Introduction to philosophy
What is the meaning of the word philosophy?
Love of wisdom
Which are the branches of philosophy?
Metaphysics, aesthetics, logic, ethics and epistemology.
What was the geographical location of Ancient Greece?
Mediterranean Sea and Balkan Peninsula
The two different labels that we have used in class to talk about kind of explanation are...
Cosmological and cosmogonical explanations
What is the other way that was seen to refer to the transition from myth to logos?
The Greek Miracle
What is the primary goal of philosophy?
The primary goal of philosophy is to critically examine and understand fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.
Why is philosophy divided into several branches?
To establish concrete questions that allow us to expand or obtain knowledge about concrete issues of the real world.
Who were the two great poets of Ancient Greece and their main books?
Homer: Iliad and Odyssey
Hesiod: Theogony
What is the type of explanation that is based on belief, context and customs? Give an example.
Cosmogonical. Any type of explanation through imagination and mythology is valid.
What is and why is important the concept of "logos"?
Logos means "reason" and demonstrates the importance of establishing explanations beyond mythical and religious views.
What role does critical thinking play in philosophy, and how does it differ from everyday thinking?
Critical thinking in philosophy involves systematically evaluating arguments and evidence, questioning assumptions, and considering alternative perspectives: It goes beyond everyday thinking.
What is the nature of beauty? What is art?
What is truth? Can we ever really know anything?
What is the nature of reality? Does God exist?
In order: those are examples of question of which branches?
Aesthetics
Logic
Metaphysics
Why is the myth of Prometheus fundamental to philosophical thought?
Because it demonstrates and represents, through fire, the fundamental importance of knowledge and discovery through human reason.
What type of explanation is based on reasons, precise observation and methodical analysis? Give an example.
Cosmological. Any type of explanation based on science or rational perspective is valid.
Why the free time and otium were important to the beginning of philosophy and happened in Ancient Greece?
It provides individuals with opportunity for contemplation, intellectual exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge beyond immediate practical concerns, fostering the conditions for reflective thought and the emergence of philosophical inquiries in socio-economical context of Ancient Greece.
What is the first fundamental principle of philosophical thinking?
Philosophical thinking does not arise in a vaccum: it is always about recognize the context and see in perspective.
Explore the relationship between ethics and morality. How do these concepts influence decision-making and behavior in everyday life?
Understanding the relationship between them helps guide decision-making and behavior based on principles and personal values.
Why does the figure of Athena and her birth represent philosophy?
Because her birth, from a headache of Zeus, represents the ideas and knowledge that arise from the mind of human beings.
Philosophy asks many questions and about many things (humanity, our behaviour, reality...) but what was the first philosophical question about?
Nature
What were the factors that allowed the emergence of philosophy in Ancient Greece?
1. Geographical location
2. Democracy and freedom of thought
3. Culture and mythology
4. Trade and commerce
5. Cultural exchange.
Why is the process of questioning often considered more valuable than finding definitive answers in philosophy?
The emphasis on questioning in philosophy stems from the recognition that certainty is elusive, and knowledge is often provisional.
Explore the relationship between metaphysics and epistemology. How do these branches of philosophy intersect in our quest for understanding reality?
Metaphysics examines the nature of reality, while epistemology focuses on the nature of knowledge. The intersection lies in understanding how our knowledge of reality is related to the fundamental nature of that reality.
Why can't philosophy be thought without mythology?
Because mythology represents the yearning of the human being, from the astonishment, to establish possible answers to fundamental questions: in the need to explain, represented by mythology, philosophy arises.
What is the main similarity and difference between the two types of explanations?
The main similarity is that both attempts at explanation arise from the amazement of the human being. The main difference lies in how the fundamental questions are answered: from a mythological perspective or a rational one.
Using eclipse: explain what is the transition from myth to logos?
The Eclipse represents change because it demonstrates that explanations of observed phenomena do not require the use of gods, goddesses or imagination. It is through the understanding of phenomena from their logical causes and consequences.