What is Philosophy?: Crash Course Philosophy #1

Summary

Crash Course Philosophy introduces viewers to the fundamental questions of philosophy, exploring the nature of reality, knowledge, and ethics. Host Hank Green delves into metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory, using logic to critically evaluate ideas and encourage viewers to think deeply about their own worldviews.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Philosophy is a journey of inquiry into the world, exploring its meaning, beauty, evils, and the nature of reality.
• 🧠 While science can help understand thoughts, feelings, and actions, philosophy delves into aspects of the human condition that cannot be explained solely by biology or personal experiences.
• 🤔 Philosophical questions often challenge the notion of free will and accountability, questioning whether our decisions are truly our own or determined by external factors.
• 🏛️ The roots of philosophy trace back to ancient Greece, where it emerged as a distinct field from storytelling, focusing on analytical and scientific methods.
• 📚 Philosophia, meaning 'the love of wisdom,' initially encompassed a broad academic study of various subjects, which later evolved into distinct disciplines like math, biology, and astronomy.
• 🌌 Metaphysics is one of the main branches of philosophy, focusing on understanding the fundamental nature of the world, the universe, and being.
• 🔎 Epistemology, the study of knowledge, explores questions about the nature of truth and the best methods for discovering it, challenging the certainty of our perceptions and beliefs.
• 💭 Ethics, a part of value theory, is not just about morality but involves deep questions about how humans should live and interact with each other and the world.
• 🎨 Aesthetics, the other branch of value theory, studies beauty and art, questioning whether beauty is subjective or if there exists an objective standard of beauty.
• 🔧 Logic is the tool used by philosophers to reason and construct arguments, helping to avoid fallacies and maintain philosophical precision.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Crash Course Philosophy series?

The main focus of the Crash Course Philosophy series is to explore the nature of reality, the meaning of life, and the human condition through philosophical inquiry. It aims to question personal beliefs, thoughts, and actions, and delve into aspects that cannot be solely explained by science.

What is the philosophical question about free will and how does it relate to personal accountability?

The philosophical question about free will asks whether our decisions are truly free or merely the result of upbringing and brain chemistry. This question is crucial because if our choices are not free, it challenges the notion of personal accountability for our actions.

How does the script suggest approaching the world philosophically?

The script suggests approaching the world philosophically by evaluating it rather than just describing what we see. This involves setting aside assumptions and trying to see the world as if for the first time, questioning everything and not taking anything as a given.

What is the historical origin of the word 'philosophy'?

The word 'philosophy' has its roots in ancient Greece, around 500 years before the Common Era. It comes from 'philos' meaning 'love' and 'mythos' meaning 'wisdom', essentially meaning 'the love of wisdom'. It was a new way of trying to make sense of the world, distinct from storytelling.

How did the fields of study that were once considered part of philosophy evolve into separate disciplines?

As scholars began to think differently about these fields, studies with strong empirical elements came to be considered science, while philosophy came to be understood more as a way of thinking about questions. This led to the development of separate disciplines like math, biology, physics, and astronomy.

What are the three main branches of philosophy mentioned in the script?

The three main branches of philosophy mentioned in the script are metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory. Metaphysics deals with the fundamental nature of the world and being, epistemology is the study of knowledge, and value theory encompasses ethics and aesthetics.

What is the role of logic in philosophy?

Logic serves as the philosopher's toolbox, providing the tools for clear and systematic reasoning. It helps philosophers formulate strong arguments and avoid fallacies, which are the enemies of philosophical precision.

How does the script describe the process of learning philosophy?

The script describes the process of learning philosophy as a two-step method. First, students should try to understand ideas as charitably as possible, and then subject their understanding to critical evaluation. This helps them decide whether a particular view of the world is worth having.

What is the ultimate goal of philosophy according to the script?

The ultimate goal of philosophy, as described in the script, is not to teach a body of knowledge but to teach students how to think. Success in philosophy is measured by the ability to formulate arguments, support ideas, and critically evaluate different worldviews.

How does the script relate the concept of aesthetics to value theory?

The script relates aesthetics to value theory by explaining that aesthetics is the study of beauty and art. It is part of value theory because beauty and art are things that humans value and evaluate, and philosophers explore what beauty is and whether it exists objectively.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Introduction to Philosophy

This paragraph introduces the viewer to Crash Course Philosophy, a journey into understanding the world and human existence. Host Hank Green emphasizes the importance of questioning everything, from personal beliefs to the nature of reality. The script highlights the distinction between science and philosophy, noting that while science can explain our thoughts and actions, philosophy delves into aspects that cannot be reduced to mere biology or chemistry. The exploration of free will, accountability, and the nature of reality itself sets the stage for a thought-provoking series that will challenge assumptions and encourage critical thinking.

05:01

📚 The Foundations of Philosophy

This section delves into the historical roots of philosophy, tracing its origins back to ancient Greece. It contrasts the early philosophers' analytical approach with the storytelling methods of bards like Homer. The term 'philosophia' is explained as 'the love of wisdom,' highlighting its broad scope in the early days of philosophical inquiry. The paragraph also outlines the three main branches of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory. Metaphysics seeks to understand the fundamental nature of the world and being, epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, and value theory encompasses ethics and aesthetics. The importance of logic in philosophical reasoning is also mentioned, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of these concepts in future episodes.

10:01

🎬 Behind the Scenes of Crash Course

The final paragraph provides a glimpse behind the scenes of Crash Course, acknowledging the production team and the support from Squarespace. It mentions the collaboration with PBS Digital Studios and encourages viewers to explore other shows like The Good Stuff, PBS Space Time, and Physics Girl. The paragraph also highlights the studio where the episode was filmed, the Doctor Cheryl C. Kinney Crash Course Studio, and credits the Graphics Team from Thought Cafe. This section serves as a bridge between the philosophical content and the practical aspects of producing educational media.

Keywords

💡Philosophy

Philosophy, in the context of this video, refers to the academic study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. It is the pursuit of wisdom and understanding through critical thinking and questioning. The video emphasizes that philosophy is not just about having opinions, but about exploring the nature of reality, the validity of knowledge, and the principles of ethics and aesthetics. Philosophy is portrayed as a journey of inquiry that challenges assumptions and seeks to understand the human condition beyond the scope of scientific explanations.

💡Metaphysics

Metaphysics is one of the three main branches of philosophy discussed in the video. It deals with the fundamental nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, and potentiality and actuality. The video uses the example of asking 'What is the world like?' to illustrate the metaphysical inquiry into the nature of reality, such as whether the world is composed solely of matter and energy or if there is something more to it, like a divine being.

💡Epistemology

Epistemology is defined in the video as the study of knowledge, specifically how we know what we know. It delves into questions about the nature and scope of knowledge, the criteria for knowledge, and the types of knowledge. The video connects epistemology to the broader theme by questioning whether the world is truly what we perceive it to be and how we can determine what is true, suggesting that science might not be the only path to truth.

💡Value Theory

Value Theory is another major branch of philosophy highlighted in the video. It encompasses ethics and aesthetics, focusing on questions about how humans should live and what is beautiful. The video explains that ethics is not just about judging right and wrong but about understanding how we should interact with others, including strangers, loved ones, animals, and the environment. Aesthetics, on the other hand, is the study of beauty and art, exploring whether beauty is subjective or if there is an objective standard of beauty.

💡Ethics

Ethics, as part of Value Theory, is the study of moral principles that govern a person's or a group's behavior. In the video, ethics is described as more than just a code of conduct; it's about questioning how one should live and what obligations one might have towards oneself, others, and the environment. The video uses the example of politicians and Jedi to illustrate the concept of ethics, suggesting that it involves a deeper understanding of moral values.

💡Aesthetics

Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, as well as the creation and appreciation of beauty. The video mentions aesthetics in the context of questioning what beauty is and whether it exists objectively. It contrasts the everyday use of the term 'beauty' with the philosophical pursuit of understanding what constitutes beauty and art, suggesting that there might be an objective standard of beauty that philosophers seek.

💡Logic

Logic is presented in the video as the philosopher's toolbox, essential for reasoning and constructing sound arguments. It involves the systematic study of the principles of valid reasoning, helping philosophers to avoid fallacies and to clarify their thoughts. The video emphasizes the importance of logic in the philosophical process, suggesting that it is crucial for understanding and critically evaluating different worldviews.

💡Hank Green

Hank Green is the host of the Crash Course Philosophy series, as mentioned in the video script. He introduces the journey of philosophy and sets the stage for the exploration of philosophical concepts. His role is to guide viewers through the complex world of philosophical inquiry, posing questions and providing insights into the nature of reality, knowledge, and values.

💡Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is highlighted in the video as the historical origin of philosophy. It was a time when scholars began to distinguish between 'philos' (love) and 'mythos' (storytelling), leading to the development of philosophy as a way of understanding the world through analytical and scientific methods. The video connects this historical context to the broader theme of philosophy by showing how early philosophers used the term 'philosophy' to encompass a wide range of academic studies.

💡Plato's Academy

Plato's Academy is mentioned in the video as one of the earliest institutions where philosophy was studied. It was a place where various disciplines, including math, biology, physics, and astronomy, were considered part of philosophy. The video uses Plato's Academy to illustrate the historical development of philosophy and how it eventually branched out into separate disciplines.

💡Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes is a historical figure in philosophy whose life and writings are mentioned in the video. Descartes is known for his philosophical method of doubt and his famous statement 'Cogito, ergo sum' (I think, therefore I am). The video suggests that Descartes' work can be used to understand philosophical concepts, indicating his importance in the field of epistemology and metaphysics.

Highlights

Embarking on a journey to explore the meaning, beauty, evils, and nature of reality.

Questioning personal life aspects and the influence of science on understanding thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Exploring aspects of the human condition beyond hormones, neurotransmitters, personal experiences, and hereditary conditions.

Discussing the philosophical question of free will and accountability.

Evaluating the world rather than just describing it, setting aside assumptions to see the world anew.

Integrating pop culture references like Batman and The Matrix to understand philosophical concepts.

Engaging with unanswerable questions and paradoxes that have challenged thinkers for centuries.

The historical origins of philosophy in ancient Greece and its intellectual movement parallels in Asia.

Philosophia as 'the love of wisdom' and its distinction from mythos.

The evolution of philosophy from an academic study of anything to a way of thinking about big questions.

Metaphysics as a branch of philosophy exploring the fundamental nature of the world and being.

Epistemology as the study of knowledge, questioning the nature of reality and the truth.

Value Theory, including Ethics and Aesthetics, framing how humans should live and what is beautiful.

Ethics as the study of how humans should live with each other, beyond mere judgments of right and wrong.

Aesthetics as the philosophical study of beauty and art, seeking an objective standard of beauty.

Logic as the philosopher’s toolbox for clear, systematic reasoning and argumentation.

Philosophy as a daily practice in decision-making, arguing, and evaluating life's choices.

The two-step method of understanding and critically evaluating philosophical ideas.

The goal of philosophy as learning how to think, not just accumulating knowledge.

Transcripts

Crash Course Philosophy is brought to you by Squarespace.

Squarespace: share your passion with the world.

I’m Hank Green, and you and I are about to embark on a journey.

A journey of inquiry, into the whole world. Your world.

In an effort to figure out: what gives it meaning, what makes it beautiful, where its

evils come from, and ultimately, what is the very nature of reality itself.

And along the way, we’re going to question every aspect of your own personal life -- why

you do what you do, why you think what you think, why you feel what you feel.

Now, if you’ve joined me on Crash Course before, you might say, we’ve learned about

all that stuff before -- in psychology, and biology, and anatomy and physiology.

And it’s true: Science can definitely help us understand our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

But on this particular journey, we’re going to be exploring aspects of the human condition that can’t

be explained only by hormones or neurotransmitters, by personal experiences or hereditary conditions.

Because, all of those chemicals and experiences that make us who we are, can actually raise

as many questions as they answer.

Like, if all of my decisions really are just the result of, say, how I was raised, and

what chemicals I have flowing in my brain, then are any of my choices actually free?

And if I’m not truly free to make my own decisions, or choose my own actions, then

how can I be held accountable for them?

Yeah. It’s going to be that kind of journey.

Rather than just looking at the world and describing what we see, we’ll be evaluating it.

We will take nothing as a given, set our assumptions aside -- or at least, try really hard to -- and

do our best to see the world as if we’ve never seen it before.

And for what it’s worth, we’ll also be talking about Batman, and what Dick Grayson

can teach us about the concept of identity.

And we’ll learn how The Matrix can you help understand the life and writing of Rene Descartes.

Also we’ll try to answer unanswerable questions, and puzzle over paradoxes that have plagued

geniuses for thousands of years.

It’s going to be hard, and enlightening, and frustrating, and if I do my job properly,

it’ll stick with you long after you and I have parted ways. Because:

We are going to do…philosophy!

[Theme Music]

These days, people use the word “philosophy” to describe some opinion they might have,

or the approach they take to a certain topic.

Like, you might have a “philosophy” when it comes to golf. Though...I personally do not.

But we’re going to use this word more narrowly, to describe a way of approaching the world

that traces its roots back to ancient Greece, 500 years before the Common Era.

This was a time of great intellectual movement around the world. Buddhism and Jainism were

developing in Asia, at the same time philosophical thought was emerging in Greece.

There, scholars were tangled up in a distinction they were just beginning to make -- between

philos and mythos – or what we’d now roughly call science and storytelling.

At that time, there were bards, like Homer, who were trying to understand and explain

the world through stories, while the earliest philosophers were using methods that were

more analytical and scientific -- although they didn’t really have the concept of “science” back then.

So philosophia – literally "the love of wisdom" – was a new way of trying to make sense of the world.

When the earliest philosophers used the word “philosophy,” they basically meant, “the

academic study of anything.”

Which, like, I guess could include golf.

But at what we might call the first universities in the western world – Plato’s Academy,

and its rival, Aristotle’s Lyceum — math, biology, physics, poetry, political science,

and astronomy were all considered to be philosophy.

Eventually, scholars began thinking of these fields differently -- as separate disciplines.

Studies that had strong empirical elements came to be considered science -- a search for answers.

But philosophy came to be understood more as a way of thinking about questions. Big questions.

And today, twenty-five hundred years after the ancient Greeks first brought them up,

philosophers still love asking questions -- oftentimes, the same questions --

and they don’t mind that they never get an answer.

So. What are these big questions that have managed to intrigue -- and stump -- philosophers for so long?

One of the first might best be phrased as: What is the world like?

Sounds simple enough to answer, right Like, just look around! See all the stuff?

Well, this is what the world is like.

But the philosophical approach isn’t just based on observation -- it has other, much

more complex questions packed inside it.

When a philosopher wonders what the world is like, she might really be asking: What’s the nature of reality?

Like, is the world just made up of matter and energy, or is there something else going on?

And if it is just matter and energy, then where did it all come from? Is there a God?

And if so, what is he, she, or it like?

And for that matter, when you’re asking about the world, can you also be asking about

the nature of yourself, as a citizen of the world.

So…what kind of being am I?

Do I have a soul? Is there something immaterial about me that will survive after I die?

All of these questions are ways of exploring what philosophers call metaphysics -- one

of the three main branches of philosophy -- an effort to understand the fundamental nature

of the world, of the universe, and of being.

Now, if those questions aren’t heady enough for you, we, as students of philosophy, also

have a whole separate set of questions, that are about how we know the answers to any of this stuff.

This particular strain of philosophy, which is like knowing about knowing, is epistemology

-- literally the study of knowledge -- the second major field of philosophy.

And it poses questions like: Is the world really what I think it is?

Like, really, is everything I see and think and experience…is it actually…true?

If it isn’t, then, what is true? And what’s the best way to go about figuring out the truth? Is science the best way?

Or are there more ethereal paths to Truth, paths that science can never really travel?

And let’s say that, after a lot of searching and question-asking, I begin to develop some

ideas -- an inkling about what might be true.

Then…how do I know if I’m right? How will I ever know I’m wrong?

Can I ever be certain about anything?!

Now, at this point I wouldn’t blame you if you’re thinking: “Am I real?” “Do

I...do I know anything?” Well, as questions go, these might not seem super…practical.

But there’s another area of philosophy that helps frame your thinking around what you

actually do -- like, how you should act, and what you should attach meaning to.

It’s called Value Theory. And it’s usually divided into two main branches. The first is Ethics.

You’ve heard of it -- it’s the thing that politicians are always said to lack? And Jedi

are supposed to have in great supply? Though, don’t get me started on the prequels.

In philosophy, though, ethics isn’t just a code of what’s right and what’s wrong.

It’s the study of how humans should live with each other.

Rather than just sitting around and judging people, ethics involves posing questions like: How should I live?

Is there any reason that I should treat, say, strangers differently than the people I love?

And for that matter, do I owe anything to myself? What about animals? Or the earth?

And if I do have any of these obligations at all, where do they come from? Who says?

Ultimately, whatever system you use to decide what’s good or evil, as human behavior goes,

is determined by your values -- that’s why ethics is considered part of Value Theory.

But the other part of value theory isn’t about what’s right -- it’s about what’s beautiful.

Aesthetics is the study of beauty, and art.

Now, the concept of beauty is talked about practically everywhere, from the media, to art school to barber college.

But for philosophers, the pursuit of aesthetics involves considering what beauty is, and whether it even exists.

Aesthetics is a part of value theory, because beauty, and art, are things we value, and

evaluate. And many people who study this particular kind of philosophy -- known as aestheticians

-- believe there is such as thing as The Beautiful -- something that doesn’t depend on what

you happen to find attractive, but something that’s just objectively true.

And finally, there’s one more aspect of philosophy that I should mention, because

it doesn’t ask questions, so much as help us find answers. Yes, finally, some answers!

And that thing, which I happen to think can be beautiful in its own way, is logic.

Logic is the philosopher’s toolbox. It contains the saws and hammers, the microscopes and

beakers, that philosophers use to go about answering their questions in a clear, systematic way.

Logic is about reasoning, giving strong arguments that don’t fall victim to fallacies, which

are, as you’ll learn, the mortal enemies of philosophical precision.

Ok, so metaphysics, epistemology, value theory -- they might all seem pretty airy and abstract.

But don’t worry, because you have already done philosophy, even though you might not realize it.

You do it in almost every aspect of your life.

Every time you argue with your parents, or wonder if you should date someone, or decide

to eat a salad instead of a ham ‘n’ cheese Hot Pocket, you are doing philosophy.

Because you’re thinking about the world, and your place in it. You’re figuring out

what you value, why you value it, and what you should do about it.

So here’s our plan. We’re going to learn about the major fields of philosophy, posing

questions and considering possible answers along the way. And each time, we will use a two-step method.

First, we’ll really try to understand.

You’re not going to agree with all of the ideas that I present to you – and I won’t

agree with them either! That’s not the point. The point, in step one, is to really try to

get inside of an idea – to understand it as charitably as possible.

Then, in step two, you’ll subject your understanding to some serious critical evaluation – basically,

you’ll try to knock down what you think you know about a particular view of the world.

And you’ll do this whether you agree with the view or not.

Why? Because: Only when you challenge your understanding of how some people view the

world, can you decide for yourself if theirs is a view worth having.

Which leads me to my final point: Philosophy is not your usual field of study.

I’m not going to be teaching you a body of knowledge where success means you know a bunch of stuff.

Success, in this course, will mean that you know how to think.

All we have are questions. And all you have is a brain. And the goal of philosophy is

for you to use your brain to come up with the answers that make the most sense to you.

You’ll learn how to formulate arguments to support your ideas, so you can explain why you think you’re right.

Which, if you’ve ever been on the Internet, you know is something that not a lot of people are good at.

In order to do that, you’re going to need to understand philosophical reasoning – the

tools we use to investigate life’s most perplexing questions! And that is where we’re

gonna be headed the next time we meet.

For now you’ve learned about the historical origins of philosophy in ancient Greece, and

its three main divisions: metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory. We also talked about logic,

and how you’re going to use it to understand and critically evaluate a whole host of different worldviews.

But not about golf.

This episode of Crash Course Philosophy is made possible by Squarespace. Squarespace

is a way to create a website, blog or online store for you and your ideas. Squarespace

features a user-friendly interface, costume templates and 24/7 customer support. Try Squarespace

at squarespace.com/crashcourse for a special offer.

Crash Course Philosophy is produced in association with PBS Digital Studios. You can head over

to their channel to check out some amazing shows like The Good Stuff, PBS Space Time, and Physics Girl.

This episode of Crash Course was filmed in the Doctor Cheryl C. Kinney Crash Course Studio

with the help of these amazing people and our Graphics Team is Thought Cafe.