John Chaffee and Teaching Philosophy
John Chaffee contends that teaching philosophy students to think critically and logically about some key questions is a crucial aspect of teaching philosophy. Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Hegel, and Marx are just a few of the notable philosophers that Chaffee introduces to his students. Thus, there are certain essential principles that may be acquired from each philosopher. For instance, in Plato's The Apology, pupils are made aware of the fact that Socrates was defending himself and his conduct throughout the speech and had no intention of apologizing.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Students learn that one should not seek specific governing laws or moral standards from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. As such it should be conceptualized that ethics regards human vagaries thus individuals should be flexible varieties and possibility. On the same note, virtue in an individual cannot be taught but practiced until it becomes habitual.
Descartes on Meditations On First Philosophy
Descartes on Meditations On First Philosophy enables the students to learn that an individual undertaking meditation sessions through effective meditation steps are able to rid off preconceived matters that have no certainty and adapt thought that rebuild his or her knowledge from up and develops that ability to only accept claims to be true if they are absolutely certain.
David Hume in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
David Hume in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, students learns why it is not necessary to believe in miracles. This follows his argument that there is absolutely no compelling reason to believe in miracles as well as not consider them to be based on religion. Justifications are that they are merely testimonies of others who claim to have seen them. Thus, they should be regarded as less reliable as would be in one's experience.
Immanuel Kant in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
Immanuel Kant in Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals enables the student’s to understand the benefits of good will. For instance, students are informed that quality of character entails individual’s wit, courage, and intelligence while qualities of good fortune comprise wealth, status, and most importantly good health. The aforementioned can be employed to create both positive and negative impacts. However, it is recognized that good will actions will remain effective and noted even if the mission may not have been accomplished.
Karl Marx on The Sociology of Knowledge
Karl Marx on The Sociology of Knowledge informs the students how independent an individual should be after learning the logical and critical thinking aspects of the approach to philosophical issues. He demonstrated this by generating an independent opinion which made him set aside his master Hegel principles. Hence, through Marx, students learn to analyze ways in which systems of ideologies can appear to depend on certain social positions.
Hegel and Life Lessons
Finally, among the great philosophers that students can draw life lessons from is Hegel. From his principles, students are able to learn lessons including the primacy of an idea or ideas, the paradoxically divisive unity of the dialectic and the importance of the participatory spirit.
Philosophical Perspectives
Nevertheless, there are philosophical perspectives regarding the nature of existence of god, the human existence, and the difference between right and wrong. The nature of existence of god is a controversial question that has been debated since the origin of man. However, philosophy answers the question by first seeking to answer where human race originated from, why humans are there, the purpose served by humans does man have any intrinsic value and finally what happens when the humans die. Hence, god exists only if he has revealed Himself. Correspondingly, humans exist solely because they have value and purpose. Lastly, differentiating right from wrong depends on an individual’s moral value and the environment that shaped such moral values which have an effect in defining one’s personality and character.
