2/3 WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?: Epistemology, Skepticism and the Theory of Knowledge

Texts for Mon Feb 3rd:

1. Plato, "Allegory of the Cave" from The Republic

2. Sean Elling, "Are We Living in a Computer Simulation? I Don't Know. Probably."

3. Terms to Be Familiar With

Epistemology ­ The rational analysis of knowledge and claims to know. 

Realism ­ The idea that reality exists, and that it exists as what it is independently of human perception. 

Näive Realism ­ The idea that things are exactly as they appear to be to human perception. 

Idealism ­ The idea that ideas (or concepts or abstract mathematical structures or ratios or ‘information’ ) are more real that material reality (information or conceptual form or that Mind precedes physical manifestation). In quantum physics there is a saying: ‘BIT before IT” 

Materialism ­ The metaphysical principle that to be real means to be material ­ i.e. there is no non­physical reality. ­ denies non­physical soul or ‘life before birth/after death. 

Nihilism ­ The idea that there’s no “outside” of the Cave of human perceived reality, no “real” reality or real “truth,” other than our perceptions, which have no objectively definable validity. 

Cognitive Dissonance ­ The condition of not being able to perceive or understand or adequately judge things which contradict one’s current worldview or paradigm. 

Truth ­ Intelligibility, the light that illuminates Being, what allows us to see the meaning of things as they are. 

Wisdom ­ Leaving the cave, leaving ignorance, fear, denial, manipulation, coercion - a state of being fully awake, and beyond the tragic comedy of human cave life - unshakable peace, total absence of inner conflict. 

Philosophy ­ the Love of Wisdom (as opposed to loving the appearance of being wise) 

Skepticism ­ The attitude of holding one’s beliefs open to being changed or even reversed or discarded based on experience that challenges them. 

Dogmatism ­ Holding one’s beliefs as true without ever questioning or testing their truth or validity. 

Humanism ­The idea that ‘human beings are the measure of truth’ that there is no truth beyond human reality. 

Transpersonalism ­ The idea that our true Self is not merely personal or egocentric, but a shared self, a single Infinite Mind encompassing both other humans but all living beings. 

Problem of Induction ­ All empirical knowledge (theory) is based on past experience, but makes predictions about future experience. But future experiences cannot be proved to be true. So, are any predictions about the future rationally justified? 

Perennial Wisdom ­ (coined by Aldous Huxley) refers to the idea that Truth is One and that all great religious and mystical experiences and movements are expressions of a single truth. 

Video on the Copernican Revolution

9/9 What is Wisdom? The Trial of Sokrates

Reading assignments for class on Wed. Jan 29th:

1.  Plato's dialogue called Apology which recounts the trial of Socrates.

Guidelines for engaging the reading assignment

1. Write down any words or concepts you do not understand, look up information about each one and try to distill it into a definition or description to write in your journal.

2. What is the argument being presented? What are the assumptions? What is the conclusion? What is being used to support an assertion? Try to write down, however rough it is, your sense of how the reasoning is working.

3. What's a question this reading raises for you? If you don't have any questions, the thinking hasn't started. Go back and reread it if this happens to you. Keep thinking about it until you have a question. Write down your question and a short explanation of why this question interests you.

The Four Noble Truths and Meditation

The "Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism

The Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

First Noble Truth

The first truth is that life is suffering i.e., life includes pain, getting old, disease, and ultimately death. We also endure psychological suffering like loneliness frustration, fear, embarrassment, disappointment and anger. This is an irrefutable fact that cannot be denied. It is realistic rather than pessimistic because pessimism is expecting things to be bad. lnstead, Buddhism explains how suffering can be avoided and how we can be truly happy.

Second Noble Truth

The second truth is that suffering is caused by craving and aversion - i.e. it is caused by our own mind. The key term here is: the root of suffering is attachment. Note: the root of suffering is not desire, it is attachment to what is desired, and We will suffer if we expect other people to conform to our expectation, if we want others to like us, if we do not get something we want,etc. In other words, getting what you want does not guarantee happiness. Rather than constantly struggling to get what you want, try to modify your wanting.

Third Noble Truth

The third truth is that suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained; that true happiness and contentment are possible. lf we give up useless craving and learn to live each day at a time (not dwelling in the past or the imagined future) then we can become happy and free. We then have more time and energy to help others. This is Nirvana - the extinguishing of the roots of suffering = the dissolution of the ego.

Fourth Noble Truth

The fourth truth is that there is a Path, a universal curriculum, which leads to the end of suffering.

The Noble 8-Fold Path

The Noble 8-fold Path is being moral (through what we say, do and our livelihood), focussing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom by understanding the Four Noble Truths and by developing compassion for others.

(2) What is Happiness? Introduction to Buddhism & Meditation

Reading for this class

Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step

Read the whole book or as much as you can.