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Ted Neward, "Computational Philosopher"
this means I like to wrestle with really interesting/hard questions that often have no answers, and even more often create more questions
the actualities of artificial intelligence
abstractions, knowledge, and productivity
how to manage developers
I look for answers in the Liberal Arts
history, psychology, economics, and particularly philosophy
What is philosophy?
"love of wisdom" (Ancient Greek)
the fundamental root of all thinking
the basis of all science
"science in one hand, and religion in the other"
the central question that philosophy seeks to answer
Ironically, most of us are (already) philosophers
what should we do?
what is there?
how do we know? if we don't know, how should we set about finding out?
Major branches of philosophy
Metaphysics
examining what exists, the difference between mind and matter, and so on
Epistemology
how do we know a thing? how do we acquire knowledge? what is the nature of knowledge?
Logic
Aristotelian syllogisms up through mathematical and symbolic logic
Moral philosophy and ethics
what is right? what is evil? what is virtue? what does it mean to live a good life?
Political philosophy
what are the "unassailable human rights"? what is the relationship between government and the governed?
Aesthetics
what is beauty? what is art?
Roger Scruton ("A Short History of Philosophy")
two distinguishing characteristics of philosophical thought
abstraction
concern for truth
"Problems of philosophy and the systems of design to solve them are populated in terms which tend to refer not to the realm of actuality, but to the realms of possibility and necessity: to what might be and what must be, rather than what is"
Philosophy is characterized by several things
students are encouraged not to accept the conclusions of their teachers, but to discuss, argue and disbelieve
arguments are rooted in logic and reason, not faith or belief
Most science begins as philosophy
"It has often been remarked that when an area of inquiry begins to find its feet as a discipline, with clearly agreed methods and a clearly agreed body of knowledge, fairly soon it separates off from what has up to then been known as philosophy and goes its own way."
such as....
physics
chemistry
astronomy
psychology
some continue to maintain tight relationships
When do individual grains of sand become a heap?
When do individual grains of sand become a heap?
More importantly, why does this paradox take place?
The god Apollo and a turtle are going to race
The god Apollo and a turtle are going to race
Apollo gives the turtle a huge head start
The god Apollo and a turtle are going to race
Apollo gives the turtle a huge head start
But if Apollo makes up half the distance between him and the turtle every second...
The god Apollo and a turtle ae going to race
Apollo gives the turtle a huge head start
But if Apollo makes up half the distance between him and the turtle every second...
... he can never catch the turtle!
An arrow is loosed from a bow to fly through the air
An arrow is loosed from a bow to fly through the air
But in any single moment in time, the arrow is not moving
An arrow is loosed from a bow to fly through the air
But in any single moment in time, the arrow is not moving
... therefore the arrow is not really moving at all!
What do we do with this? (Ask questions, of course!)