PHIL 1115 PHIL 1115 What is What is Reality?Reality?

Lecture 21Lecture 21

M. C. EscherM. C. Escher

There are only two places for There are only two places for things to exist…things to exist…

In our mindsIn our minds

Or Or

Outside our Outside our mindsminds

Vocabulary…Vocabulary…

Internal vs. external Internal vs. external worldworld

Appearance vs. realityAppearance vs. reality Subjective vs. ObjectiveSubjective vs. Objective

Thinking or perceiving Thinking or perceiving subjectsubject

Objective or Subjective?

George Bush George Bush

My impression My impression of of George BushGeorge Bush

A hot stoveA hot stove

My feeling of My feeling of painpain

This pictureThis picture

My perception My perception of of this picturethis picture

METAPHYSICS the branch of the branch of

philosophy that philosophy that addresses what addresses what is realis real

ontology: what isontology: what iscosmology: how cosmology: how

it came into beingit came into being

Definition: ANALOGY

using the familiar using the familiar or easily or easily understood to understood to explain the explain the unfamiliar or the unfamiliar or the inexplicableinexplicable

CREATION ANALOGIES…

1. art or craft1. art or craft2. biological creation2. biological creation3. submission to the word3. submission to the word

(strong man – hero)(strong man – hero)

Blackfoot Blackfoot Creation Creation MythMyth

Arts and crafts Arts and crafts analogyanalogy

Eurynome Eurynome and and

OphionOphionThe Cosmic EggThe Cosmic Egg

Biological Biological creation analogycreation analogy

China: China: PanguPangu

Biological creation…Biological creation…

Creation by Fiat…. The Creation by Fiat…. The Word…Word…

Make it so…Make it so…

Let there be Let there be light…light…

Hesiod The Theogony 8Hesiod The Theogony 8thth C. BCE C. BCEArt: Art: CHAOS David MadoreCHAOS David Madore

The function these myths served The function these myths served is today divided…is today divided…

How the world came into being and what it is physically made of belongs to the scientists

What the world means – why it exists - how it exists – how it can be apprehended is the province of philosophers

The Pre-Socratic Materialists…The Pre-Socratic Materialists…

Their primary questions were:Their primary questions were:

What is the world made of?What is the world made of?What does it mean for something to exist?What does it mean for something to exist?What happens to things when they change?What happens to things when they change?

ThalesThales……

EverythinEverything is g is water…water…

ArchêArchê

Greek term for origin or beginning or Greek term for origin or beginning or ultimate principle.ultimate principle.

The The Milesian philosophers looked for philosophers looked for a single material stuff of which the of which the entire universe is composed.entire universe is composed.

Parmenides:

“What is, is. What is not, is not.”Being is perfect, whole, and cannot change.Our senses can only experience becoming

(which is illusory).Only being exists, and becoming is not at all.

Parmenides:Parmenides:

True Being is a static, unchanging, eternal and homogenous sphere.

Reason tells us that motion, change (and the world of the senses with which we perceive them) are illusions…

Heraclitus:Heraclitus:

“The Logos is common to all -- but some act as though they had a private understanding”

Heraclitus:

On the process of eternal fluxOn the process of eternal flux (panta rei): (panta rei):

"This world, the world of all things, neither any god nor man made, but it always was, it is, and it will be an everlasting fire, measures kindling and measures going out."

Heraclitus: 'You cannot step twice into the same river' (fr. 41)

Ionian conceptions of the ARCHE

Thales WaterAnaximander Apeiron -the boundlessAnaximenes AirHeraclitus Fire (change)

(These are materialist views of the world)

Developed theories of what constituted a good life

Taught the doctrine of rebirth or transmigration of souls

Taught that all things are numbers.

Pythagoras (approx 530 BCE)

The Later Physicists…

Anaxagoras (500-428 BCE.)

Leucippus (fifth century BCE.)

Democritus (460-370 BCE.)

Anaxagoras (500-428 BCE.)

started from the started from the Parmenidean account of Parmenidean account of 'what is'. 'what is'.

postulated postulated a plurality of a plurality of independent elements independent elements (which he called 'seeds'). (which he called 'seeds').

Definition: MonismDefinition: Monism

The materialist view that there is ultimately only one substance, that all reality is one.

the materialist belief the materialist belief that the world is that the world is made of a plurality of made of a plurality of basic elementsbasic elements

Definition: PluralismDefinition: Pluralism

The Later Physicists

Leucippus (fifth century BCE.)Founder of Atomism

Democritus (460-370 BCE.)Follower of Leucippus

Democritus….Democritus….

"color exists by convention, sweet by "color exists by convention, sweet by convention, bitter by convention, in convention, bitter by convention, in reality nothing exists but atoms and reality nothing exists but atoms and the void."the void."

earth, air, fire, waterearth, air, fire, water

The Pre-Socratic MaterialistsThe Pre-Socratic Materialists(proto-scientists)(proto-scientists)

Their question:Their question:What is the unseen reality behind the What is the unseen reality behind the

world we seem to see and feel and world we seem to see and feel and hear?hear?

Water Water (Thales)(Thales)Fire Fire (Heraclitus)(Heraclitus)Atoms Atoms (Democritus)(Democritus)

Those early Materialists had a Those early Materialists had a significant influence…significant influence…

They learned to suspect their sensesThey believed that reason could

provide truer answers than experience They nudged philosophy away from

common sense and experience

Modern MetaphysicsModern Metaphysics Inherited the Inherited the problemsproblems left by the left by the

Pre-SocraticsPre-SocraticsWhat is the ultimate substance?What is the ultimate substance?How does it relate to what we see and How does it relate to what we see and

hear and touch?hear and touch?

Inherited the Inherited the methodmethod used by the used by the Pre-SocraticsPre-SocraticsReason over common senseThe observant mind rather than the

observant eye

The safest general The safest general characterization of the characterization of the European philosophical European philosophical tradition is that it consists tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to of a series of footnotes to Plato. Plato.

Alfred North Alfred North WhiteheadWhitehead

Squares A and B are Squares A and B are identical…identical…

Squares A and B are Squares A and B are identical…identical…

““At the heart of Plato's philosophy is At the heart of Plato's philosophy is a vision of reality that sees the a vision of reality that sees the changing world around us and the changing world around us and the things within it as mere shadows or things within it as mere shadows or reflections of a separate world of reflections of a separate world of independently existing, eternal, and independently existing, eternal, and unchanging entities called "forms" or unchanging entities called "forms" or "ideas” "ideas”

Plato’s Theory of Forms …Plato’s Theory of Forms …

Arguments for the existence of forms:Arguments for the existence of forms:A better demands a bestA better demands a bestThe multiplicity of similar objects The multiplicity of similar objects

demands a perfect model or formdemands a perfect model or formOur understanding of these forms Our understanding of these forms

demands their existence (e.g. demands their existence (e.g. whence do we know equality?)whence do we know equality?)

Plato, trying to reconcile Plato, trying to reconcile Heraclitus and Parmenides, Heraclitus and Parmenides, posited a two-tiered world…posited a two-tiered world…

The world in which we live – constantly The world in which we live – constantly changing – a world of changing – a world of BecomingBecoming

The world of Forms -- unchanging -- a The world of Forms -- unchanging -- a world of world of BeingBeing

THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVETHE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

Found in Plato’s Found in Plato’s The RepublicThe RepublicExplains his ‘two-worlds’ viewExplains his ‘two-worlds’ view

moral component -- perhaps inherited from moral component -- perhaps inherited from Socrates -- Socrates -- the purpose of philosophy is to the purpose of philosophy is to figure out how to live a good lifefigure out how to live a good life

……Plato’s Cave…Plato’s Cave…

Nietzsche on the cave…Nietzsche on the cave…

God is dead:But considering the state theSpecies man is in,There will perhaps be caves,For ages yet,In which his shadow will be shown.

--Nietzsche

Two things the allegory of the cave tells us…

1. that the world of our direct experience 1. that the world of our direct experience is a shadow is a shadow or imitation of the real worldor imitation of the real world

equally important:equally important:

2. that the world of our direct experience 2. that the world of our direct experience provides us provides us with some knowledge of the divine and ultimate with some knowledge of the divine and ultimate realityreality – glimpses of perfection – glimpses of perfection

Philosophy’s job is to open the Philosophy’s job is to open the eyes of those prisoners in the eyes of those prisoners in the cave (who are all of us) to those cave (who are all of us) to those two truths…two truths…

Behind all we have said so far, lie two Behind all we have said so far, lie two very important assumptions that the very important assumptions that the early Materialists first posited:early Materialists first posited:

The world is intelligibleMan can figure it out with his mind

The Observant Mind rather than the Observant

Eye

Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei 1564 -1642 1564 -1642

Astronomer Astronomer and Physicistand Physicist

I cannot sufficiently admire the eminence I cannot sufficiently admire the eminence of those men’s wits, that have received of those men’s wits, that have received and held it to be true, and with the and held it to be true, and with the sprightliness of their judgments offered sprightliness of their judgments offered such violence to their senses, as that such violence to their senses, as that they have been able to prefer that which they have been able to prefer that which their reason dictated to them to that their reason dictated to them to that which sensible experiments represented which sensible experiments represented most manifestly to the contrary. most manifestly to the contrary.

Galileo GalileiGalileo Galilei

““the rape of reason on the senses”the rape of reason on the senses”

From Il saggiotore (The Assayer)From Il saggiotore (The Assayer)

Philosophy is written in this grand book, Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the comprehend the language and read the characters in which it is written. It is characters in which it is written. It is written in the language of mathematics…written in the language of mathematics…

Galileo GalileiGalileo Galilei

I do not feel obliged to believe that I do not feel obliged to believe that the same god who has endowed us the same god who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. intended us to forgo their use.                                                                              — —GalileoGalileo

Copyrights 2001-2003 Arnaud LebègueCopyrights 2001-2003 Arnaud Lebègue

Unobservables…Unobservables…

Science’s ‘unobservables” -- Science’s ‘unobservables” -- gravity, gravity, inertia, forceinertia, force – explained the – explained the movement of the heavenly bodies in a movement of the heavenly bodies in a predictable, measurable waypredictable, measurable way

The Church’s “unobservables” -- The Church’s “unobservables” -- God God and the angelsand the angels – were anything but – were anything but predictable or measurable predictable or measurable

René DescartesRené Descartes

1596 -16501596 -1650

The “Thinker” at a university campus in Kentucky

If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things

—Descartes

Descartes has defined mind as unextended (not taking up any space)

And he has defined body as extended (taking up space)

And never the twain shall meet…

SPINOZA 1632 -- 1677SPINOZA 1632 -- 1677

Spinoza, seeing the Spinoza, seeing the problem Descartes problem Descartes had, redefined had, redefined substance to solve substance to solve it…it…

Spinoza…Spinoza…no independent things no independent ideas no independent people

Spinoza…Spinoza… "Nothing therefore happens in nature which is contrary to its universal laws. Nor does anything happen which does not agree with those laws or does not follow from them.

-- from the Theological-Political Treatise

Spinoza is a Pantheist – Spinoza is a Pantheist – everything is God, he says…everything is God, he says…

God is identical to the God is identical to the universe – universe –

Cannot have created the Cannot have created the universe -universe -

Cannot care about the Cannot care about the universe – universe –

DescartesDescartes was a Dualist -- believed was a Dualist -- believed in two substancesin two substances

SpinozaSpinoza is a Monist -- believed in is a Monist -- believed in one substanceone substance

LeibnizLeibniz was a Pluralist – believed in was a Pluralist – believed in an infinite number of substancesan infinite number of substances

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716)(1646-1716)

“…“…the best of all possible worlds…”the best of all possible worlds…”

Monads have no Monads have no windowswindows

““pre-established pre-established harmony”harmony”

In biology: A single-In biology: A single-celled micro-celled micro-organism, especially organism, especially a flagellate a flagellate protozoan of the protozoan of the genus Monas.genus Monas.

Definition: IdealismDefinition: Idealism

The philosophy that says that what is real is mind…

(Contrasted to Materialism, which says that (Contrasted to Materialism, which says that what is real is the material world…)what is real is the material world…)

Bishop George BerkeleyBishop George Berkeley

““esse est percipi” esse est percipi” To be is to be perceivedTo be is to be perceived

A stone….A stone….

Bishop Berkeley:Bishop Berkeley:

It is indeed an opinion strangely prevailing amongst men, that houses, mountains, rivers and in a word all sensible objects have an existence natural or real, distinct from their being perceived by the understanding.

Bishop Berkeley:Bishop Berkeley: Some truths there are so near and obvious to the mind that Some truths there are so near and obvious to the mind that

a man need only open his eyes to see them. Such I take a man need only open his eyes to see them. Such I take this important one to be, viz., that all the choir of heaven this important one to be, viz., that all the choir of heaven and furniture of the earth, in a word all those bodies which and furniture of the earth, in a word all those bodies which compose the mighty frame of the world, have not any compose the mighty frame of the world, have not any subsistence without a mind, that their subsistence without a mind, that their esseesse (being) is to be (being) is to be perceived or known; that consequently so long as they are perceived or known; that consequently so long as they are not actually perceived by me, or do not exist in my mind not actually perceived by me, or do not exist in my mind or that of any other created spirit, they must either have no or that of any other created spirit, they must either have no existence at all, or else subsist in the mind of some eternal existence at all, or else subsist in the mind of some eternal spirit: it being perfectly unintelligible and involving all spirit: it being perfectly unintelligible and involving all the absurdity of abstraction, to attribute to any single part the absurdity of abstraction, to attribute to any single part of them an existence independent of a spirit.of them an existence independent of a spirit.

Overheard in 18th century England:

Did you hear that George Berkeley died? His girlfriend stopped seeing him.

Boswell tells about Sam Johnson refuting Berkeley:

Epistemology I Kick at the rock, Sam Johnson, break your

bones:But cloudy, cloudy is the stuff of stones.

II We milk the cow of the world, and as we

doWe whisper in her ear, "You are not true."

- Richard Wilbur, 1950

Immanuel Kant 1724 -- 1804Immanuel Kant 1724 -- 1804

Founder and leader of the German Idealists

We understand the world through our experiences

Our minds constitute the world (and hence our experiences) according to certain a priori rules

Definition: TeleologyDefinition: Teleology(from Greek (from Greek telos,telos,

“end”; “end”; logos,logos, “reason”), “reason”), explanation by explanation by reference to some reference to some purpose or endpurpose or end

the study of ends, the study of ends, purposes, and goals purposes, and goals

Georg HegelGeorg Hegel

What are we mostly?What are we mostly?

Most of us are still Cartesians – Most of us are still Cartesians – whether we knew it or notwhether we knew it or not

As Christians we speak of the body As Christians we speak of the body and the souland the soul

Behind all we have said today, lie the Behind all we have said today, lie the samesame

Two very important assumptions that Two very important assumptions that thethe

Pre-Socratic materialists worked with:Pre-Socratic materialists worked with:

The world is intelligibleThe world is intelligibleMan can figure it out with his Man can figure it out with his

mindmind

VITA BREVISVITA BREVISby Piet Heinby Piet Hein

A lifetime

is more

than

sufficiently long

for people to get what there is of it

wrong.