Tom Morris - Philosophy for Dummies

Philosophy For Dummies 2nd Edition

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Copyright 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022933657

ISBN 978-1-119-87567-3 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-87568-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-87569-7 (ebk)

1. Chapter 5
2. Chapter 8
3. Chapter 12
4. Chapter 23
5. Chapter 26

Philosophy For Dummies? What a concept! Is this the ultimate oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, or at least an utter impossibility in the making, an exercise in futility on a par with Advanced Calculus For Toddlers or Neurosurgery For Nitwits? No. Not at all. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates (fifth century, BCE) thought that, when it comes to The Ultimate Questions, absolutely everyone starts off as a dummy. But he also thought that if youll humbly admit how little you actually know, you can really begin to learn. With an open mind and a keen focus, you can discover great things.

The word philosophy comes from linguistic roots that mean, simply the love of wisdom. And this is worth pondering. Consider for a moment any real object of love. When you lack it, you pursue it. When you have it, you embrace it. Philosophy, then, is just about the pursuit and embracing of wisdom, which involves some of the most fundamental truths and insightful perspectives about life that can help us on our path through the world.

This is the right book for you if you ever wonder about the big issues in life, or the deeper truths, and want a little guidance for making some progress with them. It is also a great help if youre a student taking your first course in philosophy and are not quite sure about whats going on in class. I aim to be clear about things that are often confusing and help you make progress in thinking through for yourself some of the most important and basic human questions. My sons Introduction to Philosophy professor at Harvard long ago once confided to him that he used this book to prepare for his own Friday discussion groups. But well just keep that between us, okay? So, yeah, even if youre an Ivy League professor, I hope youll find things here that are helpful. Well do some real philosophy together and have more fun with it than you might ever have thought possible.

Philosophical questions deal with serious issues, but serious isnt the same thing as somber. You can actually have fun and enjoy thinking about things that matter. In a top university course I had the joy of teaching for many years, I told stories derived from my own wild life experiences, as well as borrowing many illustrations from the great philosophers of previous centuries to clarify the issues. Personal tales from my own path through the world often provided just the right imaginative boost necessary to help my first-time students see the importance of a big question about life and then maybe glimpse a good path or procedure toward for its resolution. I hope my stories here help you in the same way.

In philosophy, ultimately, there are no final authoritative experts. You and I are in this together. I often ask you to consult your intuitions about something, and I sometimes make a suggestion about what most people usually tend to conclude when they do so. I sketch out the deep contours of some experiences that are common among human beings across space and time. And I ask you to think through many issues for yourself. You and I are on a journey of understanding together. So feel free to talk back to me if you ever think Im getting something wrong.

A final piece of advice: Catch yourself if you spend too much time staring blankly at a page, mesmerized. Deep questions can sometimes have that effect. And, please, try not to ever fall asleep with this book in your hands. It might give other people the wrong idea about the exciting, rousing, exhilarating enterprise of philosophy.