Discussion: What is Philosophy?
My philosophy or worldview is that everything happens for a reason, and we can learn from our
experiences. I believe that working hard and always staying positive is key to achieving our
goals and showing kindness to others is also very important. Additionally, I think every human
has a person in life, and our actions are free but come with consequences.
Belief in God (Confidence is 4/5)
I believe in God for some personal experiences and for the power of morals I derived from
religion. Although I really do not follow one religion strictly, I am sure there is something in the
universe that is in control. This gives me a direction, lets me give an association with people
while contributing my actions through empathy and kindness for people. I know that there’s
going to be a difference of views about the existence of a divine will, but I’ve seen enough to
feel that it must be a higher power that’s beyond human understanding.
Meaning in Life
Relationships, personal growth and having a positive effect on other people are what gives me
meaning of life. I believe that life does not come with a fixed purpose, we make our own
meaning by what we choose. But my confidence level in this belief is roughly 3 out of 5 because
I believe we make meaning mostly but sometimes I doubt that when I am confronted with
existential challenges.
Morality
I would consider myself a 5 in morality because my morals are guided by the principles of
fairness and good treatment toward others. I personally do not believe that morality is given by
God or society, but rather it comes from within a human being guided by his sense of fairness
and empathy. Man should be good not because he is afraid or pressured but because it begets a
peaceful and happy life.
Free Will
Personally, I put my free will at a confidence level of 4. I believe in free will, but I mean we
don’t have control over some things. Not everything can be changed, I do not think so. But we
can decide what turns of our future. The belief makes me feel responsible and in control of
myself.
Answer the Questions Based on Chapter 1
a. Why should we doubt that science covers all of human inquiry? Does this surprise
you?
We should doubt that science covers all human inquiry because it deals with things that can be
tested and measured. But these are the more philosophical questions: it does not provide answers
to questions about values, principles, or the nature of human knowing. I don't think that's
surprising at all that science has certain limits, and because of that, it needs other kinds of
disciplines like philosophy to reach those places, like the ethics, and what the meaning of life.
b. What problem does the view that morality is simply a matter of the say-so of some
authority lead to?
The problem with thinking that morality is just about obeying what some authority tells you to is
that it makes morality just obedient, not thoughtful decision making. If people only look to
authority for what 'is right or wrong', they stop thinking critically about what is right or wrong.
Doing this can easily turn into blindly following rules even if it means that the rules being
followed are harmful or wrong; especially if the rules making up the authority make mistakes.
c. What’s the difference between saying we can’t know the answer to some question and
saying that there is no truth of the matter?
The difference is that when we say we don’t know the answer, we mean the truth does not exist,
we just don’t have the knowledge or ability to find it. Whereas in the other case we are saying
there is no truth of the matter; maybe the question does not have a clear and objective answer,
because it depends on personal views or it is just beyond investigation.
d. Comment on a quote from pg. 9 (Russell's “The Value of Philosophy”)
According to Bertrand Russell, the actual role and value of philosophy are that philosophy is
uncertain, he considers the good things about philosophy to come from the way it makes people
question their presuppositions rather than accept phenomena as they are. Such uncertainty does
not lead to weakness but instead develops our critical sense, keeping our minds open to new
ideas. Since philosophy cannot give certain answers, it opens possibilities leading to an increase
in understanding and fostering intellectual growth.