Human and Animal Rationality
1. Theoretical Rationality in Philosophy
Philosophy concerns itself with the totality of reality. Reason allows us to understand reality and has a dual function: theoretical (knowledge) and practical (action). Theoretical philosophy deals with reality and ultimate truth.
2. Practical Rationality in Philosophy
Practical philosophy reflects on what we must do and how we should behave as social beings.
3. Animal: Sensitive Knowledge
Sensation informs us about external and internal reality through sensible qualities.
- Threshold (Max): The maximum amount of energy we can perceive.
- Threshold (Min): The minimum amount of energy we can perceive.
- Differential Threshold: The amount of energy needed to differentiate stimuli.
- Perception: Reality depends on the perceiver and the perceived object.
- Intelligence: The ability to solve problems in sensible reality.
Determined Conduct
- Instinct: Prevails over learning.
- Innate: Born with it, not learned.
- Species-Specific: Common to all members of the same species.
- Stereotyped: Performed the same way by all individuals of the same species.
- Survivalist: Aimed at individual survival.
4. Human: Rational Knowledge
Thinking: The ability to represent reality.
- Concept: Mental signs representing things.
- Judgment: Relationships between concepts using a predicate.
- Reasoning: Relating judgments deductively or inductively to form new ones.
- Reflective Consciousness: Awareness of our own thoughts.
Free Behavior
Learning predominates over instinct. Humans learn through:
- Imitation: Observing and storing behaviors of others.
- Conditioning: Associating behaviors with rewards and punishments.
- Will: The ability to choose actions intentionally.
- Freedom: The capacity for self-determination.
Determinism vs. Indeterminism
- Physical Determinism: Everything is subject to natural laws.
- Physical Indeterminism: Uncertainty exists in some natural phenomena.
- Social Determinism: Human behavior is shaped by social factors.
- Social Indeterminism: Individual choices within a social context.
- Theological Determinism: A higher power directs human will.
- Theological Indeterminism: Faith and reason are distinct.
- Genetic Determinism: Genes determine our traits.
- Genetic Indeterminism: Genes don’t fully determine everything.
- Psychological Determinism: Motives and desires drive actions.
- Psychological Indeterminism: We can choose against our desires.