Argument
set of statements consisting of premises (intended to support a conclusion) and a conclusion
What does it mean to say an argument is factually correct?
if all of the premises are true
An argument is VALID?
conclusion follows the premises
An argument is SOUND?
both factually correct and valid
What are humans (Plato)?
-rational and social animals
-identified with reason and our soul ("mind")
-bodies are secondary, you could take away the body and still be human
Components of Plato's Tripartite theory of SOUL
- Rational: reason to decide things
- Spirited: responsible for passions (desire for honor)
- Appetitive: desires (food, sex, etc)
Components of Plato's Tripartite theory of STATE
- Rational: reason to decide things
- Spirited: responsible for passions (desire for honor)
- Appetitive: desires (food, sex, etc)
Components of Plato's Tripartite theory of should TYPES
each person has a certain overall type soul
- Ruler: ...
- Guardian: ...
- Worker: ...
For a person's morality, must look to the city-what's good/bad for us depends on our psychology (plato)
success in life depends on the society we live in but also on psychic harmony
Plato's Argument
Premise 1: everything performs its activity of function well when it has its virtue
Premise 2: the activity of the soul/mind is to live (i.e. one lives by the soul)
- Conclusion 1: One lives well when one has the virtue of the soul
Premise 3: Mortality is
What does it mean for a person to live morally for Plato?
depends on a well-functioning soul, all 3 parts functioning together in harmony & not over-stepping each one's duties
State to live morally for Plato?
all parts and people functioning well together and not over-stepping their duties
How must humans be happy according to Plato?
they must have psychic balance, no one part of the soul taking over
Plato's analogical argument between state and the human
...
What is meant be VIRTUE? and example
(aret^e) a state or condition by which we get it right with regard to some realm of thought, feeling, or activity
What are humans? (Aristotle)
humans are active souls/minds in search of happiness
- function on rationality of happiness
What is the best life or ult. good? (Aristotle)
contemplative life via intellectual virtue
- Practical: political (intelligence), get it right with regard to human affairs and actions
ult. good we can achieve as humans
- Contemplative- understanding, superior to practical life, this is the life of the
Differences and similarities between Plato and Aristotle?
- Aristotle places emphasis on nature, friendship, honor, logic, ethics, moderation, and virtue and the Plato has ideals of physics, spirit, justice, government, republic and mathematics
- Aristotle thinks that although virtue is necessary to the good lif
Basic components of the soul (ari)
A. Rationally calculating
-- craft knowledge: rationally calculating, craft knowledge: getting it right making something
B. Scientific Element:
-- Understanding: knowledge from demonstrations off the ground
-- Scientific Knowledge: knowledge from demonstr
Happiness (ari.)
human flourishing/human well-being
a. happiness: be the best we can at being humans (rational)
b. happiness (not meaning a euphoric feeling)
Function of being a human (ari.)
ultimate aim for happiness, best we can be at being humans
- humans do not = DNA
The characteristic function of something essence (ari)
depends on our rational nature, activities it performs (heart pumps)
Something is good if it functions well (ari)
e.g. a knife's function is to cut, so a good knife cuts well
- Virtue is the condition or state that enables the knife to perform well
- So the virtue of the knife is the sharpness, since being sharp is what enables it to cut well
Hobbe's materialism
A. Vital motion: unconscious -heart beating
B Voluntary motion: conscious -speaking
Hobbe's ult. good?
there isn't an ultimate good, he thinks we are savage barbarians
War of all against all
means humans are only out to help themselves before helping others
Hobbe's government
we need a gov. to restrict human nature to stop humans madness
Philosophy
rational sense of things -- offer & eval. arg.
Metaphysics
ult. nature of reality -what is a being- human nature
Axiology/Value theory
what is truly valuable
Ethical questions
How should we treat each other? -justification regarding moral claims like "shouldn't kill
Normative questions
look for words like "should, ought
Epistmology
How its possible to know the truth about something
Infer
to draw a conclusion from premises e.g. you see fire and you INFER that theres a fire
teacher ---- student
Socrates -- Plato -- Aristotle
Aristotle's theory of self
(who are we?)
1) who we are depends on society
2) realize ourselves by cultivating and practicing our natural potentialities by exercise of virtues
Aristotle's virtues of thought
(intell. virtues) -correspond to rationally calculating (craft knowledge) + sci. (dispositions of soul by which we get it right with regard to sci. knowledge)
Aristotle's virtues of character
1) Bravery 2) Temperance 3) Justice 4) Generosity
Aristotle's "golden mean
Cowards------Brave------Way too brave
Aristotle's Argument
P1 The good for members of a kind (humans) to perform well the function of their kind
P2 To perform well the function of some kind is to perform it in accord with virtues
C1 The god for members of any kind is to perform their function in accorded with vir