Language and Philosophy Class notes Sept 20

Introduction to Philosophy and Literature

Key Questions discussed:

1)      What constitutes philosophy

2)      How philosophy is a product of time and other conditions

Alfred North Whitehead talked about ideas going back and forth and philosophy not having a linear progression.

Thales  (pre Socratic) is considered as the father of philosophy and emphasized that water constitutes life.

Philosophy studies life, cosmos, and human nature. (I’m still not sure how to define it). There was also a debate regarding Western philosophy and if there is an equivalent called “Indian philosophy”. The conclusion reached was that there are Indian systems of though like the Vedantic and the Buddhist systems of thought. However, this doesn’t mean that the Indian counterpart is inferior to western philosophy.

The German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s (1724–1804) major works include

a)      Critique of Pure Reason

b)      Critique of Practical Reason

c)       Critique of Judgment

The class also discussed the contributing factors of Renaissance, the fall of Constantinople, the silk route and how this paved way to the flow of ideas between the West and the Arabs.

Citation
Pinto, Anil. Literature and Philosophy. Christ University. 20th Sept.2011. Lecture.

Zima, Peter. The Philosophy of Modern Literary Theory. New Jersey: The Athlone Press, 1999. Print.

 Prepared By Vijoy