1. Philosophical Methods
What is Philosophy?
Philosophical Methods

2. What is Philosophy? – Well, it’s all Greek to me  φιλοσοφία
The word “Philosophy” comes from the Greek meaning:
“LOVE OF WISDOM”
Philosophers relentlessly pursue answers to the most fundamental questions.

3. Do philosophers “know” or “do” philosophy?
Unlike specific content areas, philosophy is not defined or confined by any specific content area.
Philosophers systematically study knowledge and the fundamental nature of the world.
In other words, philosophy studies anything and everything!

4. Do philosophers “know” or “do” philosophy?
Philosophy is a “process” for exploring certain kinds of questions.
Soooo, do philosophers “know” or “do” philosophy?
Philosophers DO philosophy!

5. What the heck is “doing” Philosophy?
Like a good philosopher, here is your not so straight answer…
Philosophers DO NOT:
Give opinions
Speculate
Talk aimlessly

6. What the heck is “doing” Philosophy?
Ok, I guess I’ll tell you what philosophers do, do… That’s right, I just said do do 
Philosophers DO:
Investigate questions by giving arguments for particular answers
Remember (Conclusion + Premises = Proposition)
Use logic to evaluate reasoning behind the arguments

7. Do you recall the Lady Gaga argument?
Yes…that is a dress made out of meat!
Do you recall the Lady Gaga argument?
“Doing” philosophy is not winning a dispute…it’s a constant state of searching for rational knowledge.
But, is rational knowledge obtainable? Or, is everything in a state of irrationality, much like this dress?

8. Vocabulary Philosophical questions can be divided in three broad areas
1. Ontology: The study of “being” and/or existence – AKA, Metaphysics: the study of what there really is in the world. What kinds of things exist? How are they related to one another? For instance, is the mind simply a brain or is there something that exists over and above our physical bodies?
2. Epistemology: The study of “knowledge” and justified belief. What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for knowledge? Can we know anything at all? When can a belief be said to be justified?
3. Axiology: The study of value judgments – AKA, Value Theory. Axiology can be divided into two main philosophical types: ethical values and aesthetic values
Ethical values: What makes an action right or wrong? Is morality subjective?
Aesthetic values: How do we define beauty? Are there objective criteria to call something art?

9. But, wait a minute… What does “doing” philosophy really look like
But, wait a minute… What does “doing” philosophy really look like? Seriously, help me out here.
Let’s take a look at an example of a philosopher taking a fundamental question and try to pursue the answer.
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What philosophical type does this video fall under?