There are a few things to address in this first lecture (in written form). You have signed up for a Philosophy 101 class, so you naturally might be wondering what philosophy is. You also might be wondering how you can use philosophy. Why study philosophy? For a more visual answer to these questions, see the video below!
One way of getting at these concerns is to show you where philosophy fits in relation to other disciplines, how it connects with the general human acquisition of knowledge. So, I'm going to use the example of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to get this point across. (Your feelings on evolution are another matter, as we will get to later in the course. This is simply an example.)
Charles Darwin came up with the idea that species undergo change from one generation to the next as a result of natural selection. When scientists see the world they observe in line with the principles of evolution, it is more likely that the theory is true and will be accepted by others. Geneticists, for example, discovered the units of selection: genes--this discovery supports the theory of evolution. Thus a theory is created and other disciplines interact with it. We could go further to talk about history, computer science, etc.
Where does philosophy fit in, in this scenario? Darwin was doing philosophy when he observed the world and began to create a theory about it, out of line with the religious tradition of the time. The point of this example is to give you a general idea of the way philosophy can influence things, the way it connects with everything else. Another example: the politicians of our day align themselves with some political party. These parties are based on philosophical principles or ideals, and the politicians act based on these principles. Thus, philosophy influences action, is the foundation of action. This will become clearer as the course progresses. As you will see, philosophy can get very complex so it is sometimes helpful to remember, generally, how philosophy fits in. However, it is certainly true that there are some aspects of philosophy that don't influence action as much as others.
If you would like a more formal definition, philosophy comes from Greek roots, meaning “love of wisdom.” Although you may "philosophize" with your friends about the Matrix, academic philosophy is generally more in depth, more rigorous. Loving wisdom implies a deeper process than a simple discussion. Of course, it also implies a deeper process than simply taking classes and reading books! But taking classes and reading books can, at least, assist you on your quest for wisdom.
Philosophy asks us to look at our beliefs, judgements, and prejudices and evaluate them on their own terms. Philosophers believe things because, based on various types of evidence, they are true. Truth itself, in fact, is not immune to philosophy. Another question we'll be asking is, what is true? Philosophers do not believe things because their parents believe them, or because their teachers believe them!
And this brings up an important point: there is no authority in philosophy, including your instructor (me). But this doesn't mean that anything goes! You're free to believe that the moon is made of cheese, but unless you provide compelling reasons and evidence, you're not likely to convince me that it's true, or anyone else. Ask yourself now why you believe something that you do. The majority of humans believe that the earth is round. If you believe this, why? Do you believe in God, why or why not?
I brought God into the picture to show you that nothing is sacred in philosophy, nothing is off limits. Other disciplines might make certain assumptions; philosophy does not. This isn't to say I'm trying to make you change your beliefs. I simply want you to examine them. It may be the case that you examine a belief in detail and then say to yourself, "Well, I believe that for good reason and I'm not going to change my position." The point is to examine your beliefs in the first place.
One thing some first time students don't like about philosophy is that there is often not a definite answer to its questions. The questions are often thought about for the sake of thinking about them, because thinking can improve us, make us more complex and interesting people. When we examine ourselves we have the potential to grow and evolve intellectually and spiritually, appreciate the complexity of life.
I hope I haven't lost you yet! Philosophers do tend to get annoying sometimes, just thinking and thinking and thinking. But good philosophers know that there is a place for thinking, and there is a place for other aspects of life. Still, thinking about things can give you a greater appreciation for the other things.
Philosophy can be divided into categories, and in our book, Archetypes of Wisdom, Douglas Soccio creates four categories. They are (1) Metaphysics (2) Epistemology (3) Ethics and (4) Social and Political Philosophy. Soccio already provides good descriptions of these categories, so I will leave you to consult the book. (These lectures, after all, are intended to supplement the book, not to cover it entirely.) Not all philosophers categorize the discipline this way, but most categorizations are similar. As we go through these different ideas in this course, you will recognize that some philosophers deal with all or only some of the areas of philosophy.
It is unfortunate that academic philosophy often ignores women and non-western cultures. While I have tried to include some of these different points of view, please let me know if you are interested and I can recommend books and authors. We will be studying two Eastern thinkers in week two.
It's possible that some of you are still wondering, what's the point? Philosophy still isn't practical, right? Bertrand Russell, a philosopher who lived into the late 20th century, discussed the idea that the "practical" man has unreasonable prejudices. Even of we lived in a society where there was no poverty, we'd still need more. Is that all life is, getting food and procreating? Philosophy tells us that life goes beyond basic needs, that we should have food for the mind as well as food for the body.