When You Think about It : Ten Lessons from Philosophical Skepticism.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Robinson, Robert C.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Skepticism.

Philosophy--Miscellanea.

Philosophy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (124 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Eugene : Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2024.

Summary:

"Clear, concise, and easy to read, this eye-opening book offers readers a walk through some of the greatest and most thought-provoking arguments from classical, modern, and contemporary philosophy. Along the path, it looks closely at: Socrates' answer to the question, "Did God create morality, or did he discover it?"; what Descartes meant when he said, "I think, therefore I am"; why Berkeley thought that matter and the material world don't really exist; an argument that shows that God necessarily exists; whether we can really know anything at all; and finally, why (and whether) you owe any allegiance to the rules or laws of your government and society. An expert educator with more than twenty years' experience bringing these ideas to life for students, the author presents these influential, surprising philosophical arguments in a delightful and accessible way. While the topics span the four corners of western philosophy, the unifying theme here is one about philosophical skepticism, and how it's applied as a tool for greater intellectual inquiry. The book doesn't presuppose any familiarity with philosophy, though it certainly rewards those with a strong curiosity about big important ideas. After all, as Plato famously quipped, philosophy begins in wonder."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Descartes, doubt, and skepticism

Hume and the problem of induction

The Euthyphro dilemma

Egoism, relativism, and moral philosophy

The ontological argument for the existence of God

The teleological argument for the existence of God

Berkeley's idealist argument against the existence of the material world

Social contract theory

Artifical intelligence

Paradoxes.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781666701760

1666701769

OCLC:

1476966689