1. Philosophy

2. The Study of Wisdom How do we know what we know?
Is there such a thing as truth?
What is the difference between science and religion?
Does God exist?
Is there truth in history?
Does science guarantee truth?

3. Major Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics
Epistemology 
Ethics
Aesthetics
Logic

4. Major questions of the branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics – What is the nature of reality; Does life have meaning? Does God exist?
Epistemology – What is truth? Can we ever really know anything?
Ethics – How should we treat people? How do we decide right vs. Wrong?
Aesthetics – What is the nature of art? What is beauty?
Logic – What are the principles of correct reasoning? How do people use incorrect reasoning to reach false conclusions?

5. Major Branches of Philosophy
Metaphysics – the study of reality and existence
Epistemology – the study of knowledge and methods used for constructing knowledge.
Ethics – the study of moral values
Aesthetics – the study of beauty and art
Logic – the study of correct reasoning and valid arguments

6. Epistemology (We are drowning in information, but we are starved for knowledge)
History is a reconstruction of the past; there is no such thing as a true history.
The reconstruction is based on an interpretation of primary and secondary sources. To accurately interpret one must consider:
Origin
Purpose
Content
Value
Limitations

7. Logic (the study of correct reasoning)
There are two basic kinds of arguments: 1) Deductive 2) Inductive

8. Deductive Reasoning Premise 1: All men are mortal
Premise 2:  Mr. Verfenstein is a man
Conclusion: Mr. Verfenstein is mortal
(Categorical Syllogism- an argument that consists of two supporting premises and a conclusion) 
Premise – supporting reason

9. Inductive Reasoning
Premise 1: The big bang occurred billions of years ago
Premise 2: Matter spread at the speed of light
Conclusion: Our solar system was formed from this.
(when you reason inductively, your premises provide evidence that makes it probable, (but not certain) that the conclusion is true.

10. Fallacies (false reasoning)
Hasty generalizations
Sweeping generalizations
False dilemma – either or fallacy
Causal fallacies – did A cause B or is A and B occurring simultaneously
Causation:
Correlation:
 * Post hoc ergo propter hoc: (After it, therefore because of it)
 * Fallacies of relevance (The history is reliable because it was published by Harvard University)

11. Common historical argument
Premise 1: The American Republic was formed with slavery
Premise 2: The state rights theory held that the state was sovereign to the powers of the central government
Conclusion: Slavery caused the Civil War

12. Two ways to conceive of history
History is Random
Democritus – atoms in motion randomly collide with each other
History has a purpose
Hegel and Marx – the events of the past happen for a reason and the ongoing story is leading towards something

13. Causation vs. Correlation
A Causes B [One event causes another]
( Slavery caused the Civil War) causal relationship
Correlation
A_________________________________________(ongoing)
B_________________________________________(ongoing)