Methods of Philosophizing

History of Philosophy

Like a long conversation of arguments

and opinions from the time of the pre-
Socratics down to the contemporary
philosophers.
Rene Descartes
and the
Western
Modern
Thinking
 RENE DESCARTES( 1596-1650)

A French philosopher says that only “the

mind” not the body can arrive at clear
and distinct ideas which cannot be
doubted.
 How he arrived at this truth?

We know that we can not

By Asking if the objects that I come to
because of the deceptive
know through my sense can be trusted. nature of our senses

Descartes then knew that the

body and the senses cannot be
trusted when it comes to
arriving at indubitable truths.
 What can be trusted then?

There is one thing that

He comes to the conclusion
cannot be doubted, and
that is doubt itself

Even if he doubts that he is

doubting, the doubting still
clearly demonstrates that he is
doubting
 From this insights…

Descartes proceeds with asking what else he can

find that can not be doubted by the mind

 He realizes…

Doubting is thinking. Therefore, thinking cannot

likewise be doubted. The more he doubts that he is

thinking, the clearer it appears that he is actually

thinking.
 Finally the most important truth shown in
this process

If there is doubting and

thinking, then there must be

also be thinker and doubter.

And that of course Descartes

himself.
 Finally the most important truth shown in
this process

“I am! I exist!

-when one thinks, one

intuitively or immediately

realizes that he exists.

 Finally the most important truth shown in
this process

First clear and distinct idea

that one arrives at, namely,

that thinking implies the

thinker’s existence
Finally the most important truth shown in
this process
 In summary

This method however, has shown

us that the search of truth leads a
detachment from the material
world outside of one’s mind and
focus on the inner world of
consciousness and thinking.
The Way of Tao
 Taoist theory of yin-yang

Yin and yang refers to the two polarities

of an entity.
Taoist theory of yin-yang
 Taoist theory of yin-yang

Nothing escapes this yin-yang

relationship. But unlike the Aristotelian
logic that influence Western thought, yin
and yang are not like A is opposed to not-
A
 Taoist theory of yin-yang

Something can be both Yin and Yang–

there is no pure Yin or pure Yang

Another important aspect of Yin and Yang is

their ability to transform into the other-Yin
transform Yang and vice versa.
 Taoist theory of yin-yang

To understand the truth, therefore, is to

understand the “Tao”-– in the common
sense Tao refers to the way doing
anything or the pathway to some
destination.
 Taoist theory of yin-yang

Tao in Its higher meaning refers to the

way of the universe, the way things are.

As a spiritual system Tao means the way to achieve a

true understanding of the nature of mind and reality,
to the way of living in harmony with changes of
Nature
 What is the oriental “method” to
understanding truth?

It is by striving to achieve balance in

everything– a balance between thinking
and moving, resting and working, taking
in and letting go.