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"The Love of Wisdom"
Crash Course Video
Philosophical Methods
The Philosophical Landscape
The Study of Argumentation and Reasoning
Three Examples
Valid Argument (with false premises)
Premise 1: If Prof. Langston is President, then Donald Trump is a teacher.
Premise 2: Prof. Langston is President.
Conclusion: Therefore, Donald Trump is a teacher.
Sound Argument
Premise 1: If Donald Trump is President, then Prof. Langston is a teacher.
Premise 2: Donald Trump is President.
Conclusion: Therefore, Prof. Langston is a teacher.
Deductive argument -
an argument in which the conclusion is intended to necessarily follow from the premises.
Valid - an argument in which it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false.
Sound - a valid argument with true premises.
Invalid Argument
Premise 1: If Donald Trump is President, then Prof. Langston is a teacher.
Premise 2: Prof. Langston is a teacher.
Conclusion: Therefore, Donald Trump is president.
Crash Course Video
Three Examples
Cogent Argument
Premise 1: Most people with two hands have ten fingers.
Premise 2: Prof. Langston has two hands.
Conclusion: Therefore, Prof. Langston probaby has ten fingers.
Strong Argument (with a false premise)
Premise 1: Almost everyone with two hands can do a handstand.
Premise 2: Prof. Langston has two hands.
Conclusion: Therefore, Prof. Langston can probably do a handstand.
Inductive argument -
an argument in which the premises are intended to make the conclusion highly probable.
Strong - an argument in which true premises make the conclusion probably true
Cogent - a strong argument with true premises
Weak Argument
Premise 1: Most people are shorter than 6'4".
Premise 2: Prof. Langston is a person.
Conclusion: Therefore, Prof. Langston is taller than 6'4".
Crash Course Video
A set of statements, called premises, intended to support the truth of another statement, called the conclusion.
A statement within an argument intended to support the truth of the conclusion.
The statement of an argument whose truth is supported by the premises.
An argument in which the conclusion is intended to necessarily follow from the premises.
A argument in which it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false; applies to deductive arguments.
An argument in which the truth of the conclusion fails to logically follow from the premises; applies to deductive arguments.
A valid argument with true premises; applies to deductive arguments.
An argument that is either invalid or has at least one false premise; applies to deductive arguments.
An argument in which the premises are intended to make the conclusion highly probable.
An inductive argument in which true premises would make the conclusion highly probable.
An inductive argument in which true premises would not make the conclusion highly probable.
A strong inductive argument with true premises.
An inductive argument that is either weak or have at least one false premise.
The Study of the Nature of Reality
"What exists, and what is it like?"
The Study of the Nature of Reality
Can you step in this same river twice?
Metaphysical Topics
-al Type of Reality?
Metaphysical Monism- there is only one kind of reality
Metaphysical Dualism- there are two kinds of realities
Metaphysical Materialism- monistic theory that claims that reality is totally physical in nature
Idealism- monistic theory that claims that reality is totally mental or spiritual in nature
What is the Mind, and How Does it Relate to the Body?
These four propositions seem true, but they cannot all be true at the same time.
1. The body is a physical thing.
2. The mind is a nonphysical thing.
3. The mind and body interact and causally affect one another.
4. Nonphysical things cannot causally interact with physical things.
Other Forms of Dualism:
Argument from Doubt
Argument from Consciousness
Descartes's arguments rely on the Principle of the Nonidentity of Discernibles:
1. I can doubt my body exists.
2. I cannot doubt my mind exists.
3. If two things do not have exactly
identical properties, then they
cannot be identical.
4. Therefore, the mind and body are
not identical.
Problem with Argument from Doubt
Property of "being subject to doubt" is questionable.
"I can doubt that H2O exists. I cannot doubt that water exists."
1. Material objects are nonthinking and
cannot have the property of
consciousness.
2. The mind is a thinking thing and
does have the property of
consciousness as its essence.
3. If two things do not have exactly
identical properties, then they
cannot be identical.
4. Therefore, the mind and body are
not identical.
Problem with Argument from Consciousness
Physicalists argue that material objects CAN have the property of consciousness, thus claiming premise 1 is false.
Almost all problems with dualism are related to the interaction.
Identity Theory
Physicalists argue that the mind must be physical.
Identity theory claims that all mental states can be reduced to physical states. For example, "That waterater is wet" really reduces to "That collection of H2O molecules is wet."
Eliminativism
Eliminativism claims that the metaphysics of the immaterial mind and our folk psychology about it are so wrong that both, the metaphysical worldview and language, need to be eliminated.
Problems with Physicalist Theories
Most objections to physicalism claim it can't account for our subjectives experiences - qualia.
Other Forms of Monism:
Functionalists argue that mental states should be defined by their functional roles and not by their substance.
property by which something can be instantiated (realized) in multiple ways
Proposed test to determine whether a computer can think
Claim that programmed computer really can have a mind and can be said to literally understand and believe just like human intelligence
Claim that programmed computer can only appear to have a mind and can only simulate understanding, believing and human intelligence.
All events are determined by prior causes.
Humans are able to choose alternative paths.
Determinism - claim that all events are the necessary result of previous causes
Indeterminism - claim that some events are not the necessary result of previous causes
YES!
NO!
Hard determinists believe that
Libertarians believe that
Event-causation - occurs when a prior event necessarily causes a subsequent event
Agent-causation - occurs when an event is brought about through someone's free action
Compatibilists believe that
Freedom doesn't require the ability to choose otherwise, only that you act voluntarily from internal causes, not external causes.
Yes
No
Libertarianism
Is determinism true?
Is moral responsibility compatible with determinism?
No
Yes
Compatibilism
Hard Determinism
The Study of Knowledge
The Study of How We Should Live