The Real Deal
Ross Weber’s advice for students heading off to college is to take what kinds of classes?
Both liberal arts (like philosophy, art, literature)
And applied courses (that will earn you a paycheck in your future)
When Bertrand Russell says, “utility does not belong to philosophy.” What does he mean?
It doesn’t put bread on the table – lead to more pay—philosophy has no direct use
Descartes proved his existence in what famous line?
“I think; therefore I am.”
According to Buddhism, one can discover enlightenment through meditation and walking the ____ fold path.
8
Buddhism was founded by this prince who renounced his wealth.
Siddhartha
Rationalists trust only this in telling them whether
Something is real or not. Descartes was a Rationalist.
Their minds
(not their senses)
What are the two basic tools of Western philosophy?
Language and Logic
Why was the church opposed to Descartes’ studies?
Faith should be enough
What does “Tao” mean?
“The way”
Buddhists believe Nirvana is achieved by living the 8 fold path and doing this:
Meditating
Empiricists believe only this connects them to Truth and reality
Their senses
What types of questions are reserved for philosophy? Provide one example.
Questions that cannot be definitively answered. For example:
Why do bad things happen to good people? Does fate or free will determine our lives?
According to Descartes, what is the relationship between the mind and body?
The body is completely separate from the mind—because if your senses can deceive you in any case (dreams), doubt them in all cases; he was a Rationalist.
Eastern religions tend not to value these two ideas because they feel they get in the way of enlightenment.
language and ego
What does the yin-yang represent?
balance of all things – good and bad, light and dark, masculine and feminine, etc.
What are two of the four major paths to religious acceptance according to chapter 10?
Tradition
History
Psychology
Philosophy
What is philosophy’s primary aim according to Bertrand Russell?
Knowledge
Who is the father of modern philosophy?
Descartes
Taoism, unlike Buddhism, believes harmony with the world is achieved through:
Working in the world
The word “Zen” is a translation of a Chinese word meaning what?
meditation
This group of people believes “truth” is whatever they can make you believe. Plato did not agree with them; he did not think that was ultimate Truth.
Sophists
Name two things philosophic contemplations can accomplish.
1. Can give birth to new fields of science
2. Can teach people to think, question, contemplate
Explain Descartes’ Evil Genius Theory
Descartes toyed with this possibility:
The world that we think of as “real” might actually be a “virtual” reality, created by an Evil Genius who manipulates our minds/senses and makes this life seem real when it actually is not.
To get people to forget about their egos, Zen Masters will . . .
humiliate and demean their pupils
What is the difference between Nirvana and Karma?
Nirvana represents true enlightenment, a union with the world soul Karma is a moral summation of one’s deeds over a lifetime—what goes around comes around.