The activity of philosophy; a concise introduction
Westphal, Fred A,
The activity of philosophy; a concise introduction [print] Fred A. Westphal. - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall (c)1969. - xii, 259 pages 23 cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? Correcting some misconceptions -- The nature of this book -- Differing conceptions of philosophy THE PROBLEM OF GOD: DOES A PERFECT PERSONAL BEING EXIST? the concept of God -- Statements about God -- Grounds for belief in the existence of God -- Does the existence of suffering disprove the existence of God? -- Does it matter whether God exists? MIND AND MORTALITY: WILL I SURVIVE DEATH? The concept of immortality -- Psycho-physical dualism -- The identity theory -- A dispositional view of mind -- Implications for immortality -- Arguments for immortality based on man's moral and valuing capacities THE PROBLEM OF FREE WILL AND DETERMINISM: AM I EVER RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS? Arguments for hard or extreme determinism -- Arguments for indeterminism of libertarianism -- Arguments for "soft" or moderate determinism -- Reasons for actions and causes of actions THE PROBLEM OF MORTALITY: CAN I KNOW WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT? The challenge of the relativist -- What is morally right is discoverable through moral intuition -- An act is right if one could will acts like it to be performed by everyone -- An act is right if it tends to produce pleasure or happiness -- Why be moral? THE PROBLEM OF KNOWLEDGE: WHEN CAN I SAY THAT I KNOW? Necessary and contingent truths -- The rationalist's approach: "The quest for the unquestionable" -- The empiricist's approach: "The emphasis upon experience".
The purpose of this book is to acquaint the reader with the aspects of the activity call philosophy. The problems selected for treatment are among those that have occupied the minds of reflective men since the first glimmerings of wonder and inquiry touched the dark corners of ignorance and unexamined belief. Philosophy, perhaps the oldest of intellectual enterprises, has been a virtual vanguard in man's ancient (and often times anguished) quest for a valid view of himself and his place in the world. It is with the work of the philosopher, therefore, that we shall be concerned -- his problems, his methods of dealing with them, and the difficulties he and all of us encounter when engaged in the activity of philosophy.
Westphal, Fred A.. The Activity of Philosophy: A Concise Introduction. United Kingdom, Prentice-Hall, 1969.
68019996
GB69-21393 B6921393
Philosophy-Ancient
Philosophy.
B53.W537.A285 1969
The activity of philosophy; a concise introduction [print] Fred A. Westphal. - Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall (c)1969. - xii, 259 pages 23 cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY? Correcting some misconceptions -- The nature of this book -- Differing conceptions of philosophy THE PROBLEM OF GOD: DOES A PERFECT PERSONAL BEING EXIST? the concept of God -- Statements about God -- Grounds for belief in the existence of God -- Does the existence of suffering disprove the existence of God? -- Does it matter whether God exists? MIND AND MORTALITY: WILL I SURVIVE DEATH? The concept of immortality -- Psycho-physical dualism -- The identity theory -- A dispositional view of mind -- Implications for immortality -- Arguments for immortality based on man's moral and valuing capacities THE PROBLEM OF FREE WILL AND DETERMINISM: AM I EVER RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS? Arguments for hard or extreme determinism -- Arguments for indeterminism of libertarianism -- Arguments for "soft" or moderate determinism -- Reasons for actions and causes of actions THE PROBLEM OF MORTALITY: CAN I KNOW WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT? The challenge of the relativist -- What is morally right is discoverable through moral intuition -- An act is right if one could will acts like it to be performed by everyone -- An act is right if it tends to produce pleasure or happiness -- Why be moral? THE PROBLEM OF KNOWLEDGE: WHEN CAN I SAY THAT I KNOW? Necessary and contingent truths -- The rationalist's approach: "The quest for the unquestionable" -- The empiricist's approach: "The emphasis upon experience".
The purpose of this book is to acquaint the reader with the aspects of the activity call philosophy. The problems selected for treatment are among those that have occupied the minds of reflective men since the first glimmerings of wonder and inquiry touched the dark corners of ignorance and unexamined belief. Philosophy, perhaps the oldest of intellectual enterprises, has been a virtual vanguard in man's ancient (and often times anguished) quest for a valid view of himself and his place in the world. It is with the work of the philosopher, therefore, that we shall be concerned -- his problems, his methods of dealing with them, and the difficulties he and all of us encounter when engaged in the activity of philosophy.
Westphal, Fred A.. The Activity of Philosophy: A Concise Introduction. United Kingdom, Prentice-Hall, 1969.
68019996
GB69-21393 B6921393
Philosophy-Ancient
Philosophy.
B53.W537.A285 1969