Philosophical Propositions: An Introduction to Philosophy

✍ Scribed by Jonathan Westphal

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 167
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Philosophical Propositions is a fresh, up to date, and reliable introduction to philosophical problems. It takes seriously the need for philosophy to deal with definitive and statable propositions, such as God, certainty, time, personal identity, the mind/body problem, free will and determinism, and the meaning of life.

✦ Table of Contents

Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 3
Copyright......Page 4
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Figures......Page 10
Preface......Page 11
Acknowledgements......Page 12
A Introduction......Page 13
B What Philosophy Is......Page 14
C Two Model Problems of Philosophical Analysis......Page 16
D Philosophical Problems and Pictures......Page 19
Historical Note......Page 22
Reading......Page 23
A The Concept of an Argument......Page 24
B The Concept of Validity......Page 26
C Valid Argument-Forms and Proof......Page 28
3 Disjunctive Syllogism......Page 29
4 Hypothetical Syllogism......Page 30
D Proof of Invalidity by Counterexample......Page 32
E Three Important Fallacies......Page 33
Historical Note......Page 35
Reading......Page 36
A Statement of the Problem......Page 37
B Three Logically Adequate Solutions......Page 41
C Four Logically Inadequate Solutions......Page 44
D The Logic of the Argument......Page 47
Notes......Page 48
Reading......Page 49
A The Ontological Argument......Page 50
B Gaunilo: Invalidity by Counterexample......Page 54
C The Standard Objection......Page 56
Historical Note......Page 61
Notes......Page 62
Reading......Page 63
A Background......Page 64
B Knowledge of Eternal Truth......Page 65
C Freedom from Doubt......Page 68
D Indubitability......Page 70
E Knowledge Plus an Unimprovably Good Justification......Page 72
Notes......Page 76
Reading......Page 77
A The Puzzles......Page 78
B Wittgenstein’s Resolution of St Augustine’s Puzzle......Page 80
C The Initial Propositions......Page 84
D Time and the Nature of Change......Page 88
Historical Note......Page 91
Notes......Page 92
Reading......Page 93
A The Problem......Page 94
B The Prince and the Cobbler and the Two Criteria......Page 98
C The Ship of Theseus......Page 103
D A Resolution?......Page 105
Notes......Page 108
Reading......Page 109
A The Problem......Page 111
B Some Proposed Solutions......Page 115
Behaviourism......Page 118
Central-state materialism......Page 120
Functionalism......Page 123
Eliminative materialism......Page 125
C Neutral Monism......Page 126
Historical Note......Page 131
Notes......Page 132
Reading......Page 133
A Background......Page 134
B The Master Argument......Page 136
C Against Hard Determinism......Page 138
D The Compatibilist Analysis......Page 139
E Libertarianism......Page 142
Note......Page 143
Reading......Page 144
A Aristotle’s Problem......Page 145
B Camus’ Formulation......Page 151
C ‘Nothing Matters’......Page 155
D A Final Problem......Page 157
Historical Note......Page 159
Notes......Page 160
Reading......Page 161
Index......Page 162