Ward's notes on the lecture;
Professor Roderick is witty and sarcastic, and he attempts to bring this material "down to
our level." That is, he condescends to us in the best sense of that word. Rather than referring to obscure texts to illustrate his points Roderick, continually refers to
films and television shows that were popular with a late twentieth century audience. Many of his references are from the 1980s and you may not be familiar with many of them. That is okay. You may wish to see the films if you think it will help you to follow his examples but I don't think that it is particularly crucial.
I would encourage you to download the MP3's of the lectures and listen to them a couple of times before you comment on the discussion questions that follow. I have included a link to the transcript and the videos but you should understand that the videos were uploaded to youtube when they still had the 10 minute maximum rule. Therefore, if you watch you will be re
quired to load each new video every 9 - 10 minutes. On the other hand, the audio files allow you to listen uninterrupted anywhere you might go. However, I encourage you to read the transcripts as you listen as the text will help you to follow the increasingly complex ideas he discusses as the lecture series progresses.
You will find that this material is demanding. It demands your undivided attention and a degree of thought that can be taxing and exhausting. So stick with it. Our discussions in the comments will be much more fruitful if you have engaged with the material early in the week so that we have time to interact throughout the week ahead.
One last point on this summer assignment. While our course begins with the fourteenth century, I think that Professor Roderick's survey of Philosophy and Human Values will help us to follow the intellectual climate of our study throughout the year. It is okay if you don't "get" everything that he discusses throughout this series. A basic familiarity with the figures and ideas will help to provide the intellectual context for our study as the year progresses.
Have fun and I look forward to our discussions.
Peace,
ward
AUDIO MP3 (Right click to download.)
I. The trial and death of Socrates inaugurated the Western philosophical tradition.
A. Investigation turned from movement of stars and composition of the earth toward human matters by separating scientific from philosophic discourse.
B. Dialogic form posits dialogue as essential to knowledge.
C. It is essential to have knowledge of oneself.
II. Socrates had an argument against relativism.
A. Is the idea that truth is relative itself a relative truth — or is it an absolute one?
B. Human Meaning:
1. What are you doing — now, and in life?
2. Do meanings transcend the here and now?
3. When a term or set of terms that are very important to a society (e.g. “virtue”, “patriotism”) are questioned, society is in danger. This was true of Socrates’ Athens and of our condition.
4. Several themes are pursued throughout the lectures.
C. Ask and try to localize in history what it means to be a human being.
D. Explore ways of living, including the socratic way of critical inquiry.
E. The “fallibilist” philosophy is believing passionately in certain things but realizing that the beliefs may be wrong.
F. This type of critical inquiry, if it can be carried out at all, can be carried out when societies are troubled and the meanings of words are debated and redefined.
1. The way we describe and understand our lives is inextricably connected to the way we live them.
2. Under these conditions it may not be possible to expand localized useful definitions.
