...Philosophy vs. Science by Joseph Rowlands The historical relationship between science and philosophy has not been a friendly one. Philosophers like to start with their conclusions, and work to prove them. When it came to trying to figure out what the world was like, philosophers tended to argue about what the world should be like. Science was born as a rejection of this method. Its goal was to figure out what the world was really all about, and its primary tool was actual experimentation. We've all seen philosophy at its worst. Philosophers are often completely disconnected from reality and, more recently, don't care. Rationalism, the view that only deductive knowledge is really reliable, is commonplace. Philosophers often expound their ideas from armchairs and ivory towers, where the facts of reality don't concern them. It's not surprising science would want to distance itself from philosophy. It becomes even more personal for the scientist when he's told that he must conform to preconceived views of the world. It started with Galileo having to renounce his scientific views on astronomy, but continued through the ages. Countless other scientists have had to hide their views on topics like evolution, the age of the earth and the existence of glaciers, with a range of punishments from the inquisition and burning at the stake to losing their jobs or financing. Philosophy, often in the form of religion, does not seek the truth. It seeks believers, and the truth is an...
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...The Branches of Philosophy Transcript S1: Hello, and welcome to another presentation in Philosophy 201: Philosophy and Contemporary Ideas. In this presentation, I want to introduce you to three major branches of philosophy, and talk about each branch a little bit separately, and then I’ll finish off by talking about some miscellaneous branches of philosophy that are kind of an overlap of those three branches. S2: The first major branch of philosophy is the branch of metaphysics. The word metaphysics means, ‘above or beyond physics.’ It investigates questions of reality and existence. But as the word implies, it’s not just simply the existence that we see or the things that we experience with our senses, but what’s beyond those. What’s beyond this real world that we see here? Why does it work the way that it works? Why is it here? How did it get here? Those are some metaphysical areas that we deal with here. We can break metaphysics into four sub-categories here. The first sub-category is cosmological metaphysics, and this deals specifically with the origin and purpose of reality. Why does anything exist at all? That’s often been called the first philosophical question. Why does anything exist? Where did reality come from? How did it develop the way that it was? What is its purpose—why is it here? Those are all cosmological questions. A second area of metaphysics is theological metaphysics, and this deals with the reality of something beyond the natural reality...
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...Guide: Lesson 3 The Importance of Philosophy for Christians Lesson Overview In our last lesson for this module/week, we examined why developing the philosophical mindset is important for people in general. In this lesson, we want to ask that question specifically for Christians. What value does philosophy have for Christians? We will begin by examining the biblical basis for developing a philosophical mindset. We will discuss the biblical mandate for philosophy and three elements in fulfilling that mandate. We will then survey a number of roles that philosophy functions for Christians. Finally, we will examine the role that the Bible plays in doing philosophy. Tasks Read and take notes from chapter 3 of Philosophy: Critically Thinking about Foundational Beliefs, “What Athens has to do with Jerusalem: The Importance of Philosophy for Christians.” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: • Know the historical and literary background to Col 2:8. Paul starts this passage off with a Greek term “blepete” meaning “beware” or “be on your guard.” Then follows this with a strange phrase that literally means “to be carried off as booty” but here is probably meant more like “kidnap” The literal wording here is actually “philosophy and vain deceit” knowing the historical and literary context of this passage one can see that Paul is not condemning philosophy in general. He is contrasting two kinds of philosophy: one that is based on human traditions...
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...Developing a Philosophy of Leadership A leadership philosophy is the way we see ourselves as leaders. This philosophy guides our actions, our behaviors, and our thoughts. Our philosophies are influenced by external and internal forces. We can change who we are as leaders by simply changing our philosophy of leadership. Leadership philosophies can change as you grow to understand yourself within the context of leading. Creating or finding your leadership philosophy means that you must explore and reflect upon your personal values, assumptions, and beliefs about leadership. Personal values are qualities or characteristics that you value. You would rather leave an organization or step down as a leader than violate your values. Your values guide your intentions and they influence how you lead. When your personal values are clear and you are conscious of them, you create a solid foundation for leading. Assumptions are ideas that are assumed or believed to be true. As a leader it is important to understand what assumptions fuel your leadership thinking. Often leaders are not aware of the assumptions because they are operating from certain paradigms that will not allow them to see assumptions. Reflection into one’s leadership is an excellent way to uncover assumptions. Beliefs are ideas that we hold to be true; they shape our realities. If a leader believes that the only individuals in an organization that can make decisions is the management staff, then that belief will...
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...Developing a Philosophy of Leadership A leadership philosophy is the way we see ourselves as leaders. This philosophy guides our actions, our behaviors, and our thoughts. Our philosophies are influenced by external and internal forces. We can change who we are as leaders by simply changing our philosophy of leadership. Leadership philosophies can change as you grow to understand yourself within the context of leading. Creating or finding your leadership philosophy means that you must explore and reflect upon your personal values, assumptions, and beliefs about leadership. Personal values are qualities or characteristics that you value. You would rather leave an organization or step down as a leader than violate your values. Your values guide your intentions and they influence how you lead. When your personal values are clear and you are conscious of them, you create a solid foundation for leading. Assumptions are ideas that are assumed or believed to be true. As a leader it is important to understand what assumptions fuel your leadership thinking. Often leaders are not aware of the assumptions because they are operating from certain paradigms that will not allow them to see assumptions. Reflection into one’s leadership is an excellent way to uncover assumptions. Beliefs are ideas that we hold to be true; they shape our realities. If a leader believes that the only individuals in an organization that can make decisions is the management staff, then that belief will...
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...Study Guide: Lesson 1 What is Philosophy? Lesson Overview Welcome to this introductory course in philosophy. For our first lesson, we are going to examine the question: What is philosophy? There are 4 ways you can get to know what a discipline is: define it, describe it, contrast and compare it with other disciplines, and finally experience it. In this first lesson, we will aim to accomplish the first 3 of these activities. The rest of the course will be an exercise in experiencing philosophy. Tasks View and take notes of the presentation, “Misconceptions about Philosophy”. Read and take notes from chapter 1 of Prelude to Philosophy: An Introduction for Christians, “What is Philosophy?” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: • List 4 reasons students often presuppose a low view of philosophy. o They think you have to be super intelligent to do philosophy o Most students study it late in their academic development o Most people do not think philosophy is practical o They do not know what it is or how it can benefit them • Know Socrates’ quote: What is the unexamined life? What did he mean when he said it wasn’t worth living? o Socrates was saying that the unexamined life is when people go through the motions of life without making the effort to reflect and think about what life is about. When Socrates says the unexamined life is not worth living, he is saying that we are...
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...Requiring philosophy in the general education curriculum, whether it is in addition to or in place of another class, is worth it. Last semester when I was registering for classes I knew when I saw that I could take philosophy in place of another class that it would be worth it. And almost finishing this semester I know without a shadow of a doubt that it was. In fact, I would encourage other students to take a philosophy class. Studying philosophy allows for our God-given desire to grow and learn as a person to be fulfilled. Throughout this semester, I have learned more than I would have in any other class about the world that we live in through a philosophical view. Three of the many Philosophers that we studied included Bertrand Russell,...
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...came to be, what we are and all the questions that philosophy asks.” Moments into my talk with Charlie Cummings, Front Range’s philosophy professor, it became evident why he found himself in this field. It’s believed that the well-known Greek thinker, Pythagoras, was likely the first person to widely use the term philosophy, which translated from the ancient Greek word philosophia means “love of knowledge, pursuit of wisdom.” Charlie has a passion for education, which is evident in one of his personal philosophies; to always be a student as well as a teacher. Charlie has successfully made a career out of philosophy, how can you? Front Range Community...
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...Mazie Carpentier Mrs. Detrick HU210 M/W 10 April 2024. Worldview: Personal Questionnaire Section 1: Philosophy and Religion: Before Humanities 210, how would you describe the philosophies that influenced your processes for decision making, thinking, and developing preferences? How would you describe your level of conscious choice and commitment to these philosophies? What helped form or develop the belief in that philosophy? After class discussions, have you had any realizations or made any changes in regard to the philosophies that influence your decisions, actions, or preferences? Has your level of conscious choice to these philosophies changed? Why or why not? Answer: Before Humanities 210, I did not know much about philosophy or the different...
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... Post your response to the following: What are the fundamental differences between Western philosophies and Eastern ways of knowing? (Generally, how does each culture view the world and education?) How can you incorporate seemingly different ways of knowing in your curriculum? When responding to your classmates’ posts, take the role of a student of an Eastern culture and ask a ‘what if’ question. 3. Discussion Question 2 Post your response to the following: What are the fundamental differences between Western philosophies and Native North American ways of knowing? (Generally, how does each culture view the world and education?) How can you incorporate seemingly different ways of knowing in your curriculum? When responding to your classmates’ posts, take the role of a student of a Native North American culture and ask a ‘what if’ question. AED 200 Week 5 DQ 1 and DQ 2 Get Tutorial by Clicking on the link below or Copy Paste Link in Your Browser https://hwguiders.com/downloads/aed-200-week-5-dq-1-dq-2/ For More Courses and Exams use this form ( http://hwguiders.com/contact-us/ ) Feel Free to Search your Class through Our Product Categories or From Our Search Bar (http://hwguiders.com/ ) Discussion Question 1 Post your response to the following: What are the fundamental differences between Western philosophies and Eastern ways of knowing? (Generally, how does each culture view the world and education?) How can you incorporate seemingly different ways of...
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...What Role Does Philosophy Have in my Life? In many circumstances individuals consider Philosophy to be a very abstract field, but what exactly is Philosophy? Philosophy studies the basic nature of existence, of man, and of man's relationship to existence. What we must question is, would one be better off with or with out Philosophy? I consider that one should live a life with Philosophy. Philosophy consists of questioning man’s relationship to existence; if man does not question existence, are we just living through the notions of life? As humans we feel the need to believe in something and search for understanding. The consideration of Philosophy opened a new realm of questions. The fields of Metaphysics and Epistemology were derived from Philosophy. If not for these branches of Philosophy, how would I have known to question what I already know? How would I have been able to describe what I perceive? How about being able to explain my surroundings? It all came for the fields of Philosophy. If not for Philosophy, we would have yet to appreciate the meaning of esthetics, the study of art. We encounter esthetics everywhere we go. In the buildings we see, the words we speak, the sounds we hear, in the music we create. Simply the emotions we express throughout the day can be considered part of esthetics. One must use Philosophy to help us give reason to life, and not view it as absurd and meaningless. We all have some sense of what is right, and what is wrong. Whether we choose...
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...Introduction to Philosophy Essay There are many reasons one should study philosophy. The study of philosophy can ultimately change the way a person lives and unlock some deep questions about the meaning of their life. Questions you ask yourself such as why you are doing the things you are doing or where your life is heading or what you want to become in life can be answered throughout the study of a philosophy course. Understanding philosophy is the key in motivating us as individuals to explore life’s most challenging issues. Moreover, learning to understand philosophy will help you to become more open-minded, thoughtful, attuned to life in general, more of a critical thinker, and less accepting of simplistic answers. Philosophy can train your mind to think clear, analytic, and in a powerful way if you allow it. In turn this will enable you to make thoughtful decisions, communicate more effectively, and ultimately grow as a person. The knowledge of philosophy will help you to reach your full potential in life as an individual. As a student, the study of philosophy will take your vision of what you want to be in life and make it reality. Philosophy can more broadly be defined by examining the four major philosophical areas of inquiry which are wonder, wisdom, truth, and the dynamic process. Philosophy begins with wonder. Wonder is a search for unity of knowledge and the desire to answer the great questions of life. “The feeling of wonder is the touchstone of the philosopher...
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...To some, philosophy may seem like an ambiguous course with no real focus, and can be hard to differentiate from other studies and fields, sciences and religion in particular. However, philosophy is the study of human intellect and reasoning, or in other words, thinking about thinking. The word philosophy derives from the Greek words “philo” (meaning “love of”) and “Sophia” (meaning “wisdom”), so together it literally means “the love of wisdom.” Those who use philosophy seek total knowledge, meaning understanding and knowing everything. In order to obtain total knowledge, new knowledge must be created, which is what philosophy allows philosophers to do. The creation of new knowledge yields power, power yields freedom, and freedom yields survival. So, in a sense, the key to our survival is to use philosophy. Philosophy is used in every field of study and all aspects of life, separating it from other disciplines and faiths that it is so often confused with. There are distinct attributes about philosophy that allows it to stand on its own. Religion and philosophy are different entities, however, philosophy does impact religion. Religion can be defined as the rules for the direction of life under conditions of maximum certainty. For comparison, philosophy can be defined as the rules for the direction of maximum uncertainty. In simpler terms, philosophy is use to provide answers that we don’t know (i.e. what happens when we die). Religion, on the other hand provides those answers...
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...to impose on the reader. The emergence of philosophies in every literary sexy whether predominantly or as an allusion. The path in which philosophies take in becoming an allusion in a literary text is through the characters that the author chooses to have represent the concepts in the book. Fyodor Dostoevsky uses the allusion to human philosophies by having them unfold throughout the lives of his characters in the choices they make in his book Crime and Punishment. Svidrigailov represents the allusion to the human philosophy, nihilism and irrational egoism,...
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...Evan Anderson 1/28/2015 Philosophy: What is philosophy? Well, that is an incredible difficult question to answer. Part of the reason is it is so hard to answer is because many famous philosophers, the ones who actually “do” the activity in question, don’t agree on one set definition and even go as far as to disagree with each other when putting fourth their own definitions. So how can we have a set answer to that question? Well this means that we are going to have to have a very broad definition. It has to be very wide because it has to encompass many famous philosophers’ ideas and teachings. To be a philosopher is to create and conceptualize ideas about how to live life the right way. When thinking about a philosopher we all tend to gravitate towards an image of an old Greek man with a large white beard, bald head and in robes. However, while there were a lot of ferry talented philosophers who were old and Greek, anyone can be a philosopher and we should encourage people to try. It would be ignorant for anyone who considers themselves to be a philosopher to not listen to everyone’s ideas. In Phaedo, Plato states that “Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death. If this is true, and they have actually been looking forward to death all their lives, it would of course be absurd to be troubled when the thing comes for which they have...
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