Download Transition Year Philosophy

Philosophy
Transition Year 2016-2017
What is Philosophy?
• Philosophy comes from the Greek word
‘Philosophia’ – meaning ‘love of wisdom’ –
therefore, it is the study of knowledge and
wisdom itself
• Humans have always wondered about the
nature of our universe and our place within it
- all philosophy begins in wonder
• Philosophy aims to make clear the nature of
the universe and the nature and meaning of
our lives
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy can be broken up into the following areas:
METAPHYSICS
(the study of being and the universe)
LOGIC
(the study of reasoning)
ETHICS
(the study of moral behaviour)
ANTHROPOLOGY
(the study of human nature)
EPISTEMOLOGY
(the study of knowledge)
SOCIAL & POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
(the study of liberty, justice, rights and the law)
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
(the study of the nature of religion)
AESTHETICS
(the study of the nature of art and beauty)
Origins of Philosophy
• Philosophy has its origins in Greece, in the fifth & sixth
centuries BCE
Origins of Philosophy
• Humans began to ask deeper questions about the meaning of
life
• Thinkers like Thales, Heraclitus and Anaximenes began to
reflect on our existence
• These men became known as the ‘natural’ philosophers or
‘pre-Socratic’ philosophers
Origins of Philosophy
Thales believed everything came from water
Heraclitus believed everything came from fire
Anaximenes believed everything came from air
Why study Philosophy?
• As a teenager, you are, by nature, a natural philosopher.
During adolescence, you open your minds up to many larger
questions – philosophy will aid you in this
• You are forced to face the hypocrisy within society and face
many difficult moral dilemmas
• Philosophy questions the opinions that you are exposed to on
a daily basis, from family, friends, teachers, society and the
media
• You are essentially concerned with the development of your
own identity – this is central to philosophy
Why study Philosophy?
• Philosophical thinking is good for you. Some people like it and
some people do not, but everyone should learn how to do it,
because it helps you figure out what life is all about
• The goal of studying philosophy is not to identify final answers
that everyone should accept, but to explore different answers
• Try to take a critical attitude towards all philosophical
positions/claims – QUESTION EVERYTHING
Why study Philosophy?
• All human beings – consciously or
unconsciously – philosophise or have a
philosophy of life
• Philosophy helps to develop your critical
thinking skills, which employers look for
when seeking new employees
*****
• Philosophy is central to all subjects in the
Humanities . . .
PHILOSOPHY
The pursuit of Happiness
• The pursuit of happiness is a central issue in Philosophy, it is
central aspect in understanding the concept of the Soul
• Understanding what happiness means will be a core part to
this module, we’ll be looking at various videos in class that
help us to develop an awareness of happiness and how this
can be integrated into our daily lives
Course Content
Ancient and Medieval philosophers
SOCRATES
PLATO
ST. AUGUSTINE
Course Content
The Enlightenment thinkers
DESCARTES
LOCKE
HEGEL
ROUSSEAU
Course Content
The Existentialist & Political thinkers
KIERKEGAARD
MARX
NIETZSCHE
CAMUS
Course Content
Ethics: Ethical dilemmas - The Justification of Punishment,
Freedom of Expression & Censorship
MILL
Philosophy website
• There is a Philosophy website: philosophy.preswex.ie
• Details of projects and any presentations or videos shown in
class will be posted on this website
• You will need to access this website regularly throughout the
module