Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Philosophy and ethics

Core Vocabulary & Actions

• Cede/Concede: To transfer a thing, action, or right to another.
• Surrender: To give up; to undergo.
• Repair: To fix or mend.
• Beware: To be cautious or wary of; to notice a thing.
• Fix: To make stable or permanent; to repair.
• Frenzy: A state of wild excitement or uncontrolled activity; madness.
• Encourage: To give support, confidence, or hope.
• Large Exaltation: A state of great praise or elevation.
• Thrive: To grow or develop well; to prosper; to increase in size.
• Improve: To make or become better; to progress.
• Prosper: To succeed in material terms; to make money.
• Spur: To ease, incite, or encourage someone to do something. Example: To chop with the spur to the horse.
• Patent: A document granting a right or permission for something.

The problem of reality and the problem of knowledge are intimately related; it is not possible to separate them. Plato argues that true knowledge must possess characteristics of objectivity and universality.

In his attempt to find the concepts or definitions of virtue as a basis for moral practice, Plato realized that the objects of sense perception are constantly changing (in a state of flux), and therefore these objects cannot be given a definition valid for all time. For this reason, science cannot be reduced to sensation, because science is objective, infallible, and universal knowledge. Plato does not accept that absolutely everything is subject to becoming, as the essence of things, i.e., the universal concept, escapes becoming.

Only the... Continue reading "Plato's Theory of Knowledge" »

Moral Relativism

Moral relativism posits that ethical principles are not universal. What is considered right or good is determined within each particular group and applies only to that group. Moral choices are incomparable across different groups due to varying traditions. Concepts of fair, unfair, good, and bad are always group-dependent, making it impossible to establish universally valid principles.

Relativistic Skepticism

Relativistic skepticism asserts that the lack of a universal criterion for choosing between options makes it impossible to distinguish between right and wrong, just and unjust. Despite this, decisions must be made, and rational justifications may be sought.

Socratic Intellectualism

Socratic intellectualism, an ethical theory,... Continue reading "Moral Relativism, Skepticism, and Socratic Ethics" »

Aristotle's Metaphysics: Substance and Reality

Metaphysics: The study of reality and what exists. Aristotle referred to this as substance, proposing the theory of hylemorphism: the union of matter (the physical component) and form (specific qualities). All around us are substances, which constitute the unique and authentic reality. This reality, for Aristotle, is a substantial synthesis, bridging the gap between Plato's two-world theory.

Aristotle begins by acknowledging Plato's concept of universals, which arise from the perfections of things. However, according to Aristotle, these universals do not reside in a separate, higher world, but rather within the things themselves. In reality, only individual, concrete substances exist. Yet, each... Continue reading "Aristotle's Core Philosophy & Hellenistic Ethics" »

Hypothetical-Deductive Method

The complete method of natural science is divided into three levels:

• Protocol Statements: These express world phenomena that can be established empirically.
• Laws: These are universal statements that express the behavior or relationship of certain phenomena in a regular and unvarying manner.
• Theories: These are universal statements that can be drawn from all the laws of a particular science.

One or more explanatory hypotheses are developed based on observed facts or detected problems.

Key Processes:

• Verification: A hypothesis is considered true when the observed facts agree with the facts deduced from the hypothesis.
• Falsification: A hypothesis is refuted or "false" when the facts in the world do not agree with the facts

Descartes' Methodic Doubt and the Cogito

This text introduces the doubts René Descartes systematically applied to everything surrounding him. He questioned everything derived from our senses, the pronouncements of the wise, and even mathematical certainties. Descartes initially suspected that everything he had ever believed might be deceptive. He pondered: if God is infinitely good and powerful, why would He allow us to be deceived? Or perhaps, he speculated, we are deceived by some malicious entity or for some unknown reason.

However, Descartes explained that one thing cannot be doubted: the act of thinking itself. He famously concluded, "Cogito ergo sum" – if he thinks, then he must exist. From this certainty arises the correspondence between... Continue reading "Descartes' Philosophy: Doubt, Mind, God, and Reality" »

From Myth to Logos: A Shift in Thinking

The transition from myth to logos signifies a fundamental shift in mindset: the capacity to conceive of myths yielded to the rational approach of Philosophy. This transformation in thinking unfolded in Greece during the Archaic period of its history (8th-6th centuries BCE). Throughout this era, certain individuals began to challenge both the mythical interpretations of reality and traditional mythical religion.

Mythical explanations of reality, presented as truths, gradually failed to satisfy human curiosity. Consequently, by the 6th century BCE, early philosophers emerged, who demanded objective testing and demonstration, essentially seeking rational explanations rather than narratives. The traditional... Continue reading "From Myth to Logos: The Rise of Rational Thought" »

Metaphysics: God, Mind, and Reality

Metaphysics delves into the fundamental nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, between substance and attribute, and between potentiality and actuality. A central figure in this exploration is the concept of God, often defined as an infinite being.

Saint Anselm's Ontological Argument

Saint Anselm, utilizing an existing argument, posited that God, being an infinite and all-powerful being, is perfect. If God is a perfect being, then God must possess all possible attributes. A perfect being is that which lacks nothing. Therefore, God cannot be deprived of existence, as a lesser being would be imperfect. Thus, God must exist.

The Significance of God's Existence

The existence of God is... Continue reading "Descartes' Metaphysics: God, Mind, and Reality" »

The Body and Soul

Departing from the Pythagorean idea of the body as the soul's prison, St. Augustine, influenced by the incarnation of the Word, exalts the human body. Regarding the soul's origin, Augustine admits uncertainty between the prevailing theories of Tertullian's traducianism (parental generation) and St. Jerome's creationism. He believes, however, that the souls of Adam and Christ were divinely created.

The Soul and God

Central to Augustine's thought are the soul and God. Understanding humanity necessitates inquiring about God, as humanity is incomplete without God. The human soul, mirroring the Trinity, is also one and triune in its capacity for mind, knowledge, and love. "Therefore, the mind, its knowledge, and love are three,... Continue reading "St. Augustine's Philosophy of Soul and God" »