Introduction to Philosophy

Senior Contributing Authors

Nathan Smith, Houston Community College

Contributing Authors

Gregory Browne, Eastern Michigan University
Parish Conkling, Houston Community College
Naomi Friedman, University of North Carolina, Asheville
Allison Fritz, Chadron State College
Daniel Garro, Rider University
Jeremy Gallegos, Friends University
Jon Gill, Gustavus Adolphus College
Gayle Horton, Santa Fe College
Maryellen Lo Bosco, Suffolk Community College
Rebecca A. Longtin, State University of New York, New Paltz
Corey McCall, The Cornell Prison Education Program
Kurt Stuke, New England College

Chapter 1 Introduction to Philosophy
• Introduction
• 1.1 What Is Philosophy?
• 1.2 How Do Philosophers Arrive at Truth?
• 1.3 Socrates as a Paradigmatic Historical Philosopher
• 1.4 An Overview of Contemporary Philosophy
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 2 Critical Thinking, Research, Reading, and Writing
• Introduction
• 2.1 The Brain Is an Inference Machine
• 2.2 Overcoming Cognitive Biases and Engaging in Critical Reflection
• 2.3 Developing Good Habits of Mind
• 2.4 Gathering Information, Evaluating Sources, and Understanding Evidence
• 2.5 Reading Philosophy
• 2.6 Writing Philosophy Papers
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 3 The Early History of Philosophy around the World
• Introduction
• 3.1 Indigenous Philosophy
• 3.2 Classical Indian Philosophy
• 3.3 Classical Chinese Philosophy
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 4 The Emergence of Classical Philosophy
• Introduction
• 4.1 Historiography and the History of Philosophy
• 4.2 Classical Philosophy
• 4.3 Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Philosophy
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 5 Logic and Reasoning
• Introduction
• 5.1 Philosophical Methods for Discovering Truth
• 5.2 Logical Statements
• 5.3 Arguments
• 5.4 Types of Inferences
• 5.5 Informal Fallacies
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 6 Metaphysics
• Introduction
• 6.1 Substance
• 6.2 Self and Identity
• 6.3 Cosmology and the Existence of God
• 6.4 Free Will
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 7 Epistemology
• Introduction
• 7.1 What Epistemology Studies
• 7.2 Knowledge
• 7.3 Justification
• 7.4 Skepticism
• 7.5 Applied Epistemology
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 8 Value Theory
• Introduction
• 8.1 The Fact-Value Distinction
• 8.2 Basic Questions about Values
• 8.3 Metaethics
• 8.4 Well-Being
• 8.5 Aesthetics
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 9 Normative Moral Theory
• Introduction
• 9.1 Requirements of a Normative Moral Theory
• 9.2 Consequentialism
• 9.3 Deontology
• 9.4 Virtue Ethics
• 9.5 Daoism
• 9.6 Feminist Theories of Ethics
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 10 Applied Ethics
• Introduction
• 10.1 The Challenge of Bioethics
• 10.2 Environmental Ethics
• 10.3 Business Ethics and Emerging Technology
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 11 Political Philosophy
• Introduction
• 11.1 Historical Perspectives on Government
• 11.2 Forms of Government
• 11.3 Political Legitimacy and Duty
• 11.4 Political Ideologies
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions
• Further Reading

Chapter 12 Contemporary Philosophies and Social Theories
• Introduction
• 12.1 Enlightenment Social Theory
• 12.2 The Marxist Solution
• 12.3 Continental Philosophy’s Challenge to Enlightenment Theories
• 12.4 The Frankfurt School
• 12.5 Postmodernism
• Summary
• Key Terms
• References
• Review Questions