Philosophy for Laymen 2/22/16, 8:46 PM

I. Two problems since dawn of civilization

A. How to master the natural forces by acquiring knowledge and skill

1. to produce tools and weapons

2. to encourage Nature in the production of useful animals and plants

B. How to best utilize our command over natural forces

1. Philosophy is needed to supplement wisdom to science

a) better mastery of natural forces have not always benefited man in terms of
human happiness or well being
(1) example: discovery of producing cotton goods by machinery led to:

(a) halting of Jefferson's movement to emancipate slaves

(b) cruel child labor in England

(c) imperialism in Africa

(2) example: creation of Atomic bomb but having no idea what to do with it

II. Philosophy like all branches of academic study carries two distinctions

A. Professional interest

1. technical aspects that cannot provide any value to general population

B. Cultural Value

1. Should be part of general education by making philosophy relevant to today's

problems
a) "English students are taught to memorize Anglo-saxon kings instead of
bringing our problems of today in relation to that of Egyptian kings or
Athenian reformers."
III. Historical objectives of Philosophy

A. Theoretical

1. Theoretical understanding of the structure of the world

2. closely related to science

B. Practical

1. an attempt to discover and insulate the best possible way of life

2. closely related to religion

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C. Until Marx, philosophy was never purely theoretical nor practical but:

1. "...sought a theory of the universe upon which to base a practical ethic."

IV. Uses of Theoretical Philosophy

A. Theoretical philosophy frames many large general hypotheses which science may
not yet be in position to test
1. Philosophers provided scientists with hypotheses that might never have
entered their minds
a) Pythagoreans in astronomy

b) Democritus in atomic theory

2. when hypotheses become testable and verifiable, it ceases to count as

philosophy
3. philosophy keeps interest in questions like this alive along with the
practice of scrutinizing of their answers
B. Theoretical philosophy shows the right attitude we should give science

1. "Those who think science is everything..

a) become complacent and cocksure."

b) "think skill can take the place of wisdom."

2. Those who pooh-pooh science...

a) revert to a superstitious lifestyle

b) belittle scientific accomplishments

C. Study of philosophy teaches how to endure uncertainty

1. An absence of knowledge in how to practice philosophy leads to
dogmatic and fanatic beliefs
a) Some kind of philosophy in necessary to live for almost everyone
(1) Unstudied philosophy is most likely going to be "silly"
b) History is filled with futile strifes that could have been avoided with "a
little philosophy"
(1) Arians and Catholics
(2) Crusaders and Muslims
(3) Communists and Fascists

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c) The study of philosophy teaches how to examine beliefs

2. Philosophy trains men to withhold judgement in the absence of evidence
a) The demand for certainty is natural but an intellectual vice that can
lead people to dangerous conclusions
(1) "Liquidate the capitalists and the survivors will enjoy eternal bliss"
(2) "Exterminate the Jews and everyone will be virtuous"
b) In troubled times, people can be persuaded by "cocksure prophets"
or ignorant fanatics who promise answers when, in fact, no certainty
may be possible.
3. Philosophy should dissipate certainty
a) The certainty of knowing is dogmatism
(1) Dogmatism is the greatest of mental obstacles to human
happiness
(a) leads to strife and war
(b) obstacle to democracy because it prevents understanding
other beliefs and ideas
b) The certainty of ignorance is skepticism
(1) Skepticism is useless and can serve no positive purpose
c) Knowledge in practical affairs doesn't have the certainty or precision
of arithmetic
(1) Philosophy should give people the ability to make stronger and
more defensible conclusions
(a) "Democracy is good" vs "I am fairly certain it is a good thing if
a government has similar characteristics to that of the British
and American Constitutions."
i) Democracy does not have a precise definition
ii) "Fairly" is a guarded term eliminating certainty and opening
up the statement for a healthy debate
D. Philosophy should teach how to act upon a hypothesis without dogmatically
believing it
1. Knowledge for the most part is uncertain and vague

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a) Before acting on an uncertain hypothesis, we must make sure our

actions will not result harmful consequences if our hypothesis turns
out to be wrong unless equal evil is certain on the opposite
hypothesis.
V. Uses of Practical Philosophy
A. Practical philosophy should help establish a system of ethics that provide a
view on how to live
1. In this way, it is similar to religion but differs in three ways
a) should not appeal to authority like God
b) should not setup a church
c) more stress should be laid upon the intellectual virtues
2. In modern times, ethical convictions have to be expressed more in
political advocacy
a) A conception of a good life has to be social rather than an individual
conception
b) Men have to earn livings with an existing framework of society so
important changes in one's own way of life depends on the political
an economic organization
3. Two intellectual virtues that should pillar any ethical philosophy
a) Intellectual sobriety
(1) Leads us to understand all knowledge is good even if it is painful.
(2) We must always scrutinize our beliefs closely and comprehend
the reasons that they are true.
b) Impartiality
(1) Emotional bias can impair judgement so it is important to think
objectively
(2) Think in abstract terms
(a) Substitute emotionally charged terms with abstract names (A =
Capitalism, B = Socialism, etc)
(3) Generalize personal emotions
(a) Hunger will create a great exertion to find food. That same
hunger should create the same urgency when people are
starving thousands of miles away.

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VI. Things that studying philosophy in spare time can provide

A. Gives the habit of exact and careful thought
1. in math and science
2. in questions of large importance
B. Gives a just measure
1. between man in relation to society
2. of man in the present to that of the past and future
3. of the relation of man to the history of the cosmos
4. "By enlarging the objects of his thoughts it supplies an antidote to the
anxieties and anguish of the present, and makes possible the nearest
approach to serenity that is available to a sensitive mind in our tortured
and uncertain world."

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