decisions, process information
 Critical – critic (kritikos) = to
question, make sense of, to analyze
 Constructive criticism – analyzing
for the purpose of developing a
better understanding of what is
going on.
 QUALITIES:
1. Open-minded: listen carefully to
every viewpoint, evaluating
perspective carefully and fairly.
2. Knowledgeable: Opinions based
on facts or evidence.
3. Mentally active: Confront
problems and challenges
4. Curious: Penetrate beneath the
surface of issues,
5. Independent thinkers: Not afraid
to disagree with the group opinion.
6. Skilled discussants: Discuss
ideas in an organized and intelligent
way.
7. Insightful: Get to the heart of the
issue or problem.
8. Self-aware: Aware of their own
biases
9. Creative: Break out of established
patterns of thinking with innovative
directions.
10. Passionate: Passion for
understanding