According to legend, inscribed on walls of the temple on the sacred site of Delphi in Ancient Greece were two premier injunctions: NOTHING IN EXCESS, and KNOW THYSELF. This course will be an examination of the latter injunction in an effort to discover what self-knowledge is, why it might be valuable, and what, if any, limitations it might face. What is missing from a person lacking in self-knowledge that makes her less wise, virtuous, or competent in certain areas than others who have this capacity, and what if anything might she do to fill that gap? Historical sources as well as recent research in philosophy, experimental social psychology, and neuroscience will inform our investigation, in the course of which we will become students of our own dreams, and cultivate some meditative practices.
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Know Thyself - The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge: The Examined Life
Université d'ÉdimbourgÀ propos de ce cours
Résultats de carrière des étudiants
20%
25%
Résultats de carrière des étudiants
20%
25%
Offert par
Université d'Édimbourg
Since 1583 the University of Edinburgh has been at the forefront of innovation in education and research. Ranked 20th in the world, we have been an international leader in online learning since our first online degree launched in 2005. As part of our commitment to making learning accessible to all, we offer free courses in a variety of subjects including philosophy, health, animal welfare and STEM courses, all designed to build the skills of the global community.
Programme du cours : ce que vous apprendrez dans ce cours
Getting started
Socrates and the Examined Life
At his trial, charged with corrupting the Athenian youth, Socrates isn't exactly apologetic. He tells the jury to their faces that they only charged him because they don't like that he forces them to confront uncomfortable truths. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the jury sentences him to death. Socrates accepts the sentence unfazed, famously stating that he'd rather die than stop making people think, as 'an unexamined life is not worth living'. In this module we will examine this dictum and ask: was Socrates right to throw shade on the unexamimed life?
Descartes' Essence
Are you dreaming right now? How do you know you're not? Rene Descartes set himself a pretty titanic task: to doubt absolutely everything he cannot be certain of - even that the world exists! - and then try to see if we can rebuild our knowledge of ourselves and the world only from what we can be really certain of. In the process, he formulated some provocative thoughts on the radical separation of the mind from the body.
A re-casting of the Mind/Body problem
Descartes' dualistic picture of the mind-body relation was highly influential for centuries. A vocal minority of thinkers challenged dualism, but only in the Twentieth Century did Gilbert Ryle manage to discern how Descartes' dualistic reasoning went wrong. In understanding Ryle's approach, we will also gain an appreciation of how know-how is a legitimate form of knowledge, and of how one way of gaining self-knowledge is by looking outward rather than looking inward.
MIND AND SELF: Some Aspects of Human Nature
Is there such a thing as a human nature? And if there is, how can we know what it is? In this module we will look at how the concept of human nature is used and potentially misused, and what can all this tell us about ourselves. And finally: can human nature be changed?
Final assessment
Avis
Meilleurs avis pour KNOW THYSELF - THE VALUE AND LIMITS OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE: THE EXAMINED LIFE
Really in depth and easy to follow information on a great array of topics, philosophers and philosophies. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest of learning new knowledge .
This is a well put together course. It is beneficial to borrow or purchase the course textbook. I enjoyed the course instructor and his use of meditation breaks every so often was great.
I learned a lot about what self-knowledge and how it can enhance my life. The lectures and forum discussions were very thought-provoking. The meditative moments were an added bonus!
A really good course about different philosophical ideas from several philosophers about the examination of life. The teaching technique is really good and easy to understand.
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