Joseph C. Schmid - The Majesty of Reason: A Short Guide to Critical Thinking in Philosophy

The Majesty of Reason

A Short Guide to Critical Thinking in Philosophy

Joseph C. Schmid

Copyright 2020 Joseph C. Schmid

All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 9798630422514
Cover design by: Joseph C. Schmid
Printed in the United States of America

What altar of refuge can a man find for himself when he commits treason against the majesty of reason?
Baruch Spinoza
Reason is immortal; all else mortal.
Pythagoras
Chains
That which surrounds is chained both mind and flesh.
Be self-imposed, or maybe not? We bow
To glory, pride, repose without refresh;
Our chains we slaves obsequiously avow.
We wallow in a sea of filth, not truth;
Proclaim adherence to repeated breath.
Our only hope? Corruption of the youth,
The persecuted spirit put to death.
Corruption is enlightening! The doubt
That soaks accustomed minds drips freedom, awe!
Relinquish bondage, leave the cave, throw out
The rotten, adore Her beauty, ditch straw
for steel! The thought, the thought, the reasoned thought.
The end result? Our chains reduced to naught.

Contents

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

1 Introduction

Polarization ravages our current ideological climate. The battle of ideas rages on among disagreeing factions of society. Warring parties, proudly waving their flags of allegiance, gear up for ideological battle. Such tribalism festers in countless domains of inquiry. But what is tribalism? And what is the antidote to this division?

The second step on our journey equips you with a variety of methods and tools in critical thinking and philosophical reasoning. Through tangible suggestions, lively and engaging examples, and a bit of technical jargon, youll come away a better thinker and ideally a better human being.

Critical thinking, like mastering a musical instrument, requires practice. Thats why the next two steps on our journey will apply a number of the methods and tools previously explored to central issues in philosophy of science and philosophy of mind: scientism, laws of nature, and the nature of the mind. Dont worry if youre unfamiliar with these issues they will be explained in due time.

Why these issues, though? Well, everyone loves science to some degree. Whether its volcanoes, engines, pterodactyls, wave functions, the origin of the universe, the psychology of social media, or black holes, humans are empirical creatures. Given this universal interest, what better place exists to embark on a journey in the arts of critical thinking and philosophical reasoning? Whats more, consciousness is one of the most intimate yet mysterious phenomena in the world. The puzzles it raises are fascinating and, most importantly, bear on the fundamental truths of human nature.

This book is for, well, everyone . If you are unaccustomed to philosophy, it might stretch you at times. But dont fret thats a good thing. If you possess substantial, expert-level knowledge in philosophy, there is plenty in here that will be of benefit to you. Novel arguments pertaining to philosophy of science, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind are developed and evaluated within later chapters, and the methods and tools of critical thinking will be helpful to philosophers no less than philosophy students.

So, weve covered (i) the importance of this book, (ii) the general structure of our journey, and (iii) for whom this book is intended. One last thing before we delve into the juicy stuff. The ultimate aim of this book is to inspire . It is to inspire your curiosity, your wonder, your hunger for knowledge. It is to inspire an impassioned and flaming love for truth, an appetite for learning, and an appreciation for the majesty of reason.