├── 00-kant ├── groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals │ ├── kant-preface.png │ ├── groundwork-for-the-metaphyics-of-morals_1785-kant.pdf │ ├── README.md │ └── ashley_notes │ │ ├── PREFACE.md │ │ └── SECTION_1.md └── what-is-enlightenment │ ├── what-is-enlightenment_kant-1784.pdf │ └── README.md └── README.md /00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/kant-preface.png: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ashleygwilliams/philosophy_club/HEAD/00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/kant-preface.png -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/what-is-enlightenment/what-is-enlightenment_kant-1784.pdf: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ashleygwilliams/philosophy_club/HEAD/00-kant/what-is-enlightenment/what-is-enlightenment_kant-1784.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/groundwork-for-the-metaphyics-of-morals_1785-kant.pdf: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ashleygwilliams/philosophy_club/HEAD/00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/groundwork-for-the-metaphyics-of-morals_1785-kant.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # philosophy club 2 | @tkellen asked me to do a philosophy thing with him. this is where that thing will live. 3 | 4 | this is a rip off of a class that i took at [wesleyan university](http://www.wesleyan.edu). 5 | shout out to [professor joseph rouse](http://jrouse.blogs.wesleyan.edu/). <3 6 | 7 | ## Reading Schedule 8 | i did this from memory but i just found the class syllabus so this is gonna change soon, i.e. 9 | get more detailed :) 10 | 11 | - Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) 12 | - An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? (1784) 13 | - Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) 14 | - George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) 15 | - The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807) 16 | - Friedrich Nietzsche 17 | - Geneaology of Morals (1887) 18 | - Henri Bergson (1859-1941) 19 | - Time and Free Will (1889) 20 | - Edmund Husserl (1859-1938) 21 | - Logical Investigations vI (1900/1913) 22 | - Logical Investigations vII (1901/1921) 23 | - Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) 24 | - Being and Time (1927) 25 | - Off the Beaten Track (1950) 26 | - Michel Foucault (1926-1984) 27 | - Madness and Civilization (1960) 28 | - What is Enlightenment? (1984) 29 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals 2 | > Immanuel Kant, 1785 3 | 4 | [WIP] Only covers the Preface and First Section 5 | 6 | ### Key Concepts 7 | 8 | - Formal 9 | - Material 10 | - Logic 11 | - Practical Philosophy 12 | - Instinct 13 | - Reason / Pure Reason 14 | - Good Will 15 | - Happiness 16 | - Purpose 17 | - Duty 18 | - Inclination 19 | - Command 20 | - Morality 21 | - Law / Universal Law 22 | - Respect 23 | - Maxim 24 | 25 | ### Reading Questions 26 | 27 | #### PREFACE 28 | 29 | - What does Kant mean by object? Q: What is Pure Philosophy? What is metaphysics? Kant says `metaphysics is two-fold - Explain. 30 | - Why does Kant think a metaphysics of morals is necessary? 31 | - "for the sake of the law" <- why and what does this mean? 32 | - Who is Kant chastising re: mixing empiricism and pure philosophy and calling it moral philosophy? 33 | - Source and origin are important, what does Kant mean by them? 34 | 35 | #### FIRST SECTION 36 | 37 | - What is duty? Give a "good" example and a "bad" one. (where bad means that it appears to be duty but is not) 38 | - Compare duty to a modern religious sense of the term. 39 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/ashley_notes/PREFACE.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Ashley's Notes 2 | 3 | ## PREFACE 4 | 5 | - Ancient Greek Philosophy => physics, ethics, logic 6 | - Rational Knowledge: Formal Philosophy, Material Philosophy 7 | - Formal Philosophy: 8 | - logic 9 | - Material Philosophy: 10 | - physics, laws of nature, "theory of nature" 11 | - ethics, laws of freedom, "theory of morals" 12 | 13 | ^^ the above makes more sense in a diagram, see the image included in this folder 14 | 15 | **LOGIC CAN HAVE NO EMPIRICAL PART** 16 | i.e. universal and necessary laws cannot be derived from experience 17 | 18 | => **HOWEVER**, natural and moral philosophy, "material philosophies" **CAN BE EMPIRICAL** 19 | - in fact, they must be empirical 20 | 21 | Q: What does Kant mean by `object`? 22 | Q: What is `Pure Philosophy`? What is `metaphysics`? Kant says `metaphysics is two-fold - Explain. 23 | 24 | - Metaphysics of Nature: empirical and rational parts 25 | - Metaphysics of Morals: also 2 parts 26 | - empirical: Practical Anthropology 27 | - ratonal: Morals, Proper 28 | 29 | **SPECIALIZATION IS IMPORTANT** 30 | we cannot mix the rational and the empirical 31 | 32 | - we must put metaphysics first 33 | - we must purify metaphysics of all empiricism 34 | 35 | because we want to know **HOW MUCH CAN PURE REASON ACHIEVE?** 36 | in fact, this is the most important question 37 | 38 | **the obligation to follow laws MUST be grounded in pure reason in order to hold** 39 | 40 | PRACTICAL RULE vs MORAL LAW (moral law must be a priori) 41 | 42 | - laws are enforced by JUDGEMENT, which is empirical 43 | - man is capable of pure reason but is not great at using it to control his conduct 44 | 45 | Q: Why does Kant think a metaphysics of morals is necessary? 46 | 47 | Q: "for the sake of the law" <- why and what does this mean? 48 | 49 | Q: Who is Kant chastising re: mixing empiricism and pure philosophy and calling it 50 | moral philosophy? 51 | 52 | PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY (Wolff) <- tl;dr this shit is just psychology 53 | 54 | Q: `Source` and `origin` are important, what does Kant mean by them? 55 | 56 | Kant will tackle pure speculative reason first, then pure practical reason 57 | 58 | The goal is a search for a foundation of a **SUPREME PRINCIPLE OF MORALITY** 59 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/what-is-enlightenment/README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? 2 | > Immanual Kant, 30 September 1784 3 | 4 | ### KEY CONCEPTS 5 | 6 | - Immaturity 7 | - Reason 8 | - Enlightenment 9 | - Freedom 10 | - Public/the Public 11 | 12 | ### READING QUESTIONS 13 | Answer these questions to the best of your ability. Use specific 14 | passages from the text to support your point as much as possible. 15 | Do your best to maintain a strict set of terms and definitions as 16 | you elaborate your reasoning. 17 | 18 | - Based on how they are characterized in this essay, define the key 19 | concepts listed above. (i.e. Kant thinks 'Immaturity' is...) 20 | - What is going on historically in Europe during the time this was 21 | written? How do you think that contributes to Kant's characterization 22 | of 'immaturity' and call for enlightenment? 23 | - Explain how Kant believes enlightment occurs. Why does Kant believe 24 | that coming to enlightment is easier for a public than an individual? 25 | - Kant says, "For to maintain that the guardians of the people in 26 | spiritual matters should themselves be immature, is an absurdity which 27 | amounts to making absurdities permanent." Explain this point and 28 | relate it back to his beliefs about enlightenment. 29 | - Kant says, "One age cannot enter into an alliance on oath to put the 30 | next age in a position where it would be impossible for it to extend 31 | and correct its knowledge, particularly on such important matters, or 32 | to make any progress whatsoever in enlightenment." Elaborate on this 33 | point by providing an example of such an oath. Be sure to define 34 | what 'progress in enlightenment' means in your example. 35 | - Does Kant believe he lives in an Enlightened Age? What are the 36 | requirements for an age to be considered enlightened, according to 37 | Kant? 38 | - What does Kant believe the role of government is? 39 | - Kant is famously known for the "Critical Imperative", a morality 40 | based on Enlightenment. What do you think the moral implications of 41 | Enlightenment, as it is characterized in this essay, are? 42 | - At the beginning of the essay, Kant says, ""The motto of 43 | enlightenment is therefore: 'Sapere aude!' Have courage to use your 44 | own understanding!" and he ends with the famous quote, "Argue as much 45 | as you like and about whatever you like, but obey!" Based on Kant's 46 | characterization, do you condier yourself enlightened? Do you consider 47 | this age enlightened? Do you think enlightenment, as understood by 48 | Kant, is desirable? Explain why or why not. 49 | - 50 | 51 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /00-kant/groundwork-for-the-metaphysics-of-morals/ashley_notes/SECTION_1.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # FIRST SECTION 2 | > Transition from "Common Sense" Knowledge of Morals to the Philosophical 3 | 4 | ## SUMMARY 5 | 6 | 1. The only purely good thing is good will 7 | 2. Good will is good in and of itself 8 | 3. Instinct is focused on ends and means 9 | 4. Instinct is opposed to reason 10 | 5. Good will must therefore depend on reason 11 | 6. Good will creates purpose 12 | 7. Purpose(Reason) is opposed to Happiness(Instinct) 13 | 14 | A. Duty is the action by which moral worth is realized 15 | B. Moral worth is valued by MAXIM not ENDS/MEANS 16 | 17 | C. Duty is the necessity to do an action from respect for law. 18 | 19 | 8. Law is Reason derived Purpose, this is why we respect law, this is why law can be commanded 20 | 9. To act with Good will is to have Pure Respect for Law 21 | 10. This Pure Respect for Pure Law is our Maxim 22 | 23 | 11. I SHOULD ACT IN ONLY SUCH A WAY THAT I WOULD ALSO WILL THAT MY ACTIONS BE MADE UNIVERSAL LAW. 24 | 25 | 12. THE WAY I FEEL AND THE WAY I SHOULD ACT ARE IN A CONFLICT I NEED TO RESOLVE. 26 | 27 | THEREFORE: 28 | We must now turn from common sense to philosophy on practical grounds to critique our reason 29 | in the interest of deriving authority to prove we are correct 30 | 31 | ## NOTES 32 | 33 | - The only purely good thing is GOOD WILL 34 | - Even the best qualities can become bad in the absense of good will (bad will) 35 | 36 | "Worthiness to be happy" is predicated on good will (explored a lot more later) 37 | 38 | ** GOOD WILL IS GOOD IN AND OF ITSELF ** 39 | __NOT__ because of the effects and ends it motivates and has 40 | 41 | "Usefulness or fruitlessness can neither diminish or augment its worth." 42 | 43 | INSTINCT (nature; ENDS/MEANS oriented) 44 | vs 45 | REASON (contemplate existence; not guide it) 46 | 47 | >> One might observe: MORE reason === LESS happiness 48 | this has led to MISOLOGY, "hate of reason" 49 | 50 | What we really need to realize is that HAPPINESS is NOT the AIM, but PURPOSE 51 | (a lot more on this later) 52 | 53 | REASON serves to create a will good in itself because it is not ENDS/MEANS oriented 54 | 55 | => therefore it follows that reason and its cultivation would reduce or 56 | obliterate the possibility of HAPPINESS because it creates PURPOSE 57 | 58 | Kant's method: "bring to light" via the concept of DUTY 59 | 60 | Q: What is `duty`? Give a "good" example and a "bad" one. 61 | (where bad means that it appears to be duty but is not) 62 | 63 | Q: Compare `duty` to a modern religious sense of the term. 64 | 65 | DUTY (can be commanded) vs INCLINCATION (cannot be commanded) 66 | 67 | ### PROPOSITIONS OF MORALITY 68 | 69 | 1. "To have genuine moral worth an action must be done from duty," 70 | 2. Moral worth is not by object but by MAXIM 71 | 3. "Duty is the necessity to do an action from respect for LAW." 72 | 73 | #### 2: 74 | 75 | MORAL VALUE is not of "objects" 76 | => it depends on the "principle of the volition by which the action is done." 77 | 78 | A PRIORI PRINCIPLE 79 | (formal) 80 | ^^ 81 | DUTY 82 | ^^ 83 | || 84 | WILL 85 | || 86 | vv 87 | A POSTERIORI INCENTIVE 88 | (material) 89 | ^^ 90 | INCLINATION 91 | 92 | #### 3: 93 | 94 | **RESPECT** 95 | 96 | one cannot respect inclination: only approve or love 97 | 98 | one can respect: 99 | 100 | - "connected to will as GROUND not CONSEQUENCE" 101 | - does NOT serve inclination, in fact "excludes", "overpowers" it 102 | 103 | == LAW 104 | 105 | **if i can respect it, it can be commanded" 106 | 107 | PURE RESPECT FOR PURE LAW <- MAXIM 108 | "follow even if it thwarts all inclinations" 109 | 110 | K: WHAT KIND OF LAW CAN DETERMINE WILL W/O REFERENCE TO EXPECTED RESULT? 111 | (cuz that's the only way will can be called 100% good) 112 | 113 | ** UNIVERSAL CONFORMITY TO LAW "AS SUCH" ** 114 | "I ought never act in such a way that I could not also will that my maxim 115 | should be universal law" 116 | 117 | ** PRINCIPLE OF THE WILL ** 118 | I conform to law, strictly, regardless of particular law 119 | (because otherwise "duty" is a vain chimerical concept) 120 | 121 | e.g. i could will the white lie but not a universal law to white lie 122 | 123 | CAN I WILL THAT MY MAXIM BECOME UNIVERSAL LAW? 124 | 125 | "duty is the condition of a will good in itself, whose worth transcends 126 | everything." 127 | 128 | "[T]he most remarkable thing about ordinary human understanding it 129 | its practical concern is that it may have as much hope as any 130 | philosopher of hitting the mark." 131 | 132 | however, common sense doesnt work because there is a "natural dialectice" 133 | between 134 | 135 | - knowing + respecting duty 136 | - feeling inclination 137 | 138 | ******* THEREFORE ******** 139 | 140 | we are IMPELLED on **PRACTICAL** (not SPECULATIVE) GROUNDS TOWARDS PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY 141 | 142 | we are impelled like this to avoid the opposing claims between reason and instinct 143 | and the eventual equivocation that could occur if we let the dialectic become productive 144 | 145 | we need to "seek aid in philosophy" 146 | 147 | OUR PHILOSOPHICAL TASK IS A "COMPLETE CRITICAL EXAMINATION" OF OUR REASON 148 | 149 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------