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Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Exam 1

1. In The Problems of Philosophy, Bertrand Russell makes a clear distinction between the way in

which a painter, a practical person, and a philosopher generally examine an object. What is the

distinction he makes between these three types of people? Provide an example of how each

might want to “know” an object.

Bertrand Russell makes a clear distinction between how a painter, a practical person, and

a philosopher generally examine an object. A painter concerns with appearance and

reconfigures how things normally appear in everyday contexts. A practical person deals

with reality and questions, “what does this mean to me”? A philosopher deals with

reality, things in themselves, and underneath an appearance.

2. For Russell, what about philosophy is both its chief weakness and its greatest strength? In

other words, what limitation does philosophy have that scientific investigation does not?

Philosophy has a chief value and losses. The chief value deals with the greatness of the

objects and the freedom from narrow and personal aims (Russell). On the other hand,

philosophy has a weakness. The weakness of philosophy is very uncertain and can’t

depend upon any supposed body of definitely ascertainable knowledge to be acquired by

those who study it (Russell). Philosophical knowledge does not differ essentially from

scientific knowledge (Russell). The essential characteristic of philosophy, which makes it

a study distinct from science, is criticism (Russell).

Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

3. It is said that Socrates, unlike the Sophists, wanted to “speak the truth” (Apology, 74) when

providing evidence for why he should not be condemned to death. How might Socrates’ manner

of argumentation differ from that of the Sophists?

Socrates differentiates from the sophist primarily through the virtues of the philosopher’s

soul (Duke). Socrates is an embodiment of the moral virtues, but the Sophists were more

concerned with being able to convince others that a particular opinion was to be believed,

even when they knew it was false (Duke). Whereas Socrates was concerned only with the

truth, even when it wasn’t something he wanted to be true.

4. Near the end of the Apology, after being sentenced to death for his crimes against the city of

Athens, Socrates states that “the unexamined life is not for man worth living” (93). In your own

words, demonstrate your understanding of what Socrates means by this, and connect his

conception to the task of philosophy in broader terms.

The unexamined life is not for a man worth living (Socrates). Socrates makes this claim

in the context of exhorting the jury to begin to change the way they think about their

lives. He also says to turn away from material and otherwise inconsequential concerns,

such as power and wealth, to focus on living a good life.

5. Why is it that Heidegger suggests that philosophy is fundamentally Greek in origin? Relate

this to Heidegger’s account of asking philosophical questions.

Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Heidegger suggests that the philosophy is fundamentally Greek in origin because he saw

that “the task of thinking” makes and requires a creative turn to early Greek thinking. He

believes it was creative because even the Greeks didn’t secure the clearing for thought

and save it from oblivion (Heidegger).

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Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Essay Question:

Theory is the basic, insightful, and hypothetical investigation of man, his current

circumstance, universe, religion, and furthermore the adoration for shrewdness or wisdom. It is

not the same as the investigations of different subjects, since it concentrates on each and every

other subject. Philosophy doesn't have a particular or removed subject like different subjects.

There is the reasoning of law, theory of organic science, the reasoning of the universe, reasoning

of religion, theory of ethics, reasoning of science, and numerous others.

Philosophy has many ways of thinking, contrasted with different subjects. Going from

observation, logic, relativism, objectivity, functionalism, practicality, and even behaviorism, just

to give some examples. Theory makes you question all your essential presumptions. It welcomes

you to think soundly and basically regarding any matters, be it material or insignificant.

Henceforth, why is it in some cases called a theoretical science? It increases present expectations

of the sorts of inquiries society requests to be posted.

Philosophy, similar to any remaining investigations, points fundamentally at information.

The information it focuses on is the sort of information that gives solidarity and framework to the

body of technical studies, and the sort which results from a basic assessment of the grounds of

our feelings, biases, and convictions. Yet, it can't be kept up with that way of thinking and has

had an extremely incredible proportion of accomplishment in its endeavors to give unequivocal

solutions to its inquiries.

Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Russell states, “is the science of the possible.” This assertion is planned by him to

summarize two unmistakable qualities of any philosophical suggestion, as follows, it should be

general, and it should be a priori. To say that a philosophical recommendation should be general

implies that “it should not manage things on the outer layer of the earth, or with the nearby

planet group, or with some other part of existence. . . . A philosophical suggestion should be

appropriate to all that exists or may exist. (Russell)” Also, the view that this way of thinking is

general in this sense is strongly unique in relation to the view that it is general as in its

recommendations to have “the universe” or “the entirety” as their subject. Russell keeps up with,

unexpectedly, “that there are no suggestions of which the 'universe' is the subject; all in all, that

there is nothing of the sort as the 'universe' (Russell).”

The recommendations of a theory are general, he holds, as in they “might be stated of

every individual thing, like the suggestions of rationale,” i.e., they define “properties which have

a place with each different thing, not. . . . Properties have a place with the entirety of things

collectively (Russell)” and these properties are to be those that have a place not exclusively to

each different thing that exists, yet to every that might exist. By saying, then again, that a

philosophical suggestion should likewise be deduced, Russell implies that it “should be, for

example, can be neither demonstrated nor invalidated by observational proof.” Theory “should

make just such attestations as would be similarly evident anyway the real world was constituted

(Russell).”
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Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Russell, specifically, considered formal to be and science as the chief apparatuses of the

logician. Russell didn't figure we ought to have separate techniques for reasoning. Russell

figured scholars ought to endeavor to answer the broadest of recommendations about the world,

and this would assist with disposing of disarrays.

Introduction to Philosophy 2010/11

Prof. Gruca

09.17.2021

Works Cited

Duke, George. “The Sophists (Ancient Greek).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,

iep.utm.edu/sophists/.

Russell, B. (n.d.). The problems of philosophy. The Problems of Philosophy, by Bertrand Russell.

Retrieved September 17, 2021, from

Scribd.com. 2021. Scribd Heidegger-The-End-of-Philosophy. Retrieved 17 September 2021,

from https://www.scribd.com/doc/23978467/Heidegger-The-End-of-Philosophy