Branches of Philosophy
It asks the core question: “What is ultimately real?”
What is Metaphysics?
Why is asking whether people have minds a metaphysical question, rather than simply a scientific question about the brain?
The question goes beyond the physical brain and asks about the nature of the mind itself and whether/how it relates to the body. It is asking what reality ultimately consists of.
What is ethics, and how is it different from morality?
Ethics is the philosophical study of what is right and wrong, and how people should behave.
Morality refers to the beliefs, values, and principles that a person or society has about right and wrong.
Philosophical question are usually what two things in nature?
Foundational and abstract.
Someone asks, “Why are we in this world, and what is the purpose of our lives?” What kind of philosophical question is this?
A question about human existence and the meaning/purpose of life. (Metaphysical)
What branch is the question: “Do people have free will?”
Metaphysics
Someone says: “I have a belief, therefore I have knowledge.” Based on the definition of Epistemology in the text, what is missing from this argument?
The person must consider whether the belief is justified. Simply having a belief does not automatically establish knowledge.
Someone gives a conclusion that you agree with, but their reasons do not actually support it.
Does agreeing with the conclusion automatically make the reasoning good?
No since Logic examines whether the reasoning supports the conclusion, regardless of whether we agree with the conclusion.
What does philosophy primarily use instead of relying mainly on experiments?
Reflection and reasoning.
A person asks, “Is there anything beyond the physical world, such as spirits?” Which philosophical issue is being raised?
Whether reality contains non-material things.
Why does the text say that Logic is a legitimate branch of philosophy but also connects it to Epistemology?
Because Logic examines our reasons and reasoning to make sure they are justified, especially when we are trying to know what is real.
The text asks both “What is knowledge?” and “What is truth?” Explain why answering one of these questions does not automatically answer the other.
Knowing what truth is concerns the nature of truth, while knowing what knowledge is involves understanding what it means to know something and whether a belief can be justified. They are related, but they are not the same question.
Can something be logically correct but ethically wrong?
Yes. Something can be logically correct but ethically wrong, because logic evaluates whether reasoning is valid, while ethics evaluates whether an action is morally right or wrong.
What does philosophy encourage us to do with beliefs we normally accept without questionin?
Examine/question them and look for an adequate explanation.
You believe something is true because you saw it yourself. Someone asks, “But how do you know your senses are reliable?” Which philosophical issue are they raising?
The nature and source of knowledge/ an epistemological issue.
The three core branches ask about reality, knowledge, and how we should live. Why do these three questions naturally connect to one another?
What we believe is real affects what we think we can know, and what we believe we know can influence how we decide we should live.
If you cannot prove something exists, does that prove it doesn't exist?
No. Failing to prove something exists does not prove that it does not exist.
Can emotions affect whether our moral reasoning is logical?
Emotions can influence our moral decisions, sometimes helping ourjudgment and sometimes making it less logical.
Why can philosophical questions be valuable even when they don’t have definite answers?
Because they expand our understanding and encourage deeper thinking.
Can an unanswered question still have a meaningful answer?
Yes. Philosophical inquiry can deepen understanding even when a question has no definite or final answer.
If reality is unknowable, can philosophy still ask how we should live?
Yes, but it creates a deeper philosophical problem: without knowing reality, it becomes difficult to determine what knowledge or values should guide our lives.
If you replace every part of a ship one piece at a time, is it still the same ship?
Yes
Why: If a ferry runs the same route every day while swapping worn parts, passengers still call it the same ferry. Form and utility matter more than raw atoms.
No
Why: Matter is real and finite. Once every original plank is gone, the original material is gone.
Is the main issue ethics or logic?
”Everyone in my class cheats, so cheating is morally acceptable.”
Both can be examined, but the reasoning itself is a question of logic, while whether cheating is morally acceptable is a question of ethics.
What is the main goal of resolving a philosophical problem?
To make sense of issues that don’t seem to make sense even when we have the information.
A philosopher asks: “If two people disagree about whether an action is right, does that mean morality depends on personal beliefs, or can one answer still be objectively correct?” What philosophical issue is being examined?
Whether morality is objective or subjective.