Chapter 12 Common Sense and Anglo- American Philosophy.

Chapter 12Chapter 12

Common Sense and Anglo-Common Sense and Anglo-American PhilosophyAmerican Philosophy

What is the difference between the tender- and What is the difference between the tender- and the tough-minded? What is the pragmatic the tough-minded? What is the pragmatic

method? What is the pragmatic theory of truth? method? What is the pragmatic theory of truth? How is Russell’s logic different from that of How is Russell’s logic different from that of Aristotle and Hegel? What is the difference Aristotle and Hegel? What is the difference between knowledge by acquaintance and between knowledge by acquaintance and

knowledge by description? How did Wittgenstein knowledge by description? How did Wittgenstein think he had solved all philosophical problems? think he had solved all philosophical problems?

In what ways did he change his views?In what ways did he change his views?

The Anglo-American Reaction to HegelThe Anglo-American Reaction to Hegel

Which style do you prefer?Which style do you prefer?

ContinentalContinental

Literary, poetic, enthusiastic Literary, poetic, enthusiastic for metaphysical for metaphysical

speculation about Grand speculation about Grand IdeasIdeas

Anglo-AmericanAnglo-American

Disciplined application of Disciplined application of logical analysis, with an logical analysis, with an

avoidance of grand avoidance of grand metaphysical speculationmetaphysical speculation

William JamesWilliam James

Why would a Why would a scientist be scientist be interested in interested in

religion?religion?

Are we as humans just…Are we as humans just…

……clever little animals, powered by chemical clever little animals, powered by chemical reactions and shaped by natural reactions and shaped by natural

selection?selection?

If so, if there any meaning to our If so, if there any meaning to our lives at all?lives at all?

Which is your temperament?Which is your temperament?

Tender-mindedTender-minded

Drawn towards Drawn towards abstraction, romanticism, abstraction, romanticism,

and monismand monism

Tough-mindedTough-minded

Drawn towards concrete Drawn towards concrete facts, observation, and facts, observation, and

pluralismpluralism

Which temperament would you Which temperament would you preferprefer to to have?have?

Why?Why?

Is your worldview…Is your worldview…

……comforting to you? comforting to you?

Do you think that a person’s philosophical Do you think that a person’s philosophical approach is guided by her temperament? approach is guided by her temperament?

If so, it philosophy really a If so, it philosophy really a search for Truth?search for Truth?

PRAGMATISMPRAGMATISM

In what way is In what way is pragmatism a method pragmatism a method

of philosophizing?of philosophizing?

In what way is it a In what way is it a theory of truth?theory of truth?

Philosophical DisputesPhilosophical Disputes

How do you think we can tell if a dispute is How do you think we can tell if a dispute is an authentic dispute?an authentic dispute?

Do you think that philosophy should be Do you think that philosophy should be practicalpractical??

If so, HOW?If so, HOW?

Does it matter…Does it matter…

……what the universe is made of?what the universe is made of?

A Pragmatist’s Riddle!A Pragmatist’s Riddle!

How is knowledge….How is knowledge….

……like a grease spot?like a grease spot?

What is Truth?What is Truth?

Correspondence Correspondence between the mind and between the mind and

the world?the world?

The process by which The process by which the human mind the human mind assimilates and assimilates and

incorporates ideas incorporates ideas into its commonsense into its commonsense

understanding?understanding?

Do you think…Do you think…

……that truth needs to have “cash-value”?that truth needs to have “cash-value”?

Why would it be valuable, if it did not?Why would it be valuable, if it did not?

Can truth develop? Can truth develop?

Would the “old” truth still be “truth” if it has Would the “old” truth still be “truth” if it has developed into something different?developed into something different?

What would James say? Do you agree?What would James say? Do you agree?

ReligionReligion

Does religion have any cash value?Does religion have any cash value?

Is it then true?Is it then true?

Can you disprove God, scientifically? Can you disprove God, scientifically?

The Will to BelieveThe Will to Believe

Do you want to believe in God?Do you want to believe in God?

Why? Why?

How can religion be useful?How can religion be useful?

Can it also be destructive?Can it also be destructive?

William… or Jesse?William… or Jesse?

How are pragmatists philosophical How are pragmatists philosophical cowboys?cowboys?

Is this an appealing image?Is this an appealing image?

If so, does this support pragmatism’s truth?If so, does this support pragmatism’s truth?

According to whom?According to whom?

Bertrand RussellBertrand RussellA defender of the reality of common A defender of the reality of common

sense!sense!

Can we say anything true Can we say anything true about this slide?about this slide?

If so, what are the implications for Hegel’s If so, what are the implications for Hegel’s holistic view of the universe?holistic view of the universe?

The UniverseThe Universe

A continuous thing?A continuous thing? Composed of discrete Composed of discrete bits?bits?

Syntax, not semanticsSyntax, not semantics

Imagine that you’re in a room with a rulebook that Imagine that you’re in a room with a rulebook that tells you how to respond to symbols (writing) that tells you how to respond to symbols (writing) that

are passed into the room. are passed into the room.

You don’t know what the symbols (writing) mean.You don’t know what the symbols (writing) mean.

Would someone outside the room believe that Would someone outside the room believe that you could understand what they were saying to you could understand what they were saying to

you?you?

How is being in this room similar How is being in this room similar

to computing?to computing?

LogicLogic

How do we know the principles of logic? Do How do we know the principles of logic? Do we observe them? How else do we know we observe them? How else do we know

them? them?

Do we Do we needneed to observe them for them to be to observe them for them to be true?true?

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

Sense dataSense data SensationSensation

How is it possible that the sense data How is it possible that the sense data appearing in your mind describes what is appearing in your mind describes what is

outside it? outside it?

How do you How do you knowknow there is a brown table in there is a brown table in front of you?front of you?

Do you have remembrance of things past? Do you have remembrance of things past?

Are you self-conscious? Are you self-conscious?

How is your experience of a sunset different How is your experience of a sunset different from that of a dog?from that of a dog?

Try to formulate a sentence that expresses a Try to formulate a sentence that expresses a truth without using a “universal” term.truth without using a “universal” term.

Can you do it? Can you do it?

What does this tell you about what you are What does this tell you about what you are directly acquainted with?directly acquainted with?

The Role of Philosophy?The Role of Philosophy?

What do you think the role of philosophy is? What do you think the role of philosophy is?

Do you think that philosophy is the handmaiden of Do you think that philosophy is the handmaiden of science? science?

Or do you think that philosophy makes science Or do you think that philosophy makes science possible? possible?

Why do you think as you do?Why do you think as you do?

Ludwig Ludwig WittgensteinWittgenstein

The solver of The solver of all major all major

philosophical philosophical problems?problems?

Picture Theory of MeaningPicture Theory of Meaning

Do you think that language pictures reality?Do you think that language pictures reality?

What does this What does this meanmean??

Does this sentence picture reality?Does this sentence picture reality?

How?How?

Do the deepest problems in philosophy Do the deepest problems in philosophy fail to be problems at all?fail to be problems at all?

How could you make someone who had never How could you make someone who had never seen red understand what it is?seen red understand what it is?

How can language be used to point out the How can language be used to point out the structure of the world?structure of the world?

Early and Later LudwigEarly and Later Ludwig

TractatusTractatus

The picture theory of The picture theory of meaningmeaning

Philosophical InvestigationsPhilosophical Investigations

The language game theory The language game theory of meaningof meaning

Does language only picture reality, or does it Does language only picture reality, or does it do other things as well?do other things as well?

If so, If so, what? what?

Why did the chicken cross the road?Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to the other side!To get to the other side!

I Want to Play a GameI Want to Play a Game

When you play baseball, or football, do you When you play baseball, or football, do you know all of the rules before you set out to know all of the rules before you set out to play? Or do you and others take part in a play? Or do you and others take part in a

shared activity? shared activity?

How is this similar to language use? How is this similar to language use?

When does philosophy come to an end?When does philosophy come to an end?

Wondrous Distress in Anglo-Wondrous Distress in Anglo-American PhilosophyAmerican Philosophy

How should we approach our exploration of reality? How should we approach our exploration of reality? Is this exploration open-ended?Is this exploration open-ended?

What might one danger be of the analytical focus on What might one danger be of the analytical focus on analysis and logic? analysis and logic?

Could any one philosophical approach solve the Could any one philosophical approach solve the issues that have caused perennial wonder and issues that have caused perennial wonder and

distress?distress?