This Is Philosophy - An Introduction

Informationen zum Autor Steven D. Hales is Professor of Philosophy at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He has been a Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy! School of Advanced Study! University of London! and is a past winner of Bloomsburg University's Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Hales's books include Relativism and the Foundations of Philosophy! A Companion to Relativism! and Beer & Philosophy. Klappentext Understanding philosophical ideas and arguments can be a daunting undertaking--but it doesn't have to be. This Is Philosophy: An Introduction offers an engaging introduction to the subject that brings difficult! abstract concepts down to earth in straightforward language. Topics covered include ethics! the existence of God! free will! personal identity! philosophy of mind! epistemology! and more. While covering traditional topics! the discussion is also connected to relevant developments in nearby disciplines! such as how empirical psychology is related to virtue ethics! and neuroscience to philosophy of mind.The book is enhanced by a wealth of supplementary online materials--links to free online primary sources and reference materials! witty takes on philosophical puzzles! and a host of extras on the companion website! including notes on philosophical method! a glossary of terms! an extensive test bank! and more. With examples that are more Dave Matthews Band than Verdi! more beer than Brunello di Montalcino! the great debates of philosophy are made accessible! yet never watered down. This Is Philosophy: An Introduction not only brings philosophy to life--it will leave beginning students wanting more. Zusammenfassung This is Philosophy: An Introduction offers an engagingly written introduction to philosophical concepts that include ethics, the existence of God, free will, personal identity, philosophy of mind, and epistemology.* Conveys the excitement and importance of philosophy while explaining difficult concepts clearly for the average undergraduate* Links throughout to supplemental materials and freely available online primary sources* Features online student and instructor resources, including a 175-question test bank and answer key, 40 PowerPoint lectures, a glossary, student comprehension self-assessment exercises, and more.* Represents a student-friendly yet knowledgeable guide to the questions, problems, and great thinkers of philosophy Inhaltsverzeichnis 76591748 ...

List of contents

How to Use This Book xiiiPreface xvAcknowledgments xvii1 Ethics: Preliminary Theories 1The Normative Universe 1Is Morality Just Acting on Principles? 3Divine Command Theory (Is Morality Just What God Tells Me to Do?) 6Egoism (Is Morality Just My Own Personal Code?) 10Psychological and ethical egoism 11Objections to ethical egoism 16Moral Relativism (Is Morality Just How Society Says We Should Act?) 19Descriptive and moral relativism 19Criticism objection 22Annotated Bibliography 24Online Resources 252 Ethics: The Big Three Theories 27Utilitarianism (Is Morality Doing What I Can to Make This the Best World Possible?) 27Consequentialism and hedonism 28Measuring pains and pleasures 31Quality and quantity 33Objections to utilitarianism 37Deontology, or Kantianism (Is There an Absolute Moral Law?) 42Imperatives and good motives 43Categorical imperative (version 1) 44Categorical imperative (version 2) 47Objections to deontology 49Virtue Ethics (Is Morality All about Having a Virtuous Character?) 52What is virtue? 53What is character? 54Objections to virtue ethics 54Conclusion 60Annotated Bibliography 60Online Resources 613 God 63Faith 64Faith as confi dence 64Faith as belief without reason 64The Attributes of God 66Why There Is a God 67The argument from scripture 67The ontological argument 71The cosmological argument 75The teleological argument or the argument from design 80Pascal's wager 88Why There Is No God 95Proving a negative 96The argument from religious pluralism 97The problem of evil 99Conclusion 107Annotated Bibliography 108Online Resources 1104 Freedom 115Why There Is No Free Will, Part 1: Divine Foreknowledge 116Presentation of the argument 117Objection 1: Atheism and agnosticism 117Objection 2: Aristotle's answer 118Why There Is No Free Will, Part 2: A Regress of Reasons for Acting 119Previous decisions vs. outside forces 120The regress of reasons argument against free will 123The digger wasp 125Why There Is No Free Will, Part 3: The Dilemma Argument 126The threat of determinism 127Will randomness make us free? 130The dilemma argument against free will 131Free will and moral responsibility 132Agent causation 136Compatibilism 138The Feeling of Freedom 141Conclusion 143Annotated Bibliography 144Online Resources 1455 Self 149The Problem of Difference and the Problem of Sameness 149The problem of difference 149The problem of sameness 150Preliminary Positions 151The luz bone 151Fingerprints 152DNA 153The Soul Criterion 153Conceptions of the soul 153Objections to the supernatural soul criterion 155The Physicalist Criterion 160Abigail--the case of ordinary aging 161Closest physical continuer relation 161Kenny--the case of loss 164Brain transplants 166The Psychological Criterion 168Closest psychological continuer relation 169The Bundle Theory 178Split-brain surgery 178Buddha and Hume 180The Sex Pistols 182Conclusion 183Annotated Bibliography 184Online Resources 1856 Mind 189The Rare and Mysterious Mind 189First Theory of the Mind: Substance Dualism 190Physical and mental substances 191Descartes's conceivability argument for dualism 191Objections to substance dualism 193Second Theory of the Mind: Behaviorism 198Explanation of the theory 198Objection: Mental states without behavior 200Third Theory of the Mind: Mind-Brain Identity Theory 202Explanation of the theory 202Objections to the mind-brain identity theory 203Fourth Theory of the Mind: Functionalism 209Explanation of the theory 209Objections to functionalism 211Conclusion 216Annotated Bibliography 217Online Resources 2197 Knowledge 223The Value of Truth 223The rational principle 224The hedonist's challenge 225The Value of Evidence 228Fraud and quackery 229Ways we can go wrong 231How Much Evidence Do We Need? 231Part 1: We need a lot 231Part 2: Go on, take a chance 234Sources of Evidence 240Perception, testimony, memory, reason 240Empiricism 241The Nature of Knowledge 243Analysis of knowledge, first attempt 244Analysis of knowledge, second attempt 245The Skeptic's Challenge 246Modest skepticism and radical skepticism 246Dreamers, demons, and movies 247The theater of the mind 250The Counterfeit Detector 256Genuine and counterfeit money 256Particularism and methodism 257The wheel 258Annotated Bibliography 261Online Resources 263Index 265

Product details

• Authors: Steven D. Hales
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 04.01.2013
• EAN: 9780470658833
• ISBN: 978-0-470-65883-3
• No. of pages: 296
• Series: This is Philosophy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Philosophie, Philosophy, Introductions to Philosophy, Einführungen in die Philosophie