Outline of Video One: "What is Philosophy?"

What is Philosophy?

• Socrates: "The unexamined life is not worth living."
• Plato's allegory of the Cave: the condition of the philosopher
• Why do philosophy?
• to explain rather than describe: what do you mean? And how do you know?
• to identify the assumptions, clarify the arguments (close reasoning) and think about how to live
• Socrates: trial and accusations
• the aim of life is to pursue wisdom, to achieve excellence (aretê) in being human. Regarding this, Socrates acknowledges that he knows he is not wise.
• Socratic method: through questioning, identify the essence of a topic and show inconsistencies with proposed answers
• inner goodness is the goal
• the value of philosophy: inquiry for its own sake: that is, for the sake of becoming proficient in seeking for the way to live well