Philosophy DeMYSTiFied

by Arp, Robert; Watson, Jamie Carlin

• ISBN13: 9780071717663
• ISBN10: 0071717668
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-05-09
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

The rational way to learn philosophy Philosophy DeMYSTiFiedcovers all five sub-disciplines of philosophylogic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. The book features the tried-and-true DeMYSTiFied format of clear writing, quizzes, and tests, along with the authors' own sidebars such as fun facts, cautions, and topical discussions. The result is a deep immersion in philosophy without the pain of a confusing, expensive text. Learning philosophical topics and philosophical reasoning can be a wholly new experience, causing you to think in ways that you may have never thought before. Along with this new way of thinking, however, comes mystificationand frustration. Thus, a companion book such as this one does exactly what it claims to do: it DeMYSTiFies the discipline of philosophy, and even makes it enjoyable for a new-comer. Philosophy DeMYSTiFiedfeatures: "Topical talks" sections in which the authors offer various questions and topics for discussion and debate "Critical caution" icons, pointing out common mistakes to avoid in thinking about some philosophical topics Chapter-opening objectives offering insight into what you're going to learn in each step Questions at the end of every chapter to reinforce learning and pinpoint weaknesses "Still Struggling?" icon providing specific recommendations for those having difficulty with certain subtopics A final exam for overall self-assessment "Curriculum Tree" that shows how the topic covered in the book fits into a larger curriculum Hard stuff made easy! Philosophy and Correct Reasoning; Branches of Philosophy; Philosophy/Other Disciplines; The Beginnings of Philosophy; Philosophical Eras; Value of Philosophy; Correct Reasoning; Logic, Science of Sound Reasoning; Beliefs & Claims; Argument & Its Goal; Evidence & Justification; Deductive/ Inductive Arguments; Good/Bad Arguments; Fallacies; Metaphysics; Existence and Existing Things; What Exists; Material Monism; Immaterial Monism; Dualism; The Search for Unifying Principles; Plato's Dualism; Aristotle's Four Causes; Medieval Metaphysics; The Rise of Modern Science; Scientific Principles; Macro-level and Micro-level Entities; Living vs. Non-living Entities; Contemporary Metaphysics; Philosophy of Religion; What do People Mean by God; The Theism/Atheism Spectrum; Proofs for God's Existence; The Design Argument; The First Cause Argument; The Ontological Argument; The Moral Argument; The Argument from Religious Experience; The Argument from Miracles; Qualities of God; Pascal's Wager; Philosophy of Mind; Philosophy and Psychology; Qualities of Mind; Perception & Awareness; Consciousness; Arguments for the Distinctiveness of Consciousness; Mind-Body Dualism; Eliminative Materialism; Behaviorism; Identity Theory; Functionalism; Artificial Intelligence; Personhood and Personal Identity over Time; Philosophy of Freedom; Epistemology; Perception and Reality; Knowledge; Truth; Ethics; Descriptive and Prescriptive Ethics; Applied Ethics; Bioethics; Business Ethics; Environmental Ethics; Political Philosophy; Justice and Rights; Law; Governing

Table of Contents

Part I: Philosophy and Correct Reasoning
Chapter 1. An Overview of Western Philosophy
Chapter 2. Thinking Critically about Reality
Chapter 3. Knowledge and the Problem of Skepticism
Chapter 4. Responses to Skepticism
Chapter 5. The Problem of Induction and the Development of Externalism
Chapter 6. The Mind-Body Problem
Chapter 7. Personhood and Personal Identity over Time
Chapter 8. Freedom and Determinism
Chapter 9. The Question of God's Existence
Chapter 10. Moral Philosophy
Chapter 11. Moral Decision-Making
Chapter 12. Justice, Rights, and Government