Discussion Question September 6

Name_________ Section ______Date_________

What is Philosophy?
1) Coming into this course, what did you think
philosophy was?
2) Have you spoken to friends and family about
Philosophy? What do they think?
3) Representation in popular culture? Negative: Waste
of Time? Not Useful? Naval Gazing?
Positive: Critical thinking? Thought provoking? Like
psychology? Inspirational / self-help?

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

The Value of Philosophy
Chapter 15 of his The Problems of Philosophy
What is the value of philosophy and why ought it be
studied?
Russell: its lack of practicality is its strength it is
intrinsically valuable and adds value to life
Liam: it also has practical value

Common Conception of Philosophy

Among the practical and scientifically minded,
philosophy has a somewhat negative reputation
Innocent but useless trifling
Hair-splitting distinctions
No right answers: controversies over things about which we
can never know the truth
Not practical: unhelpful for everyday life and getting a job

Compare this to the usefulness and incredible successes

of the physical sciences

Common Conception gets two things wrong

1) Doesnt understand the purpose of life
2) Doesnt understand what philosophers try to achieve

1) Lifes Purpose
Against the practical person
Practical person focused on material needs of the
body but not the needs of the mind
BUT a prosperous, happy society needs more than
material wealth
The value of philosophy is found chiefly in the
goods of the mind

2) The Aim of Philosophy

The aim of Philosophy is Knowledge
Tries to bring unity and systematicity to a body of
thought
Critically examines the evidence for our beliefs
and prejudices
Assesses the strength of arguments and the
soundness of methodologies
Analyses the meanings of concepts and draws out
the implications of positions

Philosophy and Uncertainty

Russell:
Historically, when philosophical questions are given
definitive answers, they become science
BUT some of the BIG questions concerning life and
purpose go beyond empirical science
Including questions of right and wrong. Important
passage: para. 5
These questions are intrinsically valuable even if
they do not have definite answers

Uncertainty and the Value of Philosophy

Part of the value of philosophy lies precisely in its
uncertainty
COMPARE: the unphilosophical mind goes
through life:
imprisoned in the prejudices derived from
common sense.
Imprisoned by the habitual beliefs of his age or
his nation.
Recall Socrates and the unexamined life
And from beliefs developed over time without
conscious deliberation including ethical beliefs

Uncertainty and the Value of Philosophy

Philosophy can free us from the Tyranny of Custom.
Important passage: Para. 7
Avoiding the Tyranny of Custom especially important in
ethics
Example of the Tyranny of Custom??

Example of the Tyranny of Custom:

Both ancient Greece and Rome were slave societies
recall Spartacus and his slave revolt
All modern major ethical theories agree that slavery is
objectively immoral
Yet none(?) of the ancient philosophers questioned it
how could that be?
From the New Testament: Slaves, obey your earthly
masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart,
just as you would obey Christ.

Uncertainty and the Value of Philosophy

Contrast the unphilosophical mind with the curiosity,
awe, and wonder of childhood

Philosophy retains and fosters this sense of wonder

Greatness of Philosophy Reflected in the

Greatness of its Objects
Freeing us from the entirely mundane and worldly,
philosophy provides peace of mind
Philosophical contemplation enlarges the self without being
self-centered
Making us citizens of the universe Recall Diogenes
referring to himself as a cosmopolitan. Para. 12
The world is not viewed merely as a means to ones own
ends, but the end in itself
Rather than trying to make the world fit our minds
preconceptions, contemplation enlarges the mind. Para. 13

The whole problem with the world is that fools and

fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but
wiser people so full of doubts.
Russells message to the future:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihaB8AFOhZo

The Practical Value of Philosophy:

Philosophy will make you wiser
Practice in critical reasoning and argument
evaluation
Practice in spotting reliable information
An appreciation for the limitations of your own
knowledge

Philosophy will make you wiser

Intelligence is not static nor wholly innate:

Intelligence is like a muscle: the harder you work the
smarter you become

Philosophy and getting a job

Philosophy as a major: the top subject for graduate
school entrance exams
http://www.physicscentral.com/buzz/blog/index.cfm?
postid=5112019841346388353
LSATs etc.
http://courses.dce.harvard.edu/~phils4/lsat.html
Earn more than other humanity majors:
http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2015/09/philosophy-majors-out-earn-otherhumanities/403555/
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2007/nov/20/choosingadegree.higher
education

Philosophy majors you may have heard of

Steve Allen (writer and comedian), William Jefferson Clinton (former US President),
Woody Allen (director and comedian), Mary Higgins Clark (mystery writer), Gene
Siskel (movie reviewer), Philip K. Dick (science fiction writer), David Duchovny
(actor on the X-Files), T. S. Eliot (poet), John Elway (quarterback, Denver Broncos),
Ivan Frolov (former editor of Pravda), Rebecca Goldstein (novelist and MacArthur
prize recipient), Don Harron (Canadian comedian, author of Anne of Green Gables
libretto), Harrison Ford (actor), Vaclav Havel (former President of Czechoslovakia),
Peter Hoeg (author of Smilla's Sense of Snow), Mark Hulbert (financial columnist
for Forbes magazine), Carl Icahn (former owner of TWA), Martin Luther King, Jr.
(civil rights leader), Bruce Lee (martial artist and actor), Peter Lynch (director),
Beverely McLaughlin (Canadian Supreme Court justice), Steve Martin (comedian
and actor), Iris Murdoch (novelist), Freeman Patterson (photographer, author of The
Art of Seeing), Neil Peart (drummer for rock group Rush), Patricia Rozema (filmmaker, I've Heard the Mermaids Singing), Susan Sarandon (actor), George Soros
(money manager, Soros Foundation), Aung San Suukyi (president of Burma and
Nobel Prize winner), Dave Thomas (SCTV), Alex Trebeck (Jeopardy), Pierre
Trudeau (former Prime Minister of Canada) Robert Weaver (doyen of Canadian
literature, head of CBC's Anthology), Moses Znaimer (owner of CITY-TV and
MUCH-MUSIC).

Ronald de Sousa (U of T)

Some philosophical reflections: YouTube clips

Ronald de Sousa on the (emotional) power of pictures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HigXQBW7alk
On why death is good for us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrCPxv9oMxY
On why the universe is pointless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yONPlbFeaGk
On how lucky we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkDP3le3tTs
Russell on religion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP4FDLegX9s

Ronald de Sousa on the (emotional) power of pictures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HigXQBW7alk
On why death is good for us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrCPxv9oMxY
On why the universe is pointless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yONPlbFeaGk
On how lucky we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkDP3le3tTs
Russell on religion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP4FDLegX9s

For Next Class

Plato: Socratess Apology
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html
Skeleton Lecture notes will be posted on Moodle
print off, multiple slide to a page