Scribespark

Objectives

• Read and analyze descriptions of philosophical thought
• Demonstrate knowledge of the arguments in favor of and opposing contemporary ethical theories.
• Demonstrate an ability to discuss and reflect upon the application of the course material to various aspects of life.
• Evaluate the personal and social responsibilities of living in a diverse world.

I. Existentialism

• A. Basic Argument
  
  • Concern is personal and individualized
  • Not who is a virtuous person? Not what is my moral duty? Not how should I apply the principle of utility?
  • But How do I live my life authentically? How can I be significant? How can my life have meaning?
• B. Key Concepts
  • Individualism and subjectivity
  • Freedom and responsibility
  • Existence and essence
  • Anguish and absurdity
  • Authenticity

II. Kierkegaard

• The Crowd is Untruth
• Truth and authenticity are the highest pursuits
• A. The Evils of Conformity
  • The greatest threat to this is conformity with the crowd
  • Conformity to the crowd is inauthentic and immoral
• B. The Three Stages to becoming an authentic individual
  • Aesthetic Stage - hedonistic, ultimately dissatisfying
  • Ethical Stage - concerned with morality, ultimately dissatisfying
  • Religious Stage - relationship between individual and divine

III. Nietzsche

• Life is governed by a Will to Power
• Traditional values of compassion and pity are part of a slave morality designed to suppress the powerful
• The Übermensch sees through this falseness, creates his own values and imposes them upon others
• Jesus is the supreme example of the übermensch
• Modern thinking has removed our need of God - “God is dead.”
• Thus, the übermensch is necessary to lead humanity in His absence

IV. Heidegger

• Wrote Being and Time, exploring the nature of being
• Phenomenology, describing the data of consciousness without the distortions of preconceived ideas
• Profoundly complex
• Fundamental elements of Dasein: thrownness, projection, fallenness

V. Sartre

• Becoming an authentic individual is the ethical ideal we pursue
• We depend only on ourselves to determine right choices
• No absolute ethical code, no divine rule
• Accepting one’s responsibility for ultimate choice means one understands it takes place in a social context
• Acknowledges the moral responsibility to humanity
• Choosing to live a certain way implies consent for others to do the same
• Ethics are not our obligation to follow, but our obligation to create
• Acting in Bad Faith
  • Not everyone desires this responsibility
  • Those that hide from their freedom and responsibility are living inauthentically and act in Bad Faith
  • They try to surrender their freedom to outside forces
  • Lack courage to create themselves

VI. Camus

• We live an absurd existence in a universe devoid of intrinsic meaning
• Our choices are without purpose
• Our highest goal is to create meaning for our lives
• We do this through critical reflection and courageously free choices
• The Myth of Sisyphus illustrates this

Logic Week 13: Appeals to Emotion