First FiveFirst Five

• In your opinion, what is “Philosophy?”

• Were you put here for a reason? If so, why?

Introduction to PhilosophyIntroduction to Philosophy

What is Philosophy?What is Philosophy?

Why are we here? Why are we here?

What is true? What is false? What is true? What is false?

What’s the right thing to do? What’s the right thing to do?

Why are things the way they are?Why are things the way they are?

Where does Philosophy Begin?Where does Philosophy Begin?

• Western Philosophy begins in Ancient Greece– Around 600 years BCE

(Before the Common Era)

• Thales of Miletos (624-546 BCE)– Considered the first

Western Philosopher

ThalesThales

• May 28th, 585 BCE

• Thales predicts an eclipse of the sun

• Happens at 6:13pm, exactly when he said

– Why is this so important?

CosmologyCosmology

• Cosmos: An ordered whole—Everything– What we consider “The Universe”

• Before Thales, people believed cosmological events were the work of the gods (Zeus, Athena, Hera, etc.)

• Thales proved that events have causes– We can understand them

The “Cosmos”The “Cosmos”

RationalityRationality

• The world is orderly and rational

• We are orderly and rational

• We can understand the world around us

What are we made of?What are we made of?

• What is the fundamental nature of everything?

• What substances are we made of?

• Thales believes all things are made of one fundamental substance– Arche (arkee): First/Beginning substance

• Care to guess?

WaterWater

AnaximanderAnaximander

• Student of Thales

• Disagrees with Thales about the arche

• Water is too specific– What about dust? – That’s not water!

• Must be smaller

AnaximanderAnaximander

• Anaximander says it can’t be water

• It has to be something smaller

• Something we can’t see

• A substance that has no form, no shape, and can’t be witnessed

• The Infinite--Apeiron

AnaximenesAnaximenes

• Student of Anaximander

• Rejects his teacher’s idea

• The Infinite? Ridiculous!

• Picks another substance

• Care to guess?

AirAir

MonistsMonists

• Thales, Anaximander, Anixemenes

• Mono- One

• Monists: All reality (all things) come from one unified whole (one thing)

More MonistsMore Monists

• Pythagoras

• Believes all things come from one thing

• Not water, air, or the infinite

• Care to guess?

NumbersNumbers

QuestionsQuestions

1. Pretend you’re a monist. What “fundamental stuff” do you think the world is made of?

2. Philosophy is about wisdom, not knowledge. What’s the difference between “wisdom” and “knowledge?”

3. Do you rely more on “reason” or “intuition” in your everyday life? Why?