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HCOM 301

Ways of Knowing

Closure thru Summary

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Course Web Site

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The Big Picture

HCOM 301

MLO 4Philosophical Analysis

Philosophical analysis enables us to understand and assess human ways of knowing, being, and valuing. Our assumptions and beliefs about what counts as knowledge, the nature and purposes of life, right and wrong, good and bad profoundly affect how we choose to live our lives. Philosophical analysis provides the tools to identify, understand, and evaluate these assumptions and beliefs.

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301 = Intro to Philosophy

Core Fields• Ontology• Epistemology• Ethics• Aesthetics• Logic

Applied Fields• Phil of Education• Phil of Medicine• Phil of Art• Phil of Business• Phil of Politics• Cultural Studies• Etc.

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Basic Human Questions

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HCOM301

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OntologyWhat really Exists?

ghosts

consciousness

god

karma

chair

black holes

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A Challenging Ontological Exercise

Creating Categories of Like Thingstrees black holes lovedesks language cellsideas ghosts dreamssin Jesus Christ sound wavesa web site fear memoriesfun germs evil spiritsyesterday gods deaththe mind dog souls gravityelectromagnetic fields computer software free willevil magic heartsyour grandmother's mother enlightenment fantasiessounds grace brainsauras smells pencilsconsciousness grass Cesar Chavezfetuses pictures telepathya coatrack team spirit moralityhate personalities justicekarma I earthGod redness a dogattitudes angels Virgin of Guadalupeastrology the Vietnam War reincarnationProfessor Larkin atoms 100 mileshuman souls curiosity racenorth depression angerheaven and/or hell corn the universe

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The field of philosophy offers many different theories or points of view on the nature of these categories of reality, and on the relationships between them.

Natural Mental Spiritual

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Ontological Theories

• Naturalism: Only Physical Matter

• Idealism: Only Mental Constructs

• Spiritualism: Integrated Physical/Mental/Spiritual Whole

• Skepticism: We Can’t Really Know

• Existentialism: Whatever Each Individual Thinks It Is

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Epistemology• What is knowledge?

• How do we acquire knowledge?

• What serves as evidence or justification that something is true?

Knowledge is

Things you believe

that you can justify

that are true

Statements that you believe

that you can justify within some system of justification to the satisfaction of most people who operate within that system.

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Epistemological Theories• Rationalism justifies claims by offering clear, logical, and

persuasive reasoning.

• Empiricism justifies claims by citing sensory experience, life experience, or scientific evidence.

• Religious Faith justifies claims by citing revelation, special teachers, important texts, or insights from personal prayer or meditation.

• Occultism justifies claims by citing lessons or insights gained from some type of supernatural force or agency.

• Mysticism justifies claims by citing realizations derived from deep or transcendental meditation.

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Other Common Epistemologies

• Intuition (immediate knowledge) justifies claims by pointing to deep feelings or emotions or to ‘common sense’.

• Expertism justifies claims by simply citing and accepting the opinion of some authority or expert as sufficient in itself.

• Social Consensus justifies claims by citing public opinion or social group opinion as sufficient in itself.

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Morality & Ethics

• Concerned with “right” and “wrong” behavior

• How should people behave?

Three Branches of

Ethics

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The “sense of morality”is built into the human brain

The human brain has thebuilt-in capacity … to laugh and cry to use language to make music and art to imagine to remember to intuit

to moralize

(Conscience)

Does it matter?

Option I

Develop a considered and

conscious ethical code to

live by.

Option II

Just do what you think or feel is right when a

decision or dilemma

presents itself.18

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Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the sick….

Who are we talking about?

How Far DoEthical Responsibilities Reach?

• Eco-Ethics

• Vitalism

• Animism

• Humanism

• Nationalism

• Tribalism

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Who Should be Bound by an Ethical Code?

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Types of Ethical Reasoning

I. The Pleasure/Pain Principle

II. Conformity with Social Norms

III. Normative EthicsA. Consequentialist Ethics

B. Duty Ethics

C. Virtue Ethics

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Alternative Approaches to Ethical Reasoning

I. Pleasure PrincipleWhat will give me the greatest pleasure?

II. Conformity to Social NormsHow does society expect me to act?How do those around me behave?

III. Consequentialist EthicsWhat behavior will lead to the best results or consequences?

IV. Duty EthicsWhat do the laws or teachings command me to do?

V. Virtue EthicsHow would I best apply my virtues in this situation?

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Summary

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We then explored some

Applied Philosophy

Ideology(Political Philosophy)

Worldviews(Cultural Studies)

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Political IdeologyAn Example of Applied Philosophy

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Very Liberal Liberal Centrist Conservative Very Conservative

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Worldviews

Western Worldview

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Indigenous Worldview

• Relationship (Kinship Obligation)

• Responsibility (Community Obligation)

• Reciprocity (Cyclical Obligation)

• Redistribution (Sharing Obligation)

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LaDonna Harris

Western and Islamic Perspectives

UN’s Human Rights Islamic Human Rights

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The Worldview Project

I. Form a 4 or 5-person team

II. Select a group to explore

III. Conduct researchIV. Prepare a multimedia

PowerPoint presentation

V. Deliver the presentation to the class

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HCOM 301

Ways of Knowing

So, what’s the takeaway?

What did we learn?

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Assessment Deliverables

1. Active Engagement

2. Homework Prep.

3. Ontology Paper

4. Epistemology Paper

5. Ethics Analysis

6. Worldview Presentation 1 2 3 4 5 60%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%20% Chart Title

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A Sample Student• Active Engagement B • Homework Prep

B+• Ontology Paper

A• Epistemology Paper B-• Ethics Analysis

C• Worldview Presentation

A-A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F+ F

4.00 3.67 3.33 3.00 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 1.33 1.00 0.67 0.33 0.00

3.003.334.002.672.003.67

x .20 = .60x .15 = .50x .05 = .20x .20 = .53x .20 = .40x .20 = .73

2.96 = B

Course Grade

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Thanks !

I have genuinely enjoyed

our time together! Joe