Part of the Penguin Academic Series, this inexpensive and brief text examines the main problems in contemporary
philosophy and uses more than 100 "Food for Thought" exercises that promote learning by helping students
become true active learners of philosophy.
Vivid and engaging examples and cases further enhance this up-to-date examination of the main problems in contemporary
philosophy. It is written for professors teaching a problems-oriented course.
Table of Contents
1. Philosophical Tools.
What Is Philosophy?
The Relationship Between Philosophy and Science.
The Main Branches of Philosophy.
Philosophical Methodology.
The Basic Structure of Arguments.
2. What Do We Know?
What Is Knowledge?
Three Different Theories of Knowledge.
Skepticism.
Empiricism.
The Case for Empiricism.
Rationalism.
Final Remarks on Epistemology.
3. The Problem of Free Will.
Why Is There a Problem with Free Will?
The Case for Hard-Determinism.
Can Indeterminism Save Free Will?
Soft Determinism.
Libertarianism.
Final Remarks on the Problem of Free Will.
4. The Problem of Personal Identity.
Do We Always Remain the Same?
The Illusion Theory of Personal Identity.
The Body Theory of Personal Identity.
The Soul Theory of Personal Identity.
The Memory Theory of Personal Identity.
Final Remarks on Personal Identity.
5. The Mind/Body Problem.
What Is the Problem?
Possible Solutions to the Mind/Body Problem.
Substance Dualism.
Varieties of Physicalism.
Behaviorism.
The Identity Theory.
Functionalism.
Final Remarks on the Mind Body Problem.
6. Does God Exist?
God, Faith, and Reason.
What Do We Mean By the Word "God" ?
Arguments in Defense of a Classical Theistic God.
Arguments Against the Existence of a Classical Theistic God.
Final Remarks on the Problem of God's Existence.
7. What Ought We Do?
Moral Intuitions and Moral Principles.
A Fundamental Challenge: Relativism.
Some Important Ethical Theories.
Divine Command Theory.
Utilitarianism.
Duty-Based Theories.
Virtue-Based Theories.
Final Remarks on the Problem of Morality.
