Exploring Philosophy: From Myth to Rationality

Posted on Nov 24, 2024 in Philosophy and ethics

U1 – Myth, Science, and Philosophy

Philosophy: A psychic activity reflecting on concepts and ideas. It’s a body of knowledge acquired and arranged methodically, seeking explanations for natural and human phenomena.

1.1 The Origin of Philosophy – VI BC

Term Philosophy:

  • Philo – love, friendship
  • Sophia – wisdom
  • Love of wisdom

Philosophy is an activity, a pursuit of knowledge, and a critical approach that doesn’t accept anything dogmatically.

1.2 The Question of Philosophy

Two types of questions arise from human existence (knowledge, acting):

  • Theoretical questions (about the world as we know it): What is reality? What is truth? Do non-material realities exist?
  • Practical questions (how we act): How should I act? Are we free? How should we live together? What is man?

2. Reality as a Question

Nature and human life led humans to seek explanations, along with customs.

2.1 The Mythic Story

Myth: A fantastic narration of past events, offering radical explanations for fundamental human problems.

  • Animism: Giving life to inanimate objects.
  • Natural forces personified as gods.
  • Magic and ritual: To serve the forces of nature.

Classes of Myths:

  • Theogony: Origin and descent of the gods.
  • Cosmologies: Describe the origin of the universe.
  • Etiologic: Explain the emergence of new beings or parts of reality.

Function and Meaning of Myth:

  • Function: Describes a reality.
  • Meaning: Allows interpretation.
  • Significance:
    • Literal sense: Myths as true and valid explanations of reality (primitive culture, role models).
    • Allegorical interpretation (literary).

2.2 The Scientific Explanation

A response to a question, seeking an explanation within reality itself without resorting to invented stories.

Science is characterized by the rigorous application of a hypothetical-deductive method:

Steps:

  1. Observation: Observe a phenomenon (natural or induced). Determine a problem to solve.
  2. Formulation of a hypothesis: Interim explanation under research conditions.
  3. Experimental verification: Design an experiment to test the hypothesis (check, correct, falsify).
  4. Law: Final explanation – explains the regularity of a phenomenon in nature.
  5. Mathematization of Law: Quantify and predict reality. Use instruments to enhance perception.

Science has the ability to predict the future and allows us to act on reality.

Differences between Science and Myth:

  • Science: Based on observation, interim knowledge, author-based, reality exists.
  • Myth: Based on imagination, theological knowledge, anonymous.

a) Reality exists b) Knowledge c) Action

4. Philosophy and its History

4.1 From Myth to Logos (origin – Greece VI BC)

Philosophy was born in opposition to myth.

Why did philosophy appear in Greece?

  • Surge in the Greek colonies of Asia Minor.
  • Population increase.
  • A social class with leisure time (citizens – free).
  • Greek colonies of Asia Minor (democracy, equality, freedom).

4.2 The Four Stages of the History of Philosophy

U2 – Theoretical and Practical Rationality

1. Definition of Rationality

Human being = animal + reason

Rationality: Thought, dual use of reason (theoretical – knowledge, practical – action).

Man: knows and acts.

2. Theoretical Rationality


Theoretical rationality is defined as the field of knowledge
-Why I even say that knowledge is true
Practical rationality is defined as what always set a goal to achieve with the behavior
This always subordinate to the theoretical rationale
Statements or propositions 2.1
Theoretical rationality – knowledge
It is expressed in statements or propositions
What is a sentence?
-Language: There are phrases (-nonsense) (-sense (no sentences or statements)
sentences or sentences of various types: interrogative exclamatives * * wishful
uses declarative – when it comes to facts of reality
propositions can be true or false
There are two types of analytical and synthetic propositions
-Analytic proposition – truths of reason
are a priori – independent of experience
are universal
are needed – are always met
its negation is always false
It has three classes ( “definitions /-axioms, theorems /-logical truths
-Synthetic propositions – true indeed
a posteriori – always depend on the experience
are particular – are of time and observation
not always met
its negation can be true
Selection – Analytical – typical of the formal sciences (-logic) (-mathematics)
-Synthetic – typical of the experimental sciences (natural-) (-social)

2.2 Determination of the truth
-analytical – as true identity is based on certain logical principles
* principle of identity – one things is identical to itself
-all analytic statements are tautologies
* principle of contradiction – something that can not be both and be denied
* excluding third principle – a statement is true or false
-synthetic – truth as correspondence
* synthetic propositions own * experience * * relate to the world corresponds to reality * is based on a number of criteria:
“Perception and direct experience – integration of sensory information
“The sense data provide us with vital information
“The senses deceive us
-Sense – basic information about reality – vital for survival
-Mirages – land still
Psychologists of the Gestalt-sensation * – data provided by the senses * perception – configure the subject information * personality * Experience
“Scientific method – based on experimentation and not on observation, not a natural knowledge, use appliances
-Various sources of information – we have no direct experience of events and this information comes from intermediaries
2.3 Belief, rationality and good reasons
-are the foundations of knowledge
* Beliefs – are propositions in which one is convinced that they are true, we live; accepted by a community
* Theoretical rationality – supports the truth of a statement Based on experiments and experimental theories
* Good reasons – for propositions are analytical and logical principles to synthetic propositions * experimental * ebservacion, * scientific method
2.4 The knowledge
-Faculty of knowledge: * Sense-receiving data from outside and is receptive and passive. * Understanding – think the sense data and is active
“Both schools are comprementarias * without senses would not be given data of experience and understanding without any serious thought
-Characteristics of knowledge * Must be true, implies cionviccion (be sure the knowledge is true q)-mean certainty – this always involves security-justified
“Attitudes toward a proposition * ignorance know if this proposition is true or false * Duda-n we have certainty about the truth of a proposition * Conviction

2.5 The critical thinking
“The whole attitude – rationally analyzes the thoughts and beliefs that we have undertaken.
* scientific skepticism – we should not accept anything as true qn can be checked with the scientific method
* scientific skepticism and critical thinking
3. Practical rationality
Being human is not only a being who knows but also acts
Reason applied behavior – choose best actions to achieve a proposed target
Rational action you: to achieve the proposed objectives and goals and choose appropriate means.
3.1 Possibilities and wishes
In every action there is:
-possibilities or options – are objective, depend on the world we live
-wishes or objectives – are purpose or purposes, are subjective and vary from individual to individual. They have to adapt to the real possibilities.
3.2 Ends and means
End = the object to be achieved
Purpose = must be achievable and compatible with the possibilities
The means – actions that are performed to an end. N has value in itself.