The first part of your job this week is to create a gmail account for yourself, if you don't already have one. You may use whatever username you like- please email me your username. You will use this account to login and post on the class blogspot: introphilthoughts.blogspot.com. Every week you must make one thoughtful 5+ sentence post responsive to that week's prompt by Thursday at noon and then you must make posts of 5+ sentences responding to two student posts that week by Sun at noon. There are NO makeups for missed posts!!
This week's prompt: Look through your textbook at the subject matter and types of issues discussed. Why would studying philosophy be good or useful? What difference could it make in your life?
Logic is a human's way of deciding right from wrong. Without it, we would not know who we are, human or nonhuman.The ability to know right from wrong is a gift given to us by a higher power. Although we were born of original sin, heaven or hell wouldn't exist. If an argument is valid it is said to be deductive. Like the exercises in class, there are two ways to tell if an argument is valid. We look at the premises to discover the conclusion (which may appear in any order). Therefore, we may look at the conclusion to find that the evidence is supported logically. Given we are human, we are immortal and inmorally existing. In the case of snoopy the dog, we know that all dogs do not bark, but snoopy barks (we know it is a dog). But what if snoopy didn't bark, would he still be a dog? This simply is deductive reasoning. Infallacies are invalid and should be analyzed with great care. A person with a mental illness does not have clarity of what is right or wrong in the very moment, therefore they should be treated as such. However, in the court of law, there must be evidence to support each argument. Inductive reasoning helps us to explain and predict an event. As with the study of philosophy, the Bible must be read with an open mind, setting asside any pre-conceived notions.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to agree with you on the most part, however as Human's we have been given the right of choice and the free will. Logic can be a great tool but yet I would hope that a person's Morale Compass would dictate what we decide the right and wrong answer is. I think a combination of human traits will get us there.
DeleteI agree with the overall idea of what you are saying but I'm pretty sure I have what you would classify as a "mental illness" and I absolutely know right from wrong. I also don't think people are born knowing right from wrong. A two year old child will pick something up that they want and put it in their pocket. Does this make them evil? I tend to think not. Also, civilized thought is a relatively new concept when compared to the existence of humans. People were slaying each other over food and other essentials without remorse not all that long ago. I think people are born "evil" and must learn the proper way to function in society. I mean, you don't have to ignore the little voice (not a literal voice. I'm not that kind of mentally ill) telling you help someone on the side of the road. You ignore your urges to take what you want because you've been taught that way. I also agree that the bible can be a great tool in teaching people right from wrong and should only be read with an open mind. But I tend to stay away from the all the old testament stuff about how god loves the smell of burning blood.
DeleteMy question is: who determines what is right and what is wrong?
DeleteWhat is right to you may be wrong to someone else and vise versa. Having a non caring spirit isn't wrong. If the person can do what they do clear of conscience and still love themselves, then who am I to say, "You're wrong and it should be done this way"?
As I am looking over the table of contents, the first thing I see, of course, is the existence of God. I feel like the study and deep examination of this is essential in everyone's life. It goes on to cover topics like "free will" and "faith". These are topics that you would think come hand in hand. However, do people stop and actually think?
ReplyDeleteWhat is faith?
What is free will?
In answer to that, I have to argue, if you haven't stopped to meditate on this and look at both sides of each argument, how do you justify your own faith? How do you argue your belief if you haven't seen both sides?
I fear that a lot of people live their life step by step, constantly moving forward, not really thinking about what they are doing, who they are, or what they believe.
The difference that it can make in my life, or anyone's life is simple. This could stop you from being something you don't even believe in. Something that was handed down to you from your parents, from their parents, but never actually seeing and believing it with your own eyes.
I'm very excited to explore the arguments that will be presented, and look forward to arguing some of my thoughts as well.
I agree with you, good comments! I believe we are born in this world as sinners (original sin) because Jesus died for us. We are born into the world not knowing right from wrong, but as we build our relationship with God we come to find what is considered good and evil. When we are babies we do not know right from wrong yet, we go into the world not even knowing what faith or free world is. Faith then, is relative to all cultures. Faith is a mystery. Faith is holding sacred things sacred. We get to know God through experience, as of knowlege and wisdom. we use information to acquire knowlege, then use the knowlege to acquire wisdom (through experience).
DeleteThis original sin thing keeps coming up. I need some clarity here. Why is everyone born with a mortal sin on their soul if Jesus died for our sins? I thought that was the whole point. So why the splash and dunk? Jesus was baptized as a man. When did this tradition become the way to cleanse you of the sin of his death? I'm not an atheist or anything. I chose to be baptized when I was 14 because my parents thought it would be appropriate for me to make the decision on my own and understand what it was I was doing and why. I don't see anything wrong with this approach and find it kind of hard to believe that the all knowing all good god would cast an innocent soul into hell because they didn't get some water splashed on them by another man. I think the symbolism is beautiful and good but I don't think god really cares much whether a person in baptized or not.
DeleteEveryone is born with original sin because all humans are decedents of Adam, who committed the first sin of mankind. This sin is a tendency to fall/turn away from God and become corrupt. It is because of this original sin that God allows humans to die. Jesus died for us to redeem and save us from all sins. Through baptism with the holy spirit are we reborn into Jesus. As for God caring whether or not if a person has been baptized, the worst that happens is if you are a new born and in that case, you may go to a place that some believe in called limbo. In limbo (if you believe in it) your soul spends its existence away from both God's love and hell's torment.
Delete@ Ian
DeleteI totally agree.
My thoughts on God have always been as follows:
If there is a loving God that everyone thinks is so awesome, if someone has lived their life the best they can, then would he really not grant a life into heaven or a paradise, whatever it is. If I choose the wrong religion but my heart is pure, would I not get a spot?
And to be brutally honest, if God is a loving God and does not take that into consideration, or believe that I have lived a good life, free of harm to other people, etc, then I don't want to be in association with that God.
I agree with your thoughts indiagoss. I have always wondered the same thing. The only thing is people will sin and that is a problem. So you can live a great life, but there will be sin in it.
Delete@ keyboard warrior
DeleteI understand the idea and know the lore. Limbo is reserved for unbaptized children and virtuous pagans. I'm more concerned with the contradiction that exist within the idea of being born with sin and being absolved of all sin through Jesus.
What issues do we face in everyday life situations? The existence of God and how he affects our decisions making process. This text covers the central issues in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, and ethics. It also gets into the value of philosophy, the nature of knowledge, and the meaning of life. The text wants us to engage in the thinking process of determining for our selves to be morally and logically right instead of just believing what we read which I need to start doing more of. It’s like peeling apart of an onion through all the layers to get at the truth and hope we find the right answer. Find the premises and use deductible reasoning to find the correct conclusion, while using objectivity. The difference in my life would be major; I need to learn to engage more and use deductive and inductive reasons when approaching any question brought forth, in other words general or broad look into it. The more active I become the better my life would be, I hope! Let the arguments begin, LoL.
ReplyDeleteWhen we are born into the world we do not know everyday life situations. We have no knowlege of good and evil. We endure our faith with our parents' guidance to help us build our relationship with God. Everyday is a journey, always building and building on top of that. Philosophy in itself means the love of knowlege and it is this love by which we explore our feeliings and insights about God and life.I like your metaphore of an onion, with many layers. This is what faith is; it just isn't see what you get, so to speak. There are many truths but with God, there is only one truth. So in order to look at the world through heavens eyes, we must look at it from an objective point of view (as with philosophy).
DeleteReligion, Determinism, Free will, the meaning of life, everyone has a perspective. People want to be heard and everyone wants to be right. Philosophy gives us the opportunity to break down those walls and make judgment calls based on reality. As people, we go by what we learn from other individuals and life lessons. We can be easily swayed by the opinions and findings of others. We are not all great thinkers and revolutionaries. However given the opportunity to live outside those confined walls that we are put into, and step into a world where everything we know is to be left behind and given the chance to make a decision based on statements of truth we can get to a place of knowledge. Not letting ourselves be blindly lead by opinions and actions of others. Truth is not always an easy reality and I think knowledge that we are not always right will be hard to swallow. There are some things I feel sound in like the practice of religion you cannot believe in what you can’t see there for there is no god. If god where to exist why give so many good people anguish and so many bad people good fortune. Determinism an event is predetermined and thus nothing is of our own free will. Everything is planned out for us in our lifetime and we are puppets on a string. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Giving a chalk up to the side that everything is predetermined there is nothing that happens in life that doesn’t have a significant value be it that your car broke down to you stepping on a bug on your way to work. Everything is connected and predetermined. Morality is a subject of complication people count morals to be different things. I did not steal today my moral values are high. I lied to a friend so my morals went out the window. If morals were based on all people being selfless there is not at some split moment when what do I want from this situation doesn’t come to mind. It is almost impossible to not consider what the outcome of a situation will leave you with. Coming to terms that my opinions may be criticized and wrong will be the hardest part but I look forward to learning what others value and finding out what really makes an argument a strong point. Making informed decisions on your views and the views of others has immense value. Learning from yourself and from others will only strengthen a standpoint and give more footholds to any theory.
ReplyDeleteStudying philosophy is useful because it can open your mind to other thoughts and possibilities that may not have ever crossed your mind. It's important to be considerate of others viewpoints to expand your views on issues and to understand why others have different views. It will make a difference in my life because it will strengthen my views but still be understanding of what others have to say and where their views come from. It can be uncomfortable to share thoughts on certain issues so hopefully we can all open our minds and respect each others thoughts. I'm excited to discuss topics such as: the existence of God, the problem of evil, non-humans thinking, and freedom and moral responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! I think it is very important that we open up our minds to things we aren't necessarily familiar with. I think it gives us greater insight to the world around us and more appreciative for the things we do think and believe in. It gives us better knowledge and we can explain better why we think and believe the things we do.
DeleteThough some of us may be enlightened and intrigued by what we learn here, it will just reinforce what most of us already believe. Having an open mind is hard, and even the most open of us could have that twinge of doubt making their writing lean towards what their beliefs already are. Most of us are set in our ways and we really need to pull ourselves up from the rut we've been in to examine all of the angles. Will we find out if God exists in an Intro to Philosophy class? Highly unlikely. But we may come out of this with a new-found respect of others opinions and beliefs, because though our own beliefs might not change, learning and sharing and debating is what this class is about.
ReplyDeleteWill we find out if God exists, your right probably not, however I believe we will go more in depth in this study as a whole. Philosophy is a study of general and fundamental problems. Covering such areas as knowledge, values, reality, existence and much more. Yes some of us get set in our ways and perhaps I'm one of those who are, but I hope as well that I may have my interests peaked an tend to give a bit on being less set in my ways. good sharing. Thanks
DeleteI agree with your thoughts here Shaun. I think that studying philosophy can be good for people in general to get them out of their comfort zone and examine their personal thoughts/beliefs while becoming familiar with the thoughts and viewpoints of others. I agree that it can be tough to be open. It will be a challenge to think about these other possibilities without having doubts of their validity, thinking that our beliefs are the strongest. But I am looking forward to the discussion as well.
DeleteTo go along with what you are saying, Jake, I think it will be VERY interesting to see who is shocked and what they do with their new found knowledge. If someone walks into the class believing in God, will they walk out believing in God? If they don't, will they push their belief on their family? Will they be angry at their family for lying to them for their entire life?
DeleteAnd then, to go even deeper, what will their family do?
I agree with what you are saying here. I also really like the way that you describe people as needing to get out of the "rut " of their current mindset. I feel as though there are many people out there that believe the things they do because it is all they know and they have not considered other points of view. This class may not change our own opinions or beliefs but it will help us grow as an individual and give us ideas we may not otherwise have encountered. It will also helps us interact with those of a apposing viewpoints in a respectful and educated manner, rather than just assuming we are right on the basis of potentially trivial reasons.
DeleteI agree with what you have said. Our opinions might just stay the same, but in the end we will be able to respect others for what they believe. Bias opinions are hard to change.
DeleteMy favorite part of philosophy is finding new, valid arguments for something you already believed. Sure, some people will argue against everything they might know to be true to hold onto one belief they have based their lives around but some people will find themselves questioning everything. I think you're right in thinking that some people might find a new respect for others beliefs not just based on the belief itself but the process in which it was formed.
DeleteI feel like you nailed that one! As a Lutheran, I have asked myself "What if God really doesn't exist?" many times. I do think it is completely normal for a believing person to do the same. It doesn't mean that me or anyone else is necessarily doubting, we are just firm enough in our belief to think about the "what ifs". I agree - We will not come to find out if God really does exist in a philosophy class, but talking about that kind of stuff and being open about it helps give us a greater understanding to the world around us.
DeleteWhen studying philosophy one must learn to leave their personal views behind and approach each subject matter with an open mind. The act of viewing a subject from a perspective other than our own, to me, is always a useful act. It allows you to see the world as others see it because we are not the only ones in this world and must consider others in our thoughts and actions. I believe that studying philosophy will help sharpen the analytical side of my mind. It will help me grow as a person and also allow me to better understand were others are coming from. I believe this class will also help me question things that I may have not questioned before in an educated manner.
ReplyDeletePhilosophy is useful in the fact that we should all have open minds. I am a strong believer in God, so I do not realize how others aren't. Our class assignment really made me think outside of the box. You must understand one's beliefs on an issue before you judge them. Our beliefs have been passed down from each generation, but that is not to say they won't change. For example look at the way we looked at the color of skin. 100 years ago white was the only "acceptable" color. Everything changes and that is because our beliefs and morals do not always have a permanent hold throughout an entire lifespan. We are all entitled to an opinion, but we should be willing to listen to someone else's opinion before we can actually have an educated opinion on an issue. As I was skimming the Table of Contents I found some considerable arguments. We all know someone that is always so confident in their beliefs that they are not even willing to hear the other side. I believe these people are ignorant. Each step in life has multiple options of handling that specific issue. Wouldn't we as a whole be much more intelligent to hear every option before we decided to take a side? I am not saying that I do this all the time, and at times I can be ignorant on a subject. Sometimes, I hear a different side of an issue and I change my mind. We all have the power and resources to form an educated opinion after all the facts are laid on the table. This will help you in life, because we will understand and respect an individuals beliefs and opinions.
ReplyDeleteI like what you are saying, but I see some contradiction in you point. You say we should have an open mind... until we judge. An alternate opinion may not be for you, that doesn't make it wrong.
DeleteI like how you point out that although some may have started with one opinion that it doesn't mean one must carry those with them throughout their life. How through personal experiences and influences have the right to change those opinions. Some of the topics covered in the text are some that could have some pretty strong, powerful feelings attached to, making them tough to be open to, let alone change entirely. Sometimes just understanding other viewpoints and knowing that just because its your belief doesn't mean that the other belief is wrong.
DeleteI believe that it is important to study philosophy because before we can begin to make choices on what we believe, we need to understand why we believe what we do. When I decided to begin taking classes I had no idea what I wanted to learn, but a wise man told me that college is all about learning how to learn. Philosophy will help all of us become more empathetic and open minded than we were prior to taking the course. I enjoy how the book starts out with subjects that most tend to avoid, such as the existence of God and Beliefs. Growing up most of us tend to adopt our parent's belief system without searching for our own and I believe this course will give us some of the tools that we need to make our own decisions.
ReplyDeleteI like that, "learn to learn". I very much like the idea of explaining topics that people tend to avoid. Make it awkward and uncomfortable. Everyone should do it to make a solid decision in what you dedicate your life to.
DeleteI agree with you about making our own decisions and somewhat inheriting our parents' beliefs. Although I don't know if my beliefs will change much I think this class with help me open up my mind to new possibilities. Also philosophy may help me discover more of who I am as a person with where I stand on certain controversial topics. I enjoyed the "learn to learn" phrase as well. Sometimes I think I myself is still trying to learn how to learn. Let the juices start flowing people and see where all our brilliant minds can take us this semester! :)
DeleteI appreciate the fact that you pointed out, like others, that people tend to take beliefs that have been passed from their parents without even taking a minute to try and figure out if those beliefs are for them or not. Obviously your parents have different beliefs than someones' parents from the other side of the world.
DeleteI agree with your statement about taking on others beliefs. We as people can be mindless this way. We choose to follow others examples than to make our own decisions. I also think the wise man who told you college is all about learning to learn is dead on. I have had to change a lot of the way I did things from highschool because they just dont apply here.
DeleteUnfortunately in our society logic seems to be lost on most people. A class like intro to Philosophy helps people to open their minds and understand both sides of the argument. Every important issue in our society can be debated by both sides, I think the most important thing is to not immediately get defensive and assume the other side is wrong and you're right. Who's to say what's right and wrong? I know many people will take offense to many of the discussions we will have in class, mostly because we have been taught from a very young age that "this is this" and its very hard to throw off our preconceived notions and truly listen to the opinions or "arguments" of others. I think its important for people who are going to say "I believe in this" that they understand both sides of the arguments, how can any person say they have real faith if they've never allowed themselves to see the other side. To me that is like someone saying that apples are their favorite fruit simply because they've never eaten a different fruit. How can you truly know what you believe and don't believe if you have not heard all the options?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Who can tell us what we think is right or wrong? It seems discussions will be a bit harder for those who were taught "this is this". Good comparison with the fruit. Hearing other peoples thoughts and views can change views or make yours stronger.
DeleteI agree with you that getting letting go of your side of an argument will be hard. I have problems dealing with this in regular day to day issues. If I feel I am right then everyone else must be wrong. I think opening up and understanding arguments from both sides is going to help get an higher knowledge of a situation. Diffrent view points are important.
DeleteI don't see how you could consider philosophy not being in someones life. It's in everyone's life whether they know it or not. People ponder life all the time. Whether you are waiting for a bus, taking a shower, or just having those "deep" talks with friends. If anything it is a fundamental part of human nature. It's what helps us grow to a better understanding of life in itself. As a kid you don't really wonder about these kind of things, sure you might ask your parents where we came from or how things happen, but you usually get some generic answer because as kids we wouldn't truly understand how vast and big of a truthful answer would be. Some people disagree with some philosophy because it intrudes on beliefs they hold sacred and that is understandable for people to get defensive and angry about the ideas you might try to share with them. People get scared when their foundation shakes. Even if it seems scary at first to consider what you have believed your whole life might be false, that's where the good of philosophy comes in. Because in understanding comes clarity and that is why we all should embrace any and all ideas of life and meaning with an open mind. That is my opinion of philosophy.
ReplyDeleteI agree that philosophy is in everyone's life and helps us shape who we are. I find myself contemplating the meaning of things every now and then and love talking to other people about their perspectives. I think it is very important to embrace other ideas about life and meaning because then we can understand the different sides and form our own conclusions and opinions while better understanding other people. I have yet to experience any very heated arguing and defensiveness/anger, though sometimes, not all, when I try to talk to my best friend about subjects like this she just kind of gets this "Okay... that's nice" tone in her voice after I state my perspective, states her side in a "this is what it really is" way and ends the discussion. I never push her and respect the ending of the conversation, and I always respect her side and don't judge her. I am open-minded and very curious to see what our other classmates' perspectives are and can't wait to learn more.
DeleteAs expected ones philosophical theories can get "heated" or controversial. When studying philosophy people need to set aside their own personal beliefs. However when dissecting an argument how does one form their own thoughts or argument without including those beliefs? It is important to have an open mind. Studying Philosophy can broaden your current beliefs or totally change them to the opposite! Philosophy is very important in every ones everyday lives in almost any aspect one can possibly come up with.
ReplyDeleteOn a more personal level philosophy will have a huge role in my life when raising my children. Teaching them right from wrong is a very important lesson for children to learn early in life.
Hopefully learning more about philosophy will help me grow as a person. I happen to be very indecisive which at times makes it difficult to form opinions. I can't wait to open up my mind to all the possibilities!
I agree that philosophy will help in raising children. I don't have any of my own but I play a big role in my nephew's life. I'm like you; I am very indecisive and sometimes it is hard to form opinions and even understand my thoughts on certain subjects. I am also excited see how much my mind will open.
DeleteI think the subjects that we talk about in this class are going to be very interesting. I agree that personal beliefs should be set aside when studying philosophy and also agree that it's very important to be open-minded. That way we can all understand what each other is trying to say while not trying to yell over each other in a giant argument. I also believe that philosophy helps to raise children, and it is very important for them to learn early in life as well as use as they are growing up. I, too, cannot wait to open my mind even more!
DeleteI think that studying philosophy is useful in that it allows you to stop and examine the many sides to so many different ideas and perspectives. It keeps you from being narrow minded and will broaden your horizons and make you think more critically on different perspectives. Even if you believe in one thing, it does not hurt to logically talk to others with different ideas and embrace their views. You can learn a lot from people with differing views and I think that makes you a better person for wanting to learn about differing views. Who knows, you may even change your own views on some things. In my opinion, people should go through life with an open mind and accept other peoples' ideas. You don't have to agree with everyone, but you can learn so much from having an open mind.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that things would be so much easier if everyone kept an open mind. Coming from a strict Christian family, I know first hand how hard it can be to get someone to openly and logically discuss an issue without anyone taking offense. I agree people can learn so much from not only other people, but also about themselves by opening their minds to all the possiblities! I'm not saying that i agree with everyone's views but i do agree that everyone has the right to their own beliefs and no one has the right to belittle or condemn anyone for them. Good post! :)
DeleteAs humans, we all have our own beliefs. A handful of people in this world have a concept in their mind of what life is or should be based on their environment and the way they were raised. Many children are taught to see the world through someone elses' eyes and not their own. Philosophy can make you see things through a different light, helping you look at an argument and thinking with logic to break down the flawed walls surrounding the argument. To be able to discuss a topic with an open mind and logical thinking will be enlightening. I'm looking forward to learning about philosophy and discussing these topics and arguments with others.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that many people have been taught to see the world through someone else's eyes. I myself was this way until I took various classes that gradually allowed me to develop my own opinion. Being able to break down an argument and, conversely, properly support one is something that I am looking forward to learning. I am also looking forward to hearing the different thoughts and insights that each of us will bring to each of the topics we discuss. When we approach everything with an open mind we are able to appreciate the validity of a person's argument even it that argument does not align with our personal beliefs. Being able to admit that someone else is right but realizing that, by doing so, we don't have to compromise our own beliefs is a useful skill to have.
DeleteI believe that our opinions are based off of the role models in our lives, but I still believe that in the end we make our own decisions. As children progress in life they start becoming more independent and eventually being able to form their own opinions from experiences. We don't need a class to be able to think independently. I guess this class is just teaching us not to be as influenced by others.
DeleteYou're right, Gage, we do not need a class to be able to think independently, but unfortunately I do not think everyone knows this. As you grow up there is the point where you break away and develop your own beliefs and sense of self, but i also think your future life decisions and opinions are still influenced by former role models whether we are aware of it or not.
DeleteAfter Kirkwood I want to go to the University of Iowa, eventually attend law school there and become a lawyer. I feel that studying philosophy will help me be a better lawyer. Philosophy is about dissecting and analyzing arguments to challenge how valid they are. My thoughts are if I can analyze the argument about the existence of God and other complex arguments in the world, I should be able to analyze my opponents argument in the courtroom or whichever type of law I choose to study. Another reason I believe philosophy is useful to me it that it really makes one think critically, Looking for anything and everything to prove or disprove something. By taking philosophy I hope to become a better critical thinker. Finally another good thing about studying philosophy is learning about the different sides and opinions in an argument, if I ever run into someone later in life who has views different than mine at least I will be able to understand where they are coming from and what ground they stand on.
ReplyDeleteThis is an area where I disagree with you and with Ms Lemos. Debate is about analyzing and dissecting arguments. Philosophy is about finding deeper truths and meaning in life and existence. Debate is deciding
Deletewhich argument holds the most merit. Philosophy asks why are we here?
You are right that it will help you a lot with critical thinking. I hope that it will be very helpful when it comes to helping someone in court. I also feel like if being able to argument aginst people will be able to help you more in your life goals. This class will be very fun and exciting like you said to here and listen to everyone side of an argument.
DeleteFrom what i can see in the table of contents is that this introductory class will get most of us who take it seriously to start thinking in ways that we have not thought of before. For example, Monday in class we were all asked to disprove the argument that because snoopy is a dog and all dogs bark then snoopy barks. I had never really would have thought much of that before being asked to break down the argument and disprove it as a bad argument. Just kind of made me think differently then i normally. Normally i would have just been like "ok so snoopy barks." I wouldn't have thought about whether or not the argument as to why snoopy barks was a good one or not.
ReplyDeleteStudying philosophy can be good and useful because everyone at some point will be asked to make their argument or prove that there position is the correct position. To be able to make that argument whatever that is and prove it intelligently will not only help your case but also might impress higher ups and also peers around you. Also why would you not want to learn how to tear apart other peoples arguments that you disagree with?
I also think the idea of breaking down or dissecting an argument is intriguing. I've never really thought about the "disproving" aspect of philosophy before this class. I can definitely see some of these blog conversations getting a bit heated. This is one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to the discussions. When you get people talking about things they care about the arguments have substance and passion.
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DeleteBefore Monday I honestly didn't know what philosophy was. I think having to prove your point to an argument will be challenging and change the thought process of some people in the class. I am definitely excited about these heated discussions as well
DeleteI am really excited to hear everyone's side of an argument instead of just mine. I haven't really thought of the other person and why they believe what they believe. I need to go down other avenues and think this class will help me achieve that. Even if we don't know the "right" answer to a certain matter it is still good to talk about it. I had a friend once tell me his view on god and what he believes. My friend said, "I believe in god and when people want to share their beliefs I listen. I ask them what it hurts to believe? When I die and there is a heaven I know where I will be. If there isn't a heaven or God,which I strongly believe there is, then I will end up like the people who said that God doesn't exist." I thought that was a pretty strong point he made and have always remembered that. I am looking forward to this class.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly. When it comes to other people's beliefs I think every school of thought needs to be considered. When it really comes down to it there is no "right answer" regarding religious belief. I feel the best approach is to listen to everyone's opinion and form your own. It may be necessary to take said opinion with a grain of salt, but everyone has the right to believe in what they choose.
DeleteI really understand what your saying.. that yo know there is a god and that there is something bigger then us but no one knows what it is. people that need there own opinion may turn to not believe that there is no god why maybe they are just to scared to no that there is someone up there that is watching out for us. if you think about it though there really has to be because when someone gets in a really bad car crash or something very bad like that and live to tell it all you can think is that there had to be someone watching out for them then. I really understand what your say and it does make a lot of sense
DeleteAs I look through the table of contents, I feel as if it's the study of things we don't normally pay much attention to otherwise. If it weren't for taking this class then I probably wouldn't think about "the problem with evil" because in my head, evil is bad, and there is obviously a problem with it. Another section is "the meaning of life" and I feel as if every one of us could figure out different answers to that question. I can already tell a big part of this class is going to be a lot of in depth thinking and getting our noggins to think about any and every possibility. It will help us to think "outside the box" and appreciate life that much more which will be beneficial.
ReplyDeleteI think that studying philosophy would help open my mind to the beliefs of others. Having to put aside what we think or believe is really hard for us as humans and it can lead to conflict. Looking at the way people view things, looking through their eyes is huge in our society. In our society, many of us only think about ourselves, leading to individuals not listening to what another person is saying and automatically assuming that the other person’s beliefs are wrong and their beliefs are the only right view. It can also change the way you look at ethical issues such as abortion. If we, as humans, start to have a more open mind about a lot of topics, I feel there would be less conflict. I’m not, by any means, saying that we should all change our thought process, but just take into consideration other people’s beliefs and thoughts. I feel that if I was able to approach a situation with a more open mind that I would be able to have more mature conversations and have a better understanding about why people think and react the way they do in different situations.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your comments. As human beings, we naturally tend to have more of a close minded approach to many aspects of life. Imagine what the world would be like today if more individuals had an open mind. War, murder, and cults seem to all occur because an individual(s) wasn't able to embrace different aspects of life instead of his/her own. This class may not prevent any of those things, but it will at least challenge our own beliefs and hopefully make us more accepting people.
DeletePhilosophy is great for everyone and even more for introverts, like myself. I am a thinker and I enjoy pondering over controversial issues and theories. However, my research and analytically skills are minimal. I hope with studying philosophy, I will be able to sharpen my skills and increase my perspective and deepen thought. I'm inspiring to be an electrical engineer, so I find it very beneficial to have the ability to focus your mind at the task at hand and have multiple ways of looking at things.
ReplyDeleteI believe Philosophy could make a huge difference in how i perceive events around me and think about all sides of an agenda instead of one or two. I am a "see it to believe it" kind of person which means I find it very difficult to believe much of anything that has unclear aspects to it like God for example. Being the way I am, believing in more of a scientific approach to life instead of a religious approach will make it difficult for me to cover a lot of aspects of Philosophy, which seems to study more of religion than the scientific approach. Not believing in God will certainly make this an interesting class. As long as I keep an open mind, I think Philosophy will help me accept other's viewpoints and might be able to answer many questions I have about life. All in due time i suppose.
ReplyDeleteThere is a God. One that has our "image." Before I go any further let me say that I am Catholic and I believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. However, my beliefs and views are not traditional. I too take a scientific approach to almost everything, but as you know science its self does not hold the answer to everything. But it does help explain somethings. I view religion (Catholicism) as a foundation to build a better life with meaning and purpose. The scriptures and sermons are meant to be interpreted to what you believe and to offer advice in times of need.
DeleteYou are right this will be an interesting class. I look forward to having future discussions with you.
It would be hard going into a class like this and right away talking about a subject you don't normally think about. God is definitely a touchy subject for many people. I do believe in God, but I too am going to have a hard time because I feel others may try to sway me into not questioning my faith. It is never an easy path to finding out the truth.
DeleteStudying philosophy helps you understand the broader picture. It helps you see how history, political science, and more specific studies were connected. Learning more about philosophy will help me see the both sides of the argument and help me become more open minded. It will help me understand more about the other persons beliefs and point of view. It would be useful for me so I will be better educated in an argument and I will be able to prove why one theory is correct and why the other is not.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. We all need to become a little more open minded in some situations and I think studying philosophy will help that. Learning how other people may view things and being able to see things from their eyes will make a huge difference in arguments. In an argument we all need to take a step back and just let the other persons theories sink in before we say something and studying philosophy I think will help all of us.
DeleteI think no one ever stops to think. Because of this reason I think philosophy plays a very crucial role in the process of human thought, which makes such thoughts become clearer and fixed in the presence of multiple realities and often confusing. Philosophy is useful to satisfy the desire to know individuals and it can help people to find the correct principles that are very useful in directing life and behavior. For instance, I decide to leave my country and come to US to study and get a better degree so that one day I return to help my people, I wonder what is the purpose of this life? Or ask question, why do I exist? Indeed, religion provides answer. However, as a human being sometimes I do not satisfy with the answers of religion, or for my traditions. So I think studying philosophy will help everyone to have a certain perspective, understand the questions about life, about value of life, and about our experiences as human beings.
ReplyDeleteEveryones lives are so different. It is intersting hearing about your back ground. None of us really knows why we were put on earth. We all have a very unique background and all have different feeling about the meaning of life and why we were put here. I hope to hear you talk more about it in class.
DeleteI feel like studying philosophy will help us to look at things in almost a different way. Since for a better learning experience we are to put our personal thoughts a side i think it will help open up a whole different way of thinking, for me at least. After the first class it reminded me a lot about my Humanities class I just took, and that class really makes you think of something deep down, but in stead of artifacts its going to break down more on issues. I always open to new ideas so I'm looking forward to what this class entitles!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you saying that we have to put our personal thoughts aside and in doing so we can see things from a different view. I am a strong Christian believer so the existence of God and the units going along with talking about God will be hard for me to put my views to the side. But I may also be able to understand why people feel the way they do about God and religion. I am hoping that with this class I can get some good insight to why people do feel the way that they do about some issues.
DeleteStudying philosophy is both good and useful because it challenges you to look at the varying thoughts and opinions of other people. This is useful because it can show a contrast between thoughts of your own compared to the thoughts of others on a subject. This class will make a difference in my life because it will help me further see the reasoning behind others thoughts. It will also help me open my mind to new ideas or see things a different way than I had used to.
ReplyDeleteI believe the study of philosophy to be very important if not essential to life. The study of thought and the larger questions related to life can give a person more enrichment in their life or help them cope with some of the issues that may keep them awake at night. This isn't just a matter of self-actualization either. The great thinkers of the world may be more educated and successful people but even the laborer earning minimum wage can benefit from looking at a larger picture when it comes to life in general. Some of these great questions in life may keep someone going when things seem hopeless or all is lost. I feel that philosophy has always been important in my life because I tend to be a very anxious person and possibly a bit obsessive. Looking at the existence of god and evil has always been "softened" for me by being able to read a great thinker's standpoint on the issue.
ReplyDeleteStudying philosophy can help those with more conservative viewpoints look at arguments, and ethical issues from a different standpoint. Philosophy presents different standpoints taken on issues (ex. a deontological or utilitarian view), which helps evaluate the pros and cons of a decision. Philosophy will help me to better formulate arguments by providing warranted claims when taking a standpoint. Studying the history of philosophy and how viewpoints came to be can help us to understand some of the current laws that are in place in society today. Philosophy class will help open my mind to new ideas and concepts.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Philosophy, logic, and reason are all very important ideas/concepts in human life. By studying these things we can improve our ability to communicate our thoughts with other humans. By communicating our thoughts we can grow as people and attempt to view the world through different eyes. Offering our views on different moral conflicts can help come to a consensus as to the answer to the question/conflict. However we need to put aside our ideals/beliefs and look at problems with a pure logical view so we can attempt to understand the world better.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of philosophy improving our ability to communicate our thoughts better with others. With the technology of cell phones and texting these days it makes it harder for the younger generation. I think Philosophy should be a required class in high schools so teens can better their communication skills at a earlier age as well! Teens also should explore more to become aware of their opinions, values, and beliefs along with understanding others as well. Philosophy would help greatly with that! I absolutely agree although it may be a huge challenge, everyone studying philosophy needs to learn to leave their personal beliefs at the door so we can learn better! :)
DeleteLooking at the table of contents in the text book I see words like God, Libertarianism, Ethical. When people are growing up often times they don't form their own opinions or make their own decisions about topics like these. Some people are place in a church at a young age and they were taught to believe and have faith. If you were raised with one or both of your parents being Democrat or Republican chances are you will be also. People don't realize it but we make blind decisions, whether its believing in God, or deciding your political stand point. I think this class will make some of us rethink and test our beliefs. I think it a good thing to analyze certain things better since I know I've made some decisions blindly at a young age.
ReplyDeleteMakes you think about your own free will huh? What if everything you believe are just preconceived notions you were raised to believe? And your parents were raised to believe in them as well so that they don't even have a true belief in anything. Then again, I have known people to break the mold of their family and vote Democrat when their parents vote republican, and vice versa. So who knows what the right answers are? I sure don't, which is why I think this class will be interesting.
DeleteI agree with you that people often do not form their own opinions growing up. Family and environment plays a huge role in that aspect. I like your point about the political standpoint. People don't realize how blind they are until they are educated. I'm looking forward to discussing these topics with the class.
DeleteAfter looking through the table of contents there are a many of phrases that pop out. Science, God, and Knowledge when together are almost always controversial. I myself use logic rather than faith as a pretense for many of my arguments. The study of Philosophy is a important aspect in everyone's life due to the subject nature that it forces you to examine. Although we have freedom of speech in America, many people choose to stay blinded in the cozy life style that they have and choose to stand neutral on many serious topics. I believe that philosophy will help eliminate the do what your told mentality.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the subjects that the book hits on are some of the most controversial topics. Personally I push and pull between using logic or faith. I think that it really depends on your beliefs whether you choose to use logic or faith in life. Philosophy definitely is important to decide what your beliefs are and to weigh your opinions. I believe people stay quiet because they are worried about what other people will think of them.
DeleteI see philosophy as a sort of guiding light, not a goal so much as a beacon, suggesting a direction, giving a reference as one navigates thru life. It suggests such questions as Do I believe in god? Do I think evil is necessary for good to exist? Do I have a moral compass? What is my purpose? I'm a little older than the others in the class, I think I have an idea where I stand on these issues, but I think if I had thought these things thru when I was younger, I might have ended up somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI myself know where i stand on these issues, but it's interesting to think of how your life would be different if you had that quiding light at a younger age. This class very well could make me rethink some of my beliefs. I'm looking forward to going deeper into those topics and getting a little bit closer to the truth.
DeletePhilosophy is such an important part of our lives. Philosophy forces people to argue different sides of a topic. Philosophy always brings up the most controversial topics such as God,abortion, or evil. When it comes to philosophy you have to know what you are talking about therefore to argue your point thoroughly. Personally I grew up in a family where we were educated thoroughly on topics. I believe philosophy tightly connects to family since that is normally where you get your beliefs.
ReplyDeleteInteresting and good thought Melissa. Family does normally influence beliefs in regular and even irregular households. I wonder though what sort of beliefs a person without family would have? To have to create your own beliefs from the ground up, it would be a sight to behold.
DeleteI don't even no what to talk about there are so many things to talk about. The one thing that really that really stood out to me is believe in god and if there is a bigger being out there. I do believe in a bigger being and that there is a god but how does one people create so much. When I really think about what if were just an alien experience. who really know what we really are. I feel like know one knows.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from. I think this class is going to not necessarily help us know what is going on, but be able to see the truth and lies in what people think and believe. Then from there, we can choose what we believe as well. It's cool, because I think a lot of people have never thought, to think about it.
DeleteI often wonder the same thing. Are we just some sort of alien creation? Did we evolve from little organisms into human beings? Or did one superior being create not only the planet we live on with everything on it, but the entire universe with galaxy after galaxy? The worst part is that nobody can give you a for sure answer. You have to put faith into what you want to believe in. The questions keep coming and the answers keep fading.
DeleteIt is very hard to talk about this stuff for me as well. I want to believe but all these things that we're talking about in class have gotten me a little confused as to what I'm supposed to think about in class.
DeleteThe study of philosophy can be good/useful to almost everyone! I believe we all could benefit, by learning how to look at the topics in our book with a broader perspective. Looking at more situations without our own judgment getting in the way would increase our empathy towards others. That everyone has a right to their own believes then may not be the same as yours but that does not make the other person wrong. Philosophy will help us consider it an argument is valid or not.
ReplyDeleteEmpathy is so important when considering someone elses viewpoint! It is truly sad that it seems most people automatically jump to tell someone there beliefs are wrong rather than understanding why they believe what they believe, what events in that persons life has led them to the beliefs they have. Perhaps if people actually put themselves in another persons shoes and actually made the effort to understand and listen to their arguments there would be less hostility in religion and politics. I absolutely agree with you that everyone has a right to their own beliefs and NO one has the right to tell someone else that they are wrong. As i said in my post "Who can say whats right and whats wrong? Good post! :)
DeletePhilosophy can help open the door to various skills that people can and should use in their everyday lives. Critical thinking and the ability to create ones' own ideas are two of the biggest skills I think a lot of people tend to either ignore as they grow older or aren't given a chance to develop as they grow. No one should blindly follow what others tell them just because it's the norm. Everyone is going to perceive things differently and should embrace that.
ReplyDeleteI think that Philosophy can help anyone with internal struggles by making them face their own ideas and embrace them. Question everything and take solace knowing that you alone have the ability to determine what is right and wrong for yourself and let other people worry about themselves.
A solid viewpoint to take Jacob. Developing critical thinking by expanding ones views and opinions is one thing we could all learn. Which I guess is why we came to this class in the first place. I have a feeling that we'll get into plenty of discussions as the days go by, and I'm looking forward to it.
DeletePhilosophy definitely opens the door to different skills. I 100% agree that with the fact that everyone needs to have their own thought process and beliefs. As for thought processes everyone is going to believe different things and look at things in a different way than other people will. I also think that philosophy can help with personal struggles because you can weigh the different choices. Everyone has different weighs to argue a point.
DeletePhilosophy definitely can help people find their place in the world. It can change the way people respond to questions differently and change the way they think about reasons as to why something is happening the way it does.
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ReplyDeletePhilosophy is useful because it helps show us what is real from what isn't real. It also shows us things that we believe to be true may not be all that they seemed to be. Philosophy tests beliefs and ideas that people have, and shows them whether they are true or not. I do believe in God because I was raised in the Catholic faith. It has never been easy being a Cathloic because our faith is so strong and sometimes I don't always agree.
ReplyDeletePhilosophy can make a huge difference in what many people believe to be true. Things that I think are true or should be true may not be no matter how much I think that I am right about it.
Philosophy is everywhere. I think that my definition of philosophy is the reasoning behind whatever subject you may be discussing. Studying philosophy will not only open up your mind to new ideas or reasoning, but it may change your views on subjects that you always thought you would stick to your opinion on. It is also good because in America we have many people not accepting that there may or may not be separate gods. I come from a christian home however, I don't necessarily think that anyone believing in any other god is wrong as long as they have their own faith. What I don't believe in are people who are atheists because there is no way that this world all came from bacteria or whatever they might think. I will not be on the blog telling people right and wrong but rather giving my input that they can take or leave. This class will help me understand what others views on the subject matter of the class.
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