Foreman Prelude to Philosophy

An Introduction for Christians
1. Auflage 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8308-9660-8
Verlag: InterVarsity Press LLC
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 208 Seiten

'The unexamined life is not worth living,' according to Socrates, but pursuing the examined life strikes many as daunting, unappealing and even unnecessary. Is philosophy important? Why do I need philosophy if I have the Bible? Aren't philosophers simply engaged in meaningless disputes that are irrelevant to everyday life?Mark Foreman addresses these and other questions in this 'prelude' to the subject. Unlike a full introduction to philosophy, this book is a preliminary discussion that dispels misunderstandings and explains the rationale for engaging in philosophical reasoning. In the first half of the book, Foreman defines the task of philosophy, compares it to other disciplines and demonstrates its practical value to Christians interested in developing a more thoughtful faith. The second half introduces the reader to logic and argumentation, the essential tools of a philosopher. Concise and straightforward, Prelude to Philosophy is a guide for those looking to embark on the 'examined life.'

Mark W. Foreman (PhD, University of Virginia) is adjunct professor of philosophy and religion at Liberty University. He is also the author of Prelude to Philosophy: An Introduction for Christians and Christianity and Bioethics: Confronting Clinical Issues.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Foreman, Mark W.

Leseproben

Why Is Philosophy Important?

In Gorgias, Plato records a famous debate between Socrates and an older gentleman named Callicles. They are debating Socrates’s claim that it is always better to suffer a wrong than to do it. At one point in the debate Callicles rails against the study of philosophy: “It is a pretty thing if you engage in it moderately in your youth; but if you continue in it longer than you should, it is the ruin of any man.”1 Callicles is convinced that the main objective of life is to obtain wealth and honor, neither of which the study of philosophy achieves. “It is a good thing to engage in philosophy just so far as it is an aid to education . . . [but] when I see an older man still studying philosophy and not deserting it, that man, Socrates, is actually asking for a whipping.”2 Is Callicles right? Is the study of philosophy a waste of time? Does philosophical study have any value beyond aiding the education of young people? Do all philosophers deserve to be beaten?3

Having discussed the nature of philosophy in chapter one, we next ask why philosophy is important. This chapter discusses the importance of philosophy in general. The next chapter addresses the question of the importance of philosophy specifically for Christians. Before attempting to answer the question, it is necessary to clarify what it is asking.

DEVELOPING THE PHILOSOPHICAL MINDSET

In asking, “Why is philosophy important?” we could be asking, “Why is it important to take a course in philosophy in college?” or “Why is it important to know the teachings of major philosophical thinkers and movements?” or “Why is it important to develop a philosophy of life?” Although those are interesting and important questions, the question we are addressing is, Why is it important to develop a philosophical mindset?

A philosophical mindset is an attitude or approach to life that involves regularly examining beliefs to ascertain what they mean, whether they are true and what value they have. It might involve taking a course or reading philosophers, but it is more than these activities. It is adopting a new habit as a way of life. This small book goes beyond presenting the reader with knowledge about philosophy. It is intended to affect nothing less than the manner in which the reader regularly thinks about life.

Living in the information age, we are daily bombarded with new ideas and concepts from films, television programs, music, journalism, advertisements, magazines and books, as well as teachers, ministers, friends and family. Each of these is vying for our attention and attempting to persuade and influence our beliefs, which in turn influence our actions and our worldview. At times these messages are direct and straightforward. More often they are subtle or deeply embedded in our culture and comprise what sociologist Peter Berger calls the “plausibility structures” of society. As a result we often adopt beliefs without much reflection, not realizing how vulnerable to criticism they may be. A philosophical mindset approaches new information critically. It involves questioning, reflecting on and considering the meaning, value and truthfulness of what we see, read or hear.

To adopt a philosophical mindset is to recognize that philosophy is not merely an academic activity within a college course. For many people that may be where they begin to hone their philosophical skills, but it is only the starting point. Nor is thinking philosophically limited to learning what other philosophers have said about certain topics and issues. Reading the great philosophers is an important aspect of studying philosophy, but it is only one aspect. Ultimately thinking philosophically entails a specific approach to life.

As an analogy, consider the difference between a job and an occupational vocation. During my college years I often had to work during summers to make money. I remember several summers I worked as a shipping clerk for an industrial manufacturer. It was just a job, something I did to pay the bills. As a Christian, I did my job faithfully as unto the Lord (Col 3:23). But it was not what I felt called to do with my life. In contrast, I was going to college because I wanted to be a teacher. That was my chosen occupational vocation. I am not a teacher just to make money; I am a teacher because it is where I believe my talents and gifts can best be used. Teaching for me is a deep part of who I am. In this sense, a job is a task performed in order to receive compensation. In the sense I am using “job” here, it is not usually something individuals are tied to in any personal way, and it usually does not affect persons in any deep manner. In contrast, a vocation is a way of life to which persons are called. They may be compensated for performing their vocation, but they are not in it for the money. It is part of who they are; it forms an important part of their identity.4

Taking a philosophy course in college can be seen as analogous to a job. You might be in it for the grade or to fulfill a course requirement. However, adopting the philosophical mindset is analogous to accepting the call to a vocation. It is to accept the call to radically change your approach to life. It becomes a part of your identity. To adopt the philosophical mindset is to become a philosopher. Although there are those who work as philosophers (usually through teaching in universities, publishing philosophical books and articles and the like), any person can adopt the vocation of philosopher. Doing so begins by adopting the philosophical mindset. The primary goal of this book is to convert you to becoming a philosopher. If it is successful, you will be a different person from who you were before reading it.5

Why is developing such a mindset important? There are many reasons, but we will look at five.

THE EXAMINED LIFE

Philosophers recognize the value of examining and evaluating core beliefs for a number of reasons. Remember the quote by Socrates? “The unexamined life is not worth living.” As was noted in the chapter one, Socrates viewed a human being as the rational animal whose very nature is to reason and reflect. For Socrates, to live the unexamined life is to live a less-than-fully-human life. Therefore, he saw the task of critical examination as an epistemic obligation for all human beings. The term epistemic has to do with knowledge and understanding. To say we have an epistemic obligation is the normative claim that we have a duty to clarify our beliefs and be able to offer good reasons for thinking they are true. Many philosophers follow Socrates in holding that we have epistemic obligations concerning what we claim to know. This may not apply to all our beliefs, but it applies to a large number of them.6

Examining and evaluating our beliefs, however, is more than fulfilling a duty. It also yields significant dividends, two of which stand out. First, understanding life enhances our enjoyment of it. Contrary to the claim that “ignorance is bliss,” wisdom and understanding provide more enduring joy than ignorance.

Think of joy as the fulfillment of an appetite. An appetite is a desire for some object or activity, and the fulfillment of an appetite, especially if the appetite is a good and healthy one, usually produces contentment and joy. Although some appetites are artificially induced, there are a number of natural appetites. Many of these are physical appetites that we share with other members of the animal kingdom: hunger, thirst, rest and sex.

As humans we also experience a number of nonphysical appetites. For example, we have a social appetite that is fulfilled through significant relationships with friends and family. We have an aesthetic appetite fulfilled through our experience of beauty in the world, such as the joy of observing a marvelous sunset, hearing a beautiful piece of music or reading a great story. Humans also have an existential appetite: a desire for meaning and purpose. As Christians we believe the existential appetite is ultimately satisfied only in relationship with God. “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee,” Augustine prayed.7 Although we experience only glimmers and glimpses of such rest and joy in this world, its ultimate manifestation comes in the experience of the beatific vision when our joy will be complete. All these are distinctly human appetites, and most would agree that they are often more important than the physical appetites that we share with nonhuman animals. Who hasn’t had the experience of sacrificing sleep to spend a little more time with good friends or enjoy a good book?

One of these nonphysical appetites is our intellectual appetite: a natural desire to know and understand. This appetite is so powerful that we are often frustrated when we do not understand a concept or idea. Many of us can recall being in a class where the teacher was explaining a particularly complex concept and we were confused or lost. We struggled to understand but did not seem to seem to grasp it, and so we experienced feelings of frustration and inadequacy. Then all of a sudden the teacher made a comment, the light bulb suddenly went on, and it all came together. We might have even felt a physical rush of exhilaration and exclaimed, “Oh, now I get it!” That joyous feeling was our intellectual appetite being fulfilled.

Let me share a personal experience. I was originally a music major in college and had to take several courses in music theory and history. I remember having to study opera and not particularly relishing the prospect. In fact, the idea of...