Wednesday January 19 Notes Synopsis

The first topic covered on Wednesday was Metaphysics, what it is and some of its branches. Metaphysics is the school of thought concerned with the ultimate structure of reality. It asks questions like, am I a human because I think I am or am I just a bunch of atoms connected to each other? The traditional approach to these types of questions is that mind and matter are two different sections of reality. We also discussed the idea of a Universal which poses the question, Is there one certain type of desk that all desks are alike and if not what in particular makes a desk? Then we covered the study of Epistemology which asks how we know what we know and basically what makes something true? One can look at things as a rationalist and use reason but not experience and your senses or do the opposite and be an empiricist who uses experience as the most reliable source of knowledge using only ones senses. We also covered skepticism which is doubting things especially those that are conventionally though to be true, also there is probalism which states that we can never be certain but we can discern which outcome is most probable.

Our next large topic covered was that of Ethics and the difference between an ethical code and morality. Ethical codes are basically social contracts and standards held by most people where as one’s own morals are what an individual decides to believe in. Typical questions asked in the philosophy of ethics is the divide between absolutism and relativism, this is basically whether moral standards are subjective to each person or there is an absolute standard code of conduct. Nihilism is the idea that value does not exist at all and we decide what is worthwhile to ourselves, thus a true nihilist has only once choice to make which is to live or not too live. Another big topic is the difference between freewill and determinism, this debate sparks the question, are our actions predetermined or do we actually choose our actions. Then, if we do not in fact have free will then how can we be morally responsible for our actions?