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Bluffer’s Guide To PhilosophyBluffer’s Guide To Philosophy

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The problemThe problem

What on Earth is Utilitarianism?

Conversation at Dinner Parties

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The Bluffers GuideThe Bluffers Guide

Solution – The bluffer’s guide to philosophy

Ultimate guide to all things philosophical

Bluffer’s Guide To

PhilosophyBluffer’s Guide To

Philosophy

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Ancient GreeksAncient Greeks

What they’re famous for

“the European philosophical tradition… consists in a series of footnotes to Plato.” A. N. Whitehead

S, P, A

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SocratesSocrates

The start of it all…

“By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.”

c.470-399 BC

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PlatoPlato

Where it really took off…

“Until managers become philosophers, or philosophers managers, things will never go well in

this world.”

c.428- 347 BC

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AristotleAristotle

The most intelligent man who ever lived?

“In the arena of human life the honours and rewards fall to those who show their good

qualities.”

c.384 - 322 BC

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The Geocentric ViewThe Geocentric View

Whoops

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Nothing happenedNothing happened

Nothing happened

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Nothing happenedNothing happened

Quite dull

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Nothing happenedNothing happened

Goats, pigs and sheep

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Nothing happenedNothing happened

Quite a lot of Christians

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Nothing happenedNothing happened

A few wars

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The Renaissance!The Renaissance!

The Beginning of life as we know it!

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Niccolo MachiavelliNiccolo Machiavelli

The end justifies the means

“it is much safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking.”

1469 - 1527

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Rene DescartesRene Descartes

Founder of modern philosophy

“I shall then suppose… some evil genius… has employed his whole energies in deceiving me.”

1596 - 1650

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John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill

The greater good for the greater number

Unfortunately, not very quotable.

1806 - 1873

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Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche

The beginning of the end

“There are absolutely no moral phenomenon, only moral interpretation of phenomenon…”

1844 - 1900

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PostmodernismPostmodernism

It’s not modernism

“Less is more.” Mies van der Rohe

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PostmodernismPostmodernism

So what is it?

“In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” Andy Warhol

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GodGod

What is the answer to the question ‘why?’?

“Let us teach altruism, because we are born selfish.” Richard Dawkins

For God:

The presence of a watch implies the existence of a watchmaker. The existence of man implies the existence of God

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EvolutionEvolution

‘Why anything?’ ‘Because it reproduced best’

Against God: Evolution!

1809 - 1882

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BibliographyBibliography

“The multitude of books is making us ignorant” Voltaire

Any questions?

Introducing Plato, Robinson & Groves, 2000Pooh and the Philosophers, Williams, 1997The Prince, Machiavelli, 1961Introducing Machiavelli, Curry & Zarate, 2000Minds and Bodies, Wilkinson, 1999Introducing Descartes, Robinson & Garratt, 1999Arguments for Freedom, Warburton, 1999Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche, 2002Introducing Nietzsche, Gane & Chan, 1999Introducing Moderism, Rodrigues & Garratt, 2001Introducing Postmodernism, Appignanesi & Garratt, 1999The Selfish Gene, Dawkins, 1989