Description
Book SynopsisDo you think that philosophy is an activity for old men in sandals with long white beards? Or people who sit under trees and wait to be struck on the head by apples? If so, then you owe it to yourself to explore the insights of this book. In conversational yet artful prose, James H. Hall reveals the many ways that you can actually enjoy and use philosophy in the course of your everyday experience. Doing philosophy involves critically examining key concepts, presuppositions and implications that are in play across the entire range of human inquiry. Practically Profound introduces the enterprise in three basic areas: knowledge and belief (epistemology), human nature (ontology) and the good life (ethics). Emphasizing experience-based arguments, the book demonstrates techniques that readers of all ages can use to enhance their own understanding of themselves and their world. This book is ideally suited to any introductory course in philosophy that takes a problems-based approach, as well as to general readers interested in putting philosophy to work in their everyday lives.
Trade ReviewAn entertaining and enlightening text for students and general readers alike. -- James Rachels, author of Elements of Moral Philosophy
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Preface: Philosophy: The Profound and the Pedestrian Part 2 Belief Chapter 3 Are Some Beliefs Better than Others? Chapter 4 True Belief and Standards of Evidence Chapter 5 Two Kinds of Evidence Chapter 6 Other Kinds of Evidence Part 7 Knowledge Chapter 8 Knowledge, Fraud, Error and Uncertainty Chapter 9 Knowledge and Subjectivity Chapter 10 Knowledge and Cultural Relativism Chapter 11 Problems with Paradigms Chapter 12 Knowledge and Values Part 13 Human Nature Chapter 14 Human Nature: God, Society and Nature Chapter 15 Causation, Freedom and Human Responsibility Part 16 Human Conduct Chapter 17 Self Fulfillment and Following Nature Chapter 18 Obeying Rules Chapter 19 Considering Consequences Chapter 20 The Utility of Rules, Rights and Fair Play Chapter 21 End Note. Looking Back and Looking Ahead Chapter 22 Works Mentioned Chapter 23 Index
