The Philosophy Blog

Daily Dose of Philosophy | In easy to understand bitesize chunks | Based on the ideas presented in 'The Philosophy Book'

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If particulars are to have meaning, there must be universals

Plato

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I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance

Socrates

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Dialectical Method

Socrates' dialectical method was a simple method of questioning that brought to light the often false assumptions on which particular claims to knowledge are based.

For Example:

Question: So you think that the gods know everything?

A: Yes because they are gods.

Question: Do some gods disagree with others?

A: Yes, of course they do. They're always fighting.

Question: So gods disagree about what is right and true?

A: I suppose they must do.

Question: So some gods can be wrong?

A: I suppose that is true.

Therefore the gods cannot know everything!

[the-philosophyblog]

I am a citizen of the world

Socrates

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The Life Which is Unexamined is Not Worth Living

Who: Socrates

Branch: Epistemology

Approach: Dialectic Method

(DK, 47)

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Man is the measure of all things

Who: Protagoras Branch: Ethics Approach: Relativism He believes that man is the measure of all things - because the truth depends on perspective and therefore must be relative. For example: It is a spring day in Athens. A visitor from Sweden says that it is warm, and a visitor from Egypt says that it is cold. They are both right they are just perceiving the weather differently and are both speaking the truth.

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Many things prevent knowledge, including the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life

Protagoras

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The road up and the road down are one and the same

Heraclitus

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What you know, you know; What you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom

Confucius

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The Five Constant Relationships

Confucius uses the virtue of loyalty (Zhong) when analysing relationships which resulted in five important and constant relationships.

1) Sovereign - Subject

Rulers should be benevolent and Subjects should be loyal.

2) Father - Son

A parent is to be loving and a child obedient.

3) Husband - Wife

Husbands are to be good and fair, wives should be understanding.

4) Elder Brother - Younger Brother

An elder sibling is to be gentle, a younger sibling is to be respectful.

5) Friend - Friend

Older friends are to be considerate, and younger friends reverential.

(DK, 38)

[the-philosophyblog]

The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire beyond this

Confucius

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Hold Faithfulness and Sincerity as First Principles

Who: Confucius

Tradition: Chinese Philosophy

Approach: Confucianism

Faithfulness and sincerity are shown in rituals and ceremonies.

These qualities in these settings allow virtue to become visible

Virtue is then made to manifest in the world.

Virtue can then be seen by others

Others are transformed by virtue.

Faithfulness and sincerity hold the power of transformation.

(DK, 36)

[the-philosophyblog]

The mind is everything. What you think, you become

Siddhartha Gautama

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Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without

Siddhartha Gautama

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Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason

Siddhartha Gautama

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Happy is he who has overcome his ego

Who: Siddhartha Gautama

Tradition: Eastern Philosophy

Approach: Buddhism

The Four Noble Truths

Suffering is an inherent part of existence from birth, through sickness and old age to death - This is the Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)

The cause of suffering is desire: Craving for sensual pleasures and attachment to worldly possessions and power. - This is the Truth of the Origin of Suffering. (Samudaya)  

Suffering can be ended by detaching oneself from craving and attachment. - This is the Truth of the Ending of Suffering (Nirodha)

The Eightfold path is the means to eliminate desire and overcome the ego. - This is the Truth of the path to the ending of Suffering (Magga).

(DK, 31)

[the-philosophyblog]

Reason is immortal, all else is mortal

Pythagoras