Notes on Sophies World
Sophie’s World Notes
Introduction
Questions posed: Who are you?
Is there life after death?
Where does the world&universe come from?
Why are we here?
How ought we to live? Is the human brain like an advanced computer?
Ideas: “It’s tragic that people have to get ill to appreciate life”, the possibility of something coming from nothing, we study philosophy because reading what others think can help us formulate our own ideas. We are aware that we are part of something mysterious. Philosophy started because myths could not be trusted.
Natural Philosophers
Each philosopher or group of philosophers has a project. This group wanted to explain the natural world.
Questions posed: Is there a basic substance? Can water turn to wine? How can earth and water produce a frog? How does transformation occur in nature?
Xenophanes(570 BC) – wanted an explanation of how god created man in his own image.
Thales(585 BS) – thought all life was made of water.
Anaximenes(526 BC) – air made all life, water is condensed air.
Parmenides(480 BC) – can’t trust your senses, things don’t really change, everything stays the same.
Heraclitus(480 BC) – there is constant change, characterized by opposites
Empedocles(430 BC) – both of the above are right & wrong. Four basic substances: earth, air, fire, & water. We can combine these to make everything. Love binds while strife separates – this explains the chemical changes. Raised the question, “how can I see a flower?” Believed that the eye contained all four substances.
Anaxagoras(428 BC) – everything is built from an infinite number of small particles. But, the whole is in every part (like DNA). He thought that the sun was a red hot stone and that the planets didn’t make their own light.
Democritus(370 BC) – Hypothesized atoms – you can use them over & over again. Believed in nothing but material things(materialist). Did not believe in a soul.
More questions: Why is Lego ingenius? Do you
Introduction
Questions posed: Who are you?
Is there life after death?
Where does the world&universe come from?
Why are we here?
How ought we to live? Is the human brain like an advanced computer?
Ideas: “It’s tragic that people have to get ill to appreciate life”, the possibility of something coming from nothing, we study philosophy because reading what others think can help us formulate our own ideas. We are aware that we are part of something mysterious. Philosophy started because myths could not be trusted.
Natural Philosophers
Each philosopher or group of philosophers has a project. This group wanted to explain the natural world.
Questions posed: Is there a basic substance? Can water turn to wine? How can earth and water produce a frog? How does transformation occur in nature?
Xenophanes(570 BC) – wanted an explanation of how god created man in his own image.
Thales(585 BS) – thought all life was made of water.
Anaximenes(526 BC) – air made all life, water is condensed air.
Parmenides(480 BC) – can’t trust your senses, things don’t really change, everything stays the same.
Heraclitus(480 BC) – there is constant change, characterized by opposites
Empedocles(430 BC) – both of the above are right & wrong. Four basic substances: earth, air, fire, & water. We can combine these to make everything. Love binds while strife separates – this explains the chemical changes. Raised the question, “how can I see a flower?” Believed that the eye contained all four substances.
Anaxagoras(428 BC) – everything is built from an infinite number of small particles. But, the whole is in every part (like DNA). He thought that the sun was a red hot stone and that the planets didn’t make their own light.
Democritus(370 BC) – Hypothesized atoms – you can use them over & over again. Believed in nothing but material things(materialist). Did not believe in a soul.
More questions: Why is Lego ingenius? Do you