Philosophy: Key Themes

Cover Philosophy and Religion; Introductory Philosophy; General Philosophy title: author: publisher: isbn10 | asin: print isbn13: ebook isbn13: language: subject publication date: lcc: ddc: subject: Page i Philosophy: Key Themes Page ii Also by Julian Baggini PHILOSOPHY: Key Texts THE PHILOSOPHER'S TOOLKIT (with Peter S. Fosl) NEW BRITISH PHILOSOPHY: The Interviews (co-editor with Jeremy Stangroom) Page iii Philosophy: Key Themes 1 Julian Baggini Page iv © Julian Baggini 2002 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2002 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 Companies and representatives throughout the world PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin's Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 0–333–96486–1 hardcover ISBN 0–333–96487–X paperback This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Baggini, Julian. Philosophy: key themes / Julian Baggini. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index. ISBN 0–333–96486–1 — ISBN 0–333–96487–X (pbk.) 1. Philosophy. I. Title. 2 B72 .B333 2002 100—dc21 2002074840 Printed and bound in China Page v For Claudia and Richard Page vi Page vii Contents Preface x Acknowledgements xi Introduction 1 Where do we start? 1 Premises 2 Forms of rational justification 3 Critiquing arguments 5 Beyond demolition 7 Becoming a philosopher 8 1 Theory of Knowledge 10 What is the theory of knowledge? 10 Rationalism 11 Empiricism 14 Foundationalism 15 The tripartite account of knowledge 18 Against the tripartite account 20 Scepticism concerning knowledge 22 Scepticism concerning perception 25 Realism 28 Idealism 29 Phenomenalism 30 Conclusion 32 2 Moral Philosophy 35 What is moral philosophy? 35 The divisions of moral philosophy 36 Page viii Morality and realism 37 Non-cognitivism 38 The role of reason 40 Prescriptivism 40 Deontological and consequentialist ethics 43 Virtue ethics 46 Utilitarianism 47 Kantian ethics 50 Aristotelian ethics 52 Animal rights 53 Abortion 55 Euthanasia 56 Approaches to applied ethics 57 Conclusion 58 3 Philosophy of Mind 61 What is the philosophy of mind? 61 Dualism 62 Arguments against dualism 65 Behavi