Introduction to Philosophy
Etymological Definition: Philosophy
Philo: Love
This, taken in the sense of trend, love is the mainspring of all human search.
Sophia: Wisdom
The Greek Sophia. Wisdom, for the Greeks, was superior knowledge in relation to being and the sense of things.
Traditional Definition
Science of all things, its deeper causes or principles gained by the natural light of reason.
Science
In a broad sense, the knowledge of things by their laws and their causes. To speak of a science, there must have an ordered set of knowledge about a certain sector of reality.
Of All Things
Philosophy does not cut a part of reality (as science does), but considers all things by their deeper reasons.
Because of its Deeper Causes
Philosophy is different from all the other sciences because it focuses on studying the deeper reasons, regarding existence, truth, knowledge, etc.
Acquired by the Natural Light of Reason
To know means that in philosophy, man must use reason and not what the gods said, and think to develop mythical thinking.
Source / Start
When speaking of origin, it concerns when the attitude of philosophizing emerged in humans. Pythagoras was the first to stand out from the wise. (Awe, doubt, extreme situations, social injustice)
If we talk about first, we are referring to historical time.
Features of the Myth
- Sacred History: Shows the irruption of the supernatural to the human.
- Two separate realms: Divine topoi (immortal, happy). Human topoi (mortal, unhappy).
- Two times: Myth prime time (deeds of gods and heroes). Historical time: linear.
- Myth point: The myth wants to help teach us how to live today. The myth is an exemplary story: the actions taken by the gods as models for human action. The teachings of the myth can discern individual and social standards of conduct. The work finds its justification in the myth.
- The myths could not be told by anyone, but should be recounted by exceptional individuals such as priests, prophets, kings, endowed with magical properties of effective word religion. Myths also should be told in certain periods of the year and in a context of ritual celebration. The recitation of the myth decreases the gap between the divine and human.
Chapter One: Of Ethics That Will
Among all the possible knowledge, there is at least one essential: that certain things we agree on and sometimes not. Learning what we need, i.e., to distinguish between good and evil, is knowledge that we all try to acquire for the account that it brings. However, sometimes things are not so simple. Lying, in general, is something wrong because it destroys confidence in the word and alienates people, but it seems that it may be useful or beneficial to lie to gain advantage.
This chapter also discusses what freedom is and describes distinguishing men from animals. Animals have no choice but to be as they are and do what they are naturally programmed to do. Men are also programmed by nature. Despite all our precautions, we must die sooner or later. In reality, there are many forces that limit our freedom. But our freedom is a force in the world, our strength.
At the end of the chapter, it says: to know how to live is what is called ethics.
Chapter Two: Orders, Customs, and Whims
It starts by defining what reason is: it is the reason, or at least you think you have, to do something, the more acceptable explanation for your conduct when you reflect a little about it. The best answer you can think of to the question “Why do I do that?” Well, one of the types of motivation that you recognize is that I command you to do this or that. For this reason, we call them commands. Or to see you around the world and behave normally: we call customs to such reasons. Kicking the can, for example, the reason seems to be the absence of reason, that you want nothing more, pure whim, called caprice. I leave aside the more starkly functional reasons, i.e., to induce you to do those gestures as a pure and direct way of achieving something.
Chapter Three: Do What You Want
In the third chapter, it speaks of freedom, which is the subject of properly dealing with ethics. Freedom is being able to say yes or no, whether I do or do not do, whatever they say, or else my bosses, that suits me and I want it, that does not suit me and I do not want it. Freedom is to decide and realize that those decisions are being made, as opposed to letting go.
It also defines what is moral: Morality is the set of behaviors and norms that are generally accepted as valid. Ethics is the reflection on why we consider them valid and the comparison with other people who have different morals.