История Западной философии. Лекция №1. «Что такое философия»
Лекции А.Б. Зубова・65 minutes read
The speaker introduces a course on philosophy, recommending key books and critiquing Soviet texts while emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge and essence in philosophy. The text delves into fundamental questions about existence, epistemology, ontology, axiology, absolute values, and the importance of philosophy in addressing existential inquiries and absolute truths.
Insights
- Philosophy is defined as the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, contrasting truth-seekers with convenience-seekers and emphasizing the importance of reading recommended texts to deepen understanding.
- The text delves into fundamental questions about existence, metaphysical needs, and the pursuit of truth and ethics, highlighting the transformative power of beauty in aligning with normative ethical values.
- Greek philosophy, originating in a cognitive crisis, emphasizes personal responsibility, ethical conduct, and the pursuit of absolute truth and beauty, challenging traditional religious beliefs and focusing on logic and internal reflection over revelation.
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Recent questions
What is philosophy?
The love of wisdom and pursuit of knowledge.
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Summary
00:00
"Exploring Philosophy: Books, Perspectives, and Critiques"
- The speaker welcomes the audience to a course on the history of philosophy, recommending specific books as comprehensive manuals on the subject.
- The recommended book on Western philosophy, authored by Italian scholars, covers the topic from its origins to the present day, albeit with translation issues.
- The speaker critiques Soviet textbooks on philosophy, highlighting their limitations and biases towards Western philosophy.
- A small book by Sergey Alexander Levitsky, a Russian emigrant philosopher, is recommended for its unique perspective on philosophy.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of reading recommended texts at home to deepen understanding of philosophy.
- Philosophy is defined as the love of wisdom and the pursuit of knowledge, contrasting those who seek truth with those who prioritize convenience.
- The science of philosophy is described as the attempt to understand fundamental questions about existence, identity, and purpose.
- Different levels of epistemology and ontology are discussed, including materialism, objective idealism, and subjective idealism.
- The importance of reliable epistemology in philosophy is highlighted, as it forms the basis for the entire philosophical system.
- The speaker warns against dogmatic philosophy, where principles are accepted without rational understanding, contrasting it with the pursuit of knowledge and essence in philosophy.
19:44
Exploring Existential Questions and Absolute Truths
- The text delves into fundamental questions about existence, including the concept of absolute being and the ontological nature of reality.
- It discusses the metaphysical need in humans to understand the world and themselves, highlighting the importance of these existential questions.
- Schopenhauer's work is referenced, emphasizing the human desire to comprehend the world and transform their environment, leading to metaphysical contemplation.
- Axiology, the philosophy of ultimate values, is explored, contrasting material wealth with the pursuit of absolute values like truth and ethics.
- The text touches on imperative values such as ethics and law, stressing the importance of truth and the correspondence of laws to truth.
- Contemplative values, focusing on aesthetics and beauty, are discussed as ennobling aspects that can restore individuals in a world lacking correctness.
- The pursuit of beauty is presented as a path to restoring the soul and aligning with normative ethical values, emphasizing the transformative power of beauty.
- Axiology is further elaborated as the philosophy of absolute values, connecting individuals with the absolute through beauty and truth.
- The emergence of philosophy in India and Greece during a cognitive crisis is highlighted, marking a shift away from traditional religious beliefs towards philosophical inquiry.
- The text concludes by underscoring the significance of philosophy in addressing existential questions and the pursuit of absolute truths, contrasting it with the decline of religious certainties in society.
40:06
Exploring Greek Philosophy and Society's Evolution
- Structuralism studies the complex aspects of society to reveal its underlying structure.
- Philosophy arises when common worldviews collapse, prompting individuals to create their own understanding.
- Ancient Indians believed in revelations from above, but modern skepticism challenges this belief.
- Philosophy shifts focus from revelation to logic and internal reflection, emphasizing personal creation of worldview.
- Greek philosophy in the 5th century questions mastering the world and oneself, highlighting the importance of city-state and personal behavior.
- Greek consciousness emphasizes individual responsibility, where one person's actions can impact the entire city.
- Greek tragedy explores ethical dilemmas and conflicts, showcasing the undecidability of moral norms.
- Greek philosophy values absolute truth and beauty, guiding ethical conduct and societal harmony.
- The collapse of traditional religious beliefs in ancient Greece leads to a quest for the first principle governing truth and beauty.
- The Greek tradition emphasizes objectivity in determining truth and beauty through competitions and objective standards.
01:01:03
Greek Philosophy: Thales' Water and Divine Mind
- Greek culture is deeply rooted in the absence of a spiritually developed idea of an absolute creator god, unlike Egypt.
- The intellectual connection between Greece and Egypt during the birth of philosophy is significant.
- Greek consciousness emphasizes personal responsibility and a strict cause-and-effect relationship between deeds and retribution.
- Aesthetics in Greece are highly developed, encompassing sculptures, publications, ethics, human body, sports competitions, and more.
- The Greek tradition places a strong emphasis on personal identity and social responsibility, where good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished.
- Philosophy originated on the periphery of Greece, particularly in cities like Miletus, Ephesus, and Samos, rather than in the cultural center.
- Thales of Miletus, a prominent Greek philosopher, believed water to be the primary substance from which everything originated, transformed by the divine mind.
- Thales' philosophical views on water as the source of life and the divine mind as the creator of all things were groundbreaking in early Greek philosophy.
- Thales' exploration of the divine mind as the creator of all things reflects a uniquely Greek perspective on the concept of creation and beauty.
- Thales' philosophical ideas on water as a vital substance and the divine mind as the creator of life challenged existing religious models and emphasized the importance of the mind in creating beauty and understanding the world.
01:19:12
Anaximander's Revolutionary Philosophy: A Summary
- Anaximander, a prominent citizen of Miletus, developed a new worldview fusing natural water elements with life.
- Anaximander, a philosopher from Miletus, wrote a treatise on nature in prose, contrasting with Hesiod's poetry.
- Anaximander believed that limiting thought through poetic form was wrong, advocating for free expression in prose.
- Anaximander founded a colony in Apollonia, emphasizing the necessity of colonies to alleviate overpopulation in cities.
- Anaximander proposed that water, being limited, should not be the basis of the world; instead, he suggested an unlimited substance like mind or life.
- Anaximander introduced the concept of the "apeiron," an unlimited and formless substance, as the origin of everything.
- Anaximander's philosophical ideas extended to religion, proposing an impersonal and limitless origin of the world.
- Anaximander believed in the cyclical nature of the world, with unrighteousness leading to disintegration and a return to righteousness.
- Anaximander's philosophical views included the belief that the entire world is alive, with no distinction between living beings and inanimate objects.
- Anaximenes, a student of Anaximander, posited that air, as an invisible life-giving substance, is the origin of all things and the essence of the world.
01:38:59
Exploring Skepticism Towards Atheism and Philosophy
- The speaker expresses skepticism towards atheism, highlighting the complexity of philosophical and religious beliefs, emphasizing the importance of exploring various perspectives to grasp the essence of truth and beauty.
- The discussion touches on philosophers like Vladimir Solovyov and Berdyaev, hinting at a debate regarding the concept of the world soul and the need for critical analysis in philosophical discourse.
