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1
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John Rawls

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1921-2002 Harvard professor, “Theory of justice” 1971 Pitketty-concerned with real improvement in living conditions of the least advantaged.

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2
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Socrates

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470 BC-399 BC 71 epistemology, ethics, knowledge is “the good”, ignorance is evil, ethics based on knowledge must know thyself and local to be virtuous Socratic method

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3
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Aristotle

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384 BC-322 BC 62 years. Pupil of Plato, shifted from Platonism to empiricism. Must examine existing reality to establish essence. Chain of being. Mind is a function of the body.

Tutored Alexander the Great, took over Athens lyceum scholastic system. About 1/3 of his output survives.

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4
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Epicurus

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341 BC-270 BC

Born Athens, 71 years. Influenced by Democritus, worldly events based on atomic motion alone. Pleasure. pain are the measure of what is good and evil. Peace of mind most important therefore must live wisely, justly, and honorably, with freedom from fear and pain. No reason to fear death- soul is made of special atoms that dissolve at death, no soul, no pain.

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5
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Blaise Pascal

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1623-62 age 39

Pascal’s Wager - expected utility of beleiving in God and eternal life with small probability is the better choice than atheism and death with high probability.

Pascal’s triangle

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6
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Thomas Hobbes

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1588-1679 age 81, son of anglican vicar, brought up and ecucated Oxford by rich uncle. tutor of princes.

Leviathan 1651 state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Mind is fallible, easily confused, therefore follow your King. Argued for execution of Charles !, 1649, due to abuse of royal power. Absolute monarch best as must be powerful.

Reality is physical therefore man is a machine. Spirits are imperceptable bodies, God is unknowable but real, ghosts are not real, topic is matter of faith, not science. Argued with Descartes. Maintain soul, God connects body and mind

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7
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David Hume

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1711-1776 age 65

Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, a treatise of human nature 1740. Naturalism, skepticism, empiricism, utilitarianism, liberalism.

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8
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Adam Smith

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1723-90 age 77

The wealth of nations. The invisible hand.

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9
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Ludwig Wittgenstein

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1889-1951 age 62 Viennese Catholic gay

Cambridge, B Russell 1911, analytical philosophy. logical necessity, language games, Professor Phil 1929

1921 Tractatus, later refuted, final synthesis not published

There is no such thing as a private language. Problems get dissolved rather than solved.

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10
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Bertrand Russel

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1872-1970 age 97

Analytical philosophy, history of philosophy.

1950 nobel prize in literature-champion freedom of thought, humanitarian ideals.

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11
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Plato

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423-347 BC age ~80

Theory of forms, cave

Republic 380BC philosopher king

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12
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Democritus

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460-370 Everything in the universe is the fruit of chance and of necessity. rich, widely travelled, greek atomatism. Cosmos is atoms moving in empty space.

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13
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anaxagorus

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510-428 athens, contemporary of Theophrastus, 4 elements water, wind, earth, fire- all observable earth was a column in space

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14
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Avicenna (Ibn sina)

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c980-1037 Persian polymath Islamic Golden age philosopher The Book of Healing The Canon of Medicine Turkmenistan, Tehran. Devout Muslim, flying person thought experiment, I know I am even without sensation. Generated al-Tusi, al-Razi, and al-Ghazali schools of philosophy-interpretation of political and science, theology, and spiritual insights through mysticism.

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15
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Al-Ghazali, Algazel in West

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1056-1111 age 52, Greek philosophy then Sunni Islam apologist, Sufism

theological occasionalism-all events are due to the immediate and present will of God-no chance. Vehement rejection of Aristotle and Plato after intense study-corrupters of the Islamic faith, defends resurection of the body, ended Islamic enlightenment Taught in Nishapur and Bagdad.

1092 The incoherence of the philosophers

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16
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Xenophanes

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570-480 BC knowledge based on belief-skeptic, information helps but man cannot really know. satirized religious beliefs as anthropomorphic Pantheist like Spinoza. critical rationalism. Poet, minimal corpus survives Zeno student

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17
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Zeno of cilium

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334-262 bc man is part of nature, not above it-live with it

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18
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Jacques Monod

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1910-1976 ,sourbone, california institute biology, biologist, e coli geneticist, molecular biology, nobel prize physiology or medicine 1965 Chance and Necessity-1971, chance events determine evolution, necessary consequences of DNA supports heredity and account for life. No inherent purpose, knowledge and creation provides raison d’etre. French resistance.

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19
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Albert Camus

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1913-1960 Algerian, U of Algiers, author, Nobel literature 1957 paradox of the absurd, existentialism, Resistence, rebellion, death Myth of Sisyphus, The Stranger (benign indifference), The plaque

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20
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Jean-Paul Sartre

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1905-1980, Paris, Ecole Normal Superieure, 1964 nobel prize literature-refused

existentialism and phenomenology. existence precedes essence, create own essence by acting. Nausea 1938, being and nothingness nausea 1943, existentialism and humanism

1946, the roads to freedom 1945-9 conflict spiritually destructive conformity and authentic being. addicted to amphetamines

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21
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Baruch Spinoza

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1632-77 lens grinder, private philosophy teacher, rationalist, biblical criticism, philosophy of language Tractatus Theologico-politicus He lives eternally who lives in the present. Pantheism, substance monism. atribute dualist- all items in world have physicality and mentality including all 4 aristotelian causes. God and nature are one. The human mind is part of the infinite intellect of God.

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22
Q

voltaire Francois-Marie Arouet

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1694-1778

Satirical polemicist,

“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd”. Supported science as best compromize, truth can only be a working hypothesis.

Candide, 1759, satarized Liebnez, this is the best of all possible worlds.

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23
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George Lakoff

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1941- UC Berkeley linguist embodied mind metaphor is basis of thought “philosophy in the flesh” 1999

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24
Q

Ibn Rushd- Averroes

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1126-1198

Reconciliation of Aristotelianism Crodoba Spain, philosopher, not islamic apologist. Mind and body are one, universe has always existed.

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25
John Locke
1602-1704 physician, diplomat, highly regarded during long life. flesh controls thought, will. brain disease underlies madness, the soul is immortal but does not contribute to folly. Essays in Human Understanding-There is nothing in the mind except was first in the senses. 1664 questions concerning the law of nature. Use abduction to choose the best explanaton of sense data. The rights of man, social contract. give up some rights to government in exchange for protection.
26
Denis Diderot
1713-1784 Encyclopedia 1751 -1759
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Rene Descarte
1596-1650 Rationalist, physician, solitary, dissector of human and animal corpses. Sought to find unassailable premise then develop a true statements. je pense, donc je suis I think therefore I am, separate from beasts who are mechanically based, no soul, no afterlife. criticized by Hobbes, sellout to Church, thinking was flesh based, giving properties to theoretical entities and calling it explained is circular reasoning as per Aristotle and Aquinas. Pineal gland rapidly discredited as is present in animals.
28
Sir Francis Bacon
1561-1626 Inductive reasoning natural law
29
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
1770-1831, Tubingen graduate, protestant Aquinas, Metaphysics-Phenomenal world (Kant)=Spirit=synthesis of thesis and antithesis. Geist becomes history. claimed German perfection, becoming is reality, being is only a stage. can believe thesis and antithesis, need not resolve. influenced Young Hegelians, atheistic anthropology, then Marx, Freud 1807 phenomenology of spirit
30
Karl Marx
1818-1883, born Jewish converted Catholic, Phd German philosophy, Lost revolution Germany 1848 thereafter England Used Locke, Rousseau's ideas added revolutionary projections Communist Manifesto 1848 Das Kapital 1867 early on religion was social network, later opium of the people supporting exploitation and inequality. Idealized dictatorship of proletariat no less ruthless than royalty.
31
William Shakespeare
1564-1616
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William of Occam
1287-1337 Franciscan, Occam's razor, do not consider unnecessary arguments. Among competing hypotheses those with the fewest assumptions should be selected.
33
Johann Herder
1744-1803 Recognized language is the basis of thought and communication, not the soul that shares reasoning with other souls as per Kant
34
Thomas Willis
1721-75 Physician, studied under Robert Boyle, natural philosopher. Defined neurology, psychiatry, recognized soul diseases as brain based, helped destroy thought as spiritual, religious, argued that God could connect soul and body to preserve free will. Criticized as free will is an oxymoron.
35
St Augustine
used Plato's idea that God made mankind rational, and therefore with free will, capable of making wrong choices. Evil is the absence of good as dark is the abscence of light. Reason rather than observation used to solve problem.
36
Edmund Husserl
1859-1938 started phenomenology in Freiburg 1916 Developed subjective description of real world- unknowable according to Kant Thesis advisor for M Heidegger
37
Martin Heidegger
1889-1976 Took over Freiburg from Husserl, developed phenomenology emphasizing interaction of self and its environment. "Being and Time" 1927 advanced ecology, biology. What is it like to be human, NOT what is a human being. Time determines roles, important in concerns of the moment. Trancendental finitude, being that exceeds itself=dasein.
38
Franz Brentano
1838-1917 Philosopher, started examining intentionality based on Aristotle. Examined psychological reality, taught Husserl, Freud, Catholic Priest, left church, married.
39
Karl Jaspers
1883-1969 german philosopher, started in law, then medicine, then psychiatry-identified features of psychopathology, then psychology, then philosophy. Heidelberg, existentialism,
40
Soren Kierkegaard
1813-1855 Rich Copenhagen, theology then philosophy critical of organized religion, Hegel. First existentialist, leap of faith necessary for essence, existential anxt increased by knowledge of absolute freedom. Fear and trembling 1843 Either / Or 1843
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protagoras
490~420 BC advisor to Pericles, taught by Democritus, sophist, metaphysics, judgement is relative as individual assessment varies by past experience- morals, reality is unknowable, agnostic
42
Thales of Miletus
624-546 BC all is water, Not will of the gods deductive geometry, rt angle from circle
43
john Daniel Wild
1902-72 American existentialist
44
Rudolf Carnap
1891-1970, U Jena 1914, Gottlob Frege, U vienna 1926, 1936 U Chicago, 1954 UCLA Vienna Circle, logical positivism Metaphysics is a pseudo problem due to misuse of language refering to unprovable assumptions,
45
john Dalton
1766-1844 proposed modern atomic theory
46
john Stewart Mill
1806-1873, son of James Mill, home educated, East India Co. influenced by epicurus, father, pain and pleasure principle. Moral. Utilitarianism. Golden rule \> hedonism as society benefits. 1861 Utilitarianism
47
Jean Jacques Rousseau
1712-1778 The Social Contract 1762 Man is inherintly good, tiered society makes for evil. Generated Romantic movement. government sould protect freedom and equality, best if nation of small farmers. Private property makes for inequality and envy, destroying coherent will of the people. 1754 "Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality among men".
48
Diogenes
404-323 BC Black sea, died in Cornith. first cynic, live simply according to rhythms of nature free from conventions and values of civilized world. Taught Zeno of Sinope. Must accept cruelty and injuxtice as part of price of living.
49
Niccolo Machiavelli
1469-1527 Fluorentine prince, "The Prince" 1513, describes how an enlightened dictator should rule- the means justifies the ends. political philosophy, satarical as he otherwise advocted republic if citizens value equality.
50
George Berkeley
1685-1753 only data we have is sense data, unable to see reality. Continuity depends on God keeping reality as a constant.
51
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnez
1646-1716, Father professor of moral philosophy, library, studied philosophy then law. German princes for patrons. mathematics-calculus epistomology-monads independant small bodies interconnectd by God producing harmony. Truths are necessary (analytic))-rational, or contingent-emperical (synthetic) (Kant). God understands via rational mind, not need experience.
52
Jeremy Bentham
1748-1832 Utilitarianism 1780
53
Immanuel Kant
1724-1804, Konigsberg metaphysics- reality=phenomenal (sense aquired interpred by innate notions time, space) and neumonal (unknowable) moral: Catagorical imperative,do if for common good Political: cannot legislate on basis of happiness, freedom restricted by rights of others. Critique of Pure Reason 1781
54
William James
1842-1910 psychologist turned philosopher, ideas become true when usefulness becomes evident, reality not important. 1890 The Principles of psychology 1907 Pragmatism, put America on map of philosophy
55
Arthur Schopenhauer
1788-1860, graduate U Hamburg, misogynist, hated Hegel metaphysics-reality=will and its manifestations. Man is subject to irrational desires and impersonal forces. moral- buddist- suppress cravings, compassion World as Will and Representation 1818,1844
56
Empedocles
490-430 BC, Sicily, wrote in verse metaphysics- classical elements-earth, water, fire, air, aether.
57
Friedrich Nietzsche
1844-1900 Prussia, family of luthern clergy, prof U Basel, dyptheria dysentary Plato and Kant wrong to emphasize other real world when current one is only one that counts. God is dead, no use depending on promise of eternal life. Superman charts own course
58
John Dewey
1859-1952 Grad U Vermont, psychology, philosophy, secular humanist Religion, ethics=attempt to get favors from gods, Darwin shapes understanding of human condition. Pragmatism, should work on human problems, assessing solutions more than attempting theoretical understanding. Think of women as individuals not sex. Political. Participation not representation essence of democracy. 1950 contributor to Congress of Cultural Freedom, CIA
59
Hans-Georg Gadamer
1900-2002 Wroclaw Marburg, 1949 U Heidelberg, Student Heidegger with H Ardendt. Frankfurt achool 1960 Truth and Method. Hermeneutics (interpet) uses historical basis to understand events which leads to futher analysis of initial historical assessment. Recursive nature imporves knowledge, fusion of horizons. We do not own history, history owns us.
60
Karl Popper
1902-1994 U Vienna, U London 1937 Logic of Scientific Discovery, Falsefiability important attribute, one inconsistent observation can destroy the theory
61
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
1908-1961, ecole Normal Superieure, existentialist, studied perception as well as mind, Phenomenology of Perception 1945, Mind is embodied
62
Simone de Beauvoir
1908-1986 Paris, Sourbonne existentialist, born without purpose, must make authentic choices to become feminine, a social construct and male domination of society encourages passisivety. The second sex 1949
63
Willard Van Ormann Quine
1908-2000 Ohio, Harvard PhD 1932, Studied B Russell, Whitehead, Language is a social act, words have meaning by how used by community.
64
Roland Barthes
1915-1980 Sorbonne 1941, tuberculosis exempt army, teacher, author, pundit language author reader, semiotics, structuralism, post stru..., love talk is skin to skin
65
Jacques Derrita
1930-2004 algerian jewish, paris, Ecole Nationale Superieure, married French psychiatrist, Sorbone ended UC davis Language-deconstruction, nothing outside of the text ~ need back and forth discussion to get closer to text. Close study alone leads to multiple interpretations not understanding.
66
Richard Rorty
1931-2007 parents american liberal activists, Father mentally Ill, U Chicago philosophy age 15 then Yale PhD, then multiple ending in Stanford truth relative to culture, language = what others let you get away with. No inner soul, reality unapproachable
67
Plotinus
205-270 Egypt, Rome, Greek speaking Neo-Platonism, the one (totally transcendant), mind, soul, nature, material world. Reincarnation. Enneads his notes compiled by Porphyry
68
Benjamin Franklin
Small entrepreneurs make best citizens and promote equality necessary for strong republic.
69
Montesquieu Charles-Louis Secondat
1689-1755 first to argue for separation of government power-executive, legislative, and judicial.
70
Hugo Grotius
1583-1645 Dutch prodigy lawyer, redefined rights and liberty. Divine influence discarded. Stucy of human natue is enough to inform policy. major influency on international law.
71
Thomas Paine
1737-1809 Identified hereditary rights as protecting the landowners and aristocracy. Republics must support general will of the people via universal suffrage and value equality. 1776 Common Sense 1791 Rights of Man 1792 Letter addressed....supporting French revolution
72
Johann Gottleif Fichte
1762-1814 peasant birth, gifts noted during childhood german idealist developed thesis, antithesis, synthesis
73
Jaques Lacan
1901-1981 catholic family and high school medical graduate U Paris psychiatry then psychoanalysis post structuralism, surrealist-madness as convulsive beauty.
74
Alain Baidou
1937-2017+ Ecole normale superieur, founder philosophy dept Paris VIII, return to communism
75
Freidrich Wilheim Joseph Schelling
1775-1854 Hegel's roommate, german romantic, overlooked, overshadowed by Hegel
76
Aristippus of Cyrene
Hedonist who founded school of Cyrenaicism, virtue is to be equated with ability to enjoy.
77
Paul-Michel Foucault
1926-1984 Poitiers France Normale Superieure post structuralism, meaningless to speak of reason, truth, knowledge. Reason is the ultimate language of madness. aids
78
Jean-Francois Lyotard
1924-98 Vincennes, France teaching phil Algeria, uc Urvine, Johns Hopkins, Berkley, Yale, Post modern, left anti marxist, reason and truth are one and the same.
79
Postmodernism
Anit-realist, social-linquistic constructionist account of reality, reason or any other method cannot appreciate reality, uses subjectivity, conventionality, incommensurability to construct identity emphasizing group conflict, might is right, Stephen Hicks

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