Philosophy : The Basics

by Warburton; Nigel

• ISBN13: 9780415327732
• ISBN10: 0415327733
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Philosophy: The Basicsis the most successful short introduction to philosophy published in recent years. For the fourth edition, Warburton has added short sections to several chapters, revised others and brought the further reading sections up to date. New additions include sections on the environment, playing "God" in genetic science, Darwinian theory and free will, war, consciousness and the meaning of death and notion of an afterlife. This book is for anyone coming to philosophy for the first time. This fourth edition ofPhilosophy:The Basicswill be one of the first titles in the completeBasicsredesign (which includes a new cover design and new text design).

Author Biography

Nigel Warburton is Senior Lecturer at the Open University

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Introduction	1	(1)
Philosophy and its history	2	(1)
Why study philosophy?	3	(2)
Is philosophy difficult?	5	(1)
The limits of what philosophy can do	6	(1)
How to use this book	6	(1)
Further reading	7	(2)
Internet resources	9	(2)
God	11	(28)
The Design Argument	12	(1)
Criticisms of the Design Argument	13	(2)
Fine Tuning	15	(1)
Criticism of Fine Tuning	16	(1)
The First Cause Argument	16	(1)
Criticisms of the First Cause Argument	17	(1)
The Ontological Argument	18	(1)
Criticisms of the Ontological Argument	19	(1)
Knowledge, proof and the existence of God	20	(1)
The Problem of Evil	21	(1)
Attempted solutions to the Problem of Evil	22	(2)
The Free Will Defence	24	(1)
Criticisms of the Free Will Defence	24	(3)
The argument from miracles	27	(1)
Hume on miracles	27	(3)
The Gambler's Argument: Pascal's Wager	30	(1)
Criticisms of the Gambler's Argument	31	(1)
Non-realism about God	32	(1)
Criticisms of non-realism about God	33	(1)
Faith	33	(2)
Death	35	(1)
Criticism of Epicurus	36	(1)
Would immortality be tedious?	36	(1)
Criticism of the tedium of immortality	36	(1)
Conclusion	37	(1)
Further reading	37	(2)
Right and wrong	39	(28)
Duty-based theories	40	(1)
Christian ethics	40	(1)
Criticisms of Christian ethics	41	(1)
Kantian ethics	42	(4)
Criticisms of Kantian ethics	46	(2)
Consequentialism	48	(1)
Utilitarianism	48	(1)
Criticisms of utilitarianism	49	(3)
Negative utilitarianism	52	(1)
Criticism of negative utilitarianism	53	(1)
Rule utilitarianism	53	(1)
Virtue theory	54	(1)
Criticisms of virtue theory	55	(1)
Applied ethics	56	(3)
Ethics and meta-ethics	59	(1)
Naturalism	59	(1)
Criticisms of naturalism	60	(2)
Moral relativism	62	(1)
Criticisms of moral relativism	62	(1)
Emotivism	63	(1)
Criticisms of emotivism	64	(1)
Conclusion	65	(1)
Further reading	66	(1)
Politics	67	(25)
Equality	67	(2)
Equal distribution of money	69	(1)
Criticisms of equal distribution of money	69	(2)
Equal opportunity in employment	71	(1)
Reverse discrimination	72	(1)
Criticisms of reverse discrimination	73	(1)
Political equality: democracy	74	(1)
Direct democracy	74	(1)
Representative democracy	75	(1)
Criticisms of democracy	75	(2)
Freedom	77	(1)
Negative freedom	77	(1)
Criticisms of negative freedom	78	(1)
Positive freedom	79	(1)
Freedom of speech	80	(1)
Criticisms of Mill on free speech	81	(1)
Removing freedom: punishment	82	(1)
Punishment as retribution	82	(1)
Criticisms of retributivism	83	(1)
Deterrence	83	(1)
Criticisms of deterrence	84	(1)
Protection of society	84	(1)
Criticisms of protection of society	85	(1)
Reform	85	(1)
Criticisms of reform	86	(1)
Civil disobedience	86	(2)
Criticisms of civil disobedience	88	(2)
Conclusion	90	(1)
Further reading	90	(2)
The external world	92	(18)
Common-sense realism	92	(1)
Scepticism about the evidence of the senses	93	(1)
The Illusion Argument	93	(1)
Criticisms of the Illusion Argument	94	(1)
Could I be dreaming?	95	(1)
Hallucination	96	(2)
Memory and logic	98	(1)
I think therefore I am	99	(1)
Criticism of the Cogito	99	(1)
Representative realism	99	(2)
Criticisms of representative realism	101	(1)
Idealism	102	(1)
Criticisms of idealism	103	(2)
Phenomenalism	105	(1)
Criticisms of phenomenalism	106	(1)
Causal realism	107	(1)
Criticisms of causal realism	108	(1)
Conclusion	109	(1)
Further reading	109	(1)
Science	110	(17)
The simple view of scientific method	111	(1)
Criticisms of the simple view	112	(2)
The Problem of Induction	114	(4)
Attempted solutions to the Problem of Induction	118	(2)
Falsificationism: conjecture and refutation	120	(2)
Criticisms of falsificationism	122	(2)
Scientism	124	(1)
Criticism of scientism	125	(1)
Conclusion	125	(1)
Further reading	125	(2)
Mind	127	(21)
Philosophy of mind and psychology	127	(1)
The Mind/Body Problem	128	(1)
Zombies	128	(1)
Dualism	129	(1)
Criticisms of dualism	130	(2)
Dualism without interaction	132	(1)
Physicalism	133	(1)
Type-identity theory	134	(1)
Criticisms of type-identity theory	135	(2)
Token-identity theory	137	(1)
Criticisms of token-identity theory	138	(1)
Behaviourism	138	(1)
Criticisms of behaviourism	139	(3)
Functionalism	142	(1)
Criticism of functionalism	143	(1)
Other Minds	144	(1)
The argument from analogy	144	(1)
Criticisms of the argument from analogy	145	(1)
Conclusion	146	(1)
Further reading	146	(2)
Art	148	(17)
Can art be defined?	149	(1)
The family resemblance view	149	(1)
Criticisms of the family resemblance view	149	(1)
The significant form theory	150	(1)
Criticisms of the significant form theory	151	(1)
The idealist theory	152	(1)
Criticisms of the idealist theory	152	(1)
The institutional theory	153	(1)
Criticisms of the institutional theory	154	(2)
Art criticism	156	(1)
Anti-intentionalism	156	(1)
Criticisms of anti-intentionalism	157	(1)
Performance, interpretation, authenticity	158	(1)
Historical authenticity in performance	159	(1)
Criticisms of historical authenticity in performance	159	(1)
Forgeries and artistic value	160	(4)
Conclusion	164	(1)
Further reading	164	(1)
Index	165