👋 Welcome to Noah Li's Philosophy Notes! 🦉
前往“不一样的英语词汇博客”请点这里
我是李卓,欢迎您。
这是我的“北京大学 2024 年春季学期 《哲学导论》课程”笔记,由自动化程序定期抓取并推送至我的网站。注意:一些概念解释包含经笔者修改和精简的 AI 生成内容,使用的 AI 模型为 GPT-4 和 Gemini 1.5 Pro。一些概念我会结合 SEP、Wikipedia 等平台外链(如果我认为这些链接指向的内容,比起读书或教授、助教的讲解更加透彻)。
《哲学导论》是由 Sebastian Sunday Grève 教授和 Julius Schönherr 教授精心打造的一款船新烧脑冒险游戏。游戏发生在一个被称作“封建理教#313”的阴暗世界,在这里,被绩点选中的人将被授予“每周作业”。你将扮演一位名为“学渣”的苦逼角色,在昏昏欲睡的课堂中邂逅来自蒙德的老(中)登们,和他们一起挑战 GPA 底线,突破睡眠极限——同时,逐步发掘“听不懂英文授课,但还得硬着头皮上”的英语听力、口语、写作之旅。
欢迎您补充和贡献笔记。🤗
Noah Li here.
Welcome to my collection of philosophy notes.
This website serves as a repository for notes and materials related to the Introduction to Philosophy course (哲学导论) offered at Peking University during the Spring Semester of 2024. The course is taught by Professor Sebastian Sunday Grèveand Professor Julius Schönherr. 📚
💡 Syllabus
1: Introduction: what is analytic philosophy?
Analytic philosophy, originating in the early 20th century, emphasizes clarity, rigor, and argumentation in addressing philosophical problems. It often employs formal logic and conceptual analysis to examine fundamental questions about knowledge, reality, language, mind, and ethics. Key figures include Bertrand Russell, G.E. Moore, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and W.V.O. Quine. Its methods and approaches have significantly influenced various fields within philosophy and beyond.
- Optional background - Beaney 2017 Analytic philosophy
- Optional background - Russell 1912 The problems of philosophy
2: Philosophical paradoxes
❓ Week 2 Philosophical Paradoxes
Philosophical paradoxes challenge our intuitions and assumptions about logic, language, and reality. Examples include the liar paradox ("This sentence is false"), the sorites paradox ("How many grains make a heap?"), and Zeno's paradoxes of motion. Analyzing these paradoxes helps us refine our understanding of concepts like truth, vagueness, infinity, and the nature of sets.
Can one hair make the difference between being bald and being not bald?
- Russell. 1912. The Problems of Philosophy, 'Appearance and Reality' (pp. 1–6)
- Clark. 2007. 'The Heap (The Bald Man, the Sorites, Little-by-little Arguments)' (pp. 80–86)
3: Science and philosophy
The relationship between science and philosophy is complex and multifaceted. Science provides empirical evidence and explanations of natural phenomena, while philosophy examines the foundations of knowledge, the nature of scientific inquiry, and the implications of scientific discoveries for our understanding of the world and ourselves. Key areas of intersection include the philosophy of science, epistemology, and metaphysics.
Is there any interesting difference between Russell's and Williamson's respective positions?
- Russell. 1912. The Problems of Philosophy, 'The Value of Philosophy' (pp. 89–94)
- Sunday Grève and Williamson. 2022. 'Philosophy as a Science' (pp. 30–35)
4: AI ethics
AI ethics explores the moral and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Key issues include bias in algorithms, responsibility for AI actions and the potential risks of advanced AI, exemplified by "What should a self-driving car do in the 'Child' case"
What should a self-driving car do in the 'Child' case (p. 12)?
5: Dualism
Dualism posits a fundamental distinction between the mental and the physical, often associated with Descartes' mind-body dualism. This view raises challenges in explaining the interaction between these two realms and reconciling it with a scientific worldview. Property dualism argues for distinct mental and physical properties, while substance dualism posits separate mental and physical substances.
Reflecting on the text, why does Searle call Descartes a 'disaster'?
6: Physicalism
🌎 Week 6 Physicalism
🙋♀️ Week 6 Office Hour
Physicalism claims that everything is ultimately physical, including mental states. Identity theory identifies mental states with brain states, while functionalism defines mental states by their functional roles. Physicalism faces challenges in explaining consciousness and intentionality, but offers a naturalistic approach to understanding the mind.
What are the biggest advantages and drawbacks of identity theory?
7: Consciousness
Consciousness is the state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings. The "hard problem" of consciousness is explaining how subjective experience arises from physical processes in the brain. Theories of consciousness include higher-order thought theories, global workspace theories, and integrated information theory.
What does Jackson's thought experiment show about the debate between dualists and physicalists?
- Jackson. 1986. 'What Mary Didn't Know' (pp. 291–5)
- Frankish. 2007. 'The Anti-zombie Argument', pp. 1–3
8: Intentionality
Intentionality is the "aboutness" of mental states, their ability to represent or be directed towards objects and states of affairs in the world. Theories of intentionality include causal theories, teleological theories, and representational theories. The problem of intentionality is explaining how mental states can have this representational capacity and how their content is determined.
If Putnam's argument is correct, to what extent can we know what our thoughts are about?
- Putnam. 1981. Reason, Truth and History, pp. 303–10
- Searle. 2004. Mind: A Brief Introduction, pp. 159–66
9: The self
The self is a complex philosophical concept encompassing personal identity, self-consciousness, and the sense of being a unified and continuous individual over time. Theories of the self include the bundle theory (Hume), the narrative self (Dennett), and the embodied self (Merleau-Ponty). Debates revolve around the nature of personal identity, the role of memory and consciousness, and the relationship between the self and the body.
Would teletransportation kill you, and would you care if it did?
10: The analysis of knowledge
The analysis of knowledge seeks to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for a belief to count as knowledge. The traditional definition of knowledge as justified true belief is challenged by Gettier problems, which involve cases of justified true belief that don't seem to be genuine knowledge. Proposed solutions include adding a "no defeaters" condition or requiring a causal connection between the belief and the truth.
What extra condition might we want to add to the analysis of knowledge (in addition to knowledge being justified true belief) to fix the Gettier problem?
11: Truth
Theories of truth attempt to explain what makes a proposition true. Correspondence theories hold that truth consists in a relation between propositions and reality, while coherence theories emphasize the internal consistency of a set of beliefs. Deflationary theories argue that the concept of truth is not substantive but rather serves a linguistic function.
Outside of philosophy classes, it is often said that 'truth is relative' and 'there are no objective facts.'
Would Russell agree or disagree with these statements? Do you agree with Russell? Why or why not?
12: Nietzsche vs Socrates
👳🏻♂️ Week 14 Nietzsche vs Socrates
Nietzsche and Socrates represent contrasting philosophical approaches. Nietzsche emphasizes individual will, self-creation, and the rejection of traditional morality, while Socrates focuses on reason, virtue, and the pursuit of knowledge through dialogue. Their differing views on morality, truth, and the meaning of life continue to influence contemporary philosophical thought.
Does Euthyphro – in any significant sense – know what piety is?
13: Skepticism
Skepticism questions the possibility of certain knowledge, particularly about the external world and other minds. Descartes' skeptical arguments in the Meditations challenge our reliance on sensory experience and raise doubts about the existence of an external world independent of our minds. Responses to skepticism include appeals to common sense, the reliability of our cognitive faculties, and the coherence of our beliefs.
Is Descartes right to say 'that there are never any sure signs by means of which being awake can be distinguished from being asleep'?
14: Naming and Necessity
🤗 Week 16 Naming and Necessity
Naming and Necessity explores the relationship between names, descriptions, and the modal properties of objects. Kripke argues that names are rigid designators, referring to the same object in all possible worlds, while descriptions are often non-rigid. This has implications for the philosophy of language, metaphysics, and the philosophy of mind, particularly in discussions of identity, essential properties, and the mind-body problem.
Consider Kripke's 'simple case' (p. 83) about Gödel and Schmidt. Suppose this is actually the case.
Does it follow that when 'our ordinary man' uses the name 'Gödel', he really refers to Schmidt?
Feel free to browse the notes, follow the links, and embark on your own philosophical journey! 🧭
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) (https://plato.stanford.edu/): 斯坦福哲学百科全书,提供由专家撰写的、同行评审的哲学主题文章,内容深入且可靠。 / The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) is a comprehensive online encyclopedia of philosophy, with peer-reviewed articles written by experts on a wide range of philosophical topics.
- Wikipedia (https://www.wikipedia.org/): 维基百科,一个自由、协作的在线百科全书,包含大量哲学主题的条目,但需注意其内容的准确性和可靠性。 / Wikipedia is a free, collaborative online encyclopedia with entries on a vast array of topics, including philosophy. While it can be a useful starting point, it's important to be aware of potential biases and inaccuracies.
- How to Write a Philosophy Paper (https://dailynous.com/2024/01/23/write-philosophy-paper-online-guides/): 如何撰写哲学论文,Sebastian 于 Week 2 推荐的,由 Daily Nous 提供的在线指南,包含写作技巧和资源。 / This online guide from Daily Nous provides helpful tips and resources for writing philosophy papers.
- Logic Matters (https://www.logicmatters.net/tyl/): 逻辑问题,专注于逻辑和分析哲学。 / Logic Matters is a blog focusing on logic and analytic philosophy.
- PhilPapers (https://philpapers.org/): 哲学论文,一个综合性的哲学研究数据库,提供对期刊文章、书籍和其它出版物的访问。 / PhilPapers is a comprehensive database of philosophy research, providing access to journal articles, books, and other publications.
- Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP) (https://iep.utm.edu/): 互联网哲学百科全书,提供由学者撰写的哲学主题文章,内容涵盖广泛。 / The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP) is another online encyclopedia of philosophy, with articles written by scholars on a wide range of topics.
- The Philosopher's Index (https://www.thephilosophersindex.org/): 哲学家索引,一个涵盖哲学期刊文献的数据库,可用于查找相关研究。 / The Philosopher's Index is a database of journal literature in philosophy, useful for finding relevant research on specific topics.