Lesson 1 - Intro to Philosophy and Worldviews

Question 1

What is philosophy?

Answer 1

a. ) The love of wisdom
b. ) The pursuit of truth, understanding, and meaning
c. ) The critical analysis of ideas - clear thinking
d. ) The attempt to find answers to the Big Questions

Question 2

What do philosophers do?

Answer 2

1. ) Define terms
2. ) Develop Arguments (both for and against)
3. ) Ask meta (beyond) questions
4. ) Try to explain “pre-philosophical intuitions” (common sense beliefs)
5. ) Try to solve problems and resolve puzzles/paradoxes
6. ) Engage in critical dialogue
7. ) Identity Presuppositions
8. ) Construct systems of thoughts (worldviews)

Question 3

Why should seminarians study Philosophy?

Answer 3

1. ) the pursuit of truth and knowledge
2. ) importance of critical thinking
3. ) the benefits of a rich “conceptual toolkit”
4. ) the influence of philosophy on christian thought
5. ) the need to critically engage with Non-Christian thought

Question 4

What are the 3 major division of philosophy?

Answer 4

1. ) Metaphysics - the study of reality
2. ) Epistemology - the study of knowledge
3. ) Ethics - the study of morality

Question 5

What are some questions being asked in metaphysics?

Answer 5

• What is there?
• What is real?
• what kind of things are there?
• Why do things behave as they do?
• What is God?
• What am I?

Question 6

What are some questions being asked in epistemology?

Answer 6

• What is truth?
• What is knowledge?
• What is reason and what is reasonable?
• How do we know truths?
• Can we know ____?

Question 7

What are some questions being asked in ethics?

Answer 7

• What is (the) good?
• What is right?
• How do we determine what is right?
• What makes what’s right right?
• What should I do?

Question 8

What is the study of beings?

Answer 8

Ontology

Question 9

What is the study of God?

Answer 9

Theology

Question 10

What is the study of humanity?

Answer 10

Anthropology

Question 11

What is the study of beauty?

Answer 11

Aesthetics

Question 12

What is a worldview?

Answer 12

• A complex of fundamental presuppositions: metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical
• A person’s perspective on the world
• A conceptual framework for interpreting experience
• A system of thought

Question 13

What are the 3 doctrines in a Christian metaphysics?

Answer 13

1. ) Doctrine of God
2. ) Doctrine of Creation
3. ) Doctrine of Man

Question 14

What are the 2 parts to an epistemology of a Christian worldview?

Answer 14

• • Revelation: both special (the word) and general (the world)
• • Reason: derivative, limited, fallen, fallible, redeemable

Question 15

What should be the relationship between faith and reason?

Answer 15

• Faith is reasonable, but submissive to revelation

Question 16

What should be the relationship between philosophy and theology?

Answer 16

Philosophy is undergirded by theology

Question 17

What are the 3 ethics of a Christian worldview?

Answer 17

1. ) An objective moral standard: law of God
2. ) An objective moral goal: glory of God
3. ) An objective moral motive: love of God

Question 18

What is monism?

Answer 18

unity is ultimate (everything is ultimately one)

Question 19

What is atomism?

Answer 19

plurality is ultimate

Question 20

What is rationalism?

Answer 20

• The universe is rational and unified (focus on universals over particulars)
• Exalt reason over faith (Ex. the New Atheists)

Question 21

What is irrationalism?

Answer 21

• The universe is irrational and diverse (focus on particulars over universals)
• Exalt faith over reason (Ex. the New Agers)