| Philosophy for Atheists Dec 26th 2011, 11:01 Atheism Isn't a Philosophy, but Atheists Need Philosophy: Defining and explaining philosophy is not easy â€" the nature of the subject seems to defy description. One way or another, philosophy ends up touching upon nearly every aspect of human life. Philosophy has something to say when it comes to science, art, religion, politics, medicine, and a host of other topics. This is also why a basic grounding in philosophy can be so important for irreligious atheists. The more you know about philosophy, and even just the basics of philosophy, the more likely you'll be able to reason clearly, consistently, and with more reliable conclusions. What is Philosophy...Logic and the Philosophy of Language: How Can We Know What is Reasonable?: Logic and the Philosophy of Language are often treated separately, but they are close enough that they are presented together here. Logic is the study of methods of reasoning and argumentation, both proper and improper. The Philosophy of Language involves the study of how our language interacts with our thinking. Atheists and theists don't typically disagree much in these subject areas, but they are nevertheless critical because a proper understanding of them is necessary for the sake of sound reasoning, rational thinking, and reliable communication. Logic and the Philosophy of Language...Philosophy of Science: How Can We Study & Understand Reality?: The Philosophy of Science is concerned with how science operates, what its goals should be, what relationship it should have with the rest of society, the differences between science and other activities, etc. Everything in science is related to some some philosophical position, even though that may be rarely evident. A common disagreement between atheists and theists is whether science can or should address religious issues; atheists argue that no empirical claims are closed to science and that everything should be tested scientifically. Philosophy of Science...Epistemology: How Can We Know What's True? Can We Know Anything?: Epistemology is fundamental to how we think. Without some means of understanding how we acquire knowledge, how we rely upon our senses, and how we develop concepts in our minds, we have no coherent path for our thinking. A sound epistemology is necessary for the existence of sound thinking and reasoning â€" this is why so much philosophical literature can involve seemingly arcane discussions about the nature of knowledge. Unfortunately, atheists who frequently debate questions that derive from differences in how people approach knowledge aren't always familiar with this subject. Epistemology, Knowledge, Belief...Philosophy of Religion: What is Religion? What is Religious Belief?: The Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. Such a study is "philosophical" if it is done in reasoned, disciplined manner and takes account of insights developed in various branches of philosophy: epistemology (for knowledge claims), metaphysics (for claims about the nature of reality), ethics, the philosophy of mind, etc. Irreligious atheists' critiques of religion are thus always a part of the philosophy of religion if they are done well and properly. Philosophy of Religion...Philosophy of Mind: What is the Mind? What is Consciousness?: The Philosophy of Mind deals with questions of consciousness and how it interacts with both the body and the outside world. The Philosophy of Mind asks not only what mental phenomena are and what gives rise to them, but also what relationship they have to the larger physical body and the world around us. Atheists and theists have fundamental disagreements about the nature of the human mind, with almost all atheists regarding it as material natural while theists insist that consciousness cannot be physical. Instead, the mind must have a supernatural source in the soul and in God. Philosophy of Mind...Metaphysics: What is the Nature of Reality and Existence?: In Western philosophy, metaphysics has become the study of the fundamental nature of all reality â€" what is it, why is it, and how are we can understand it. Some treat metaphysics as the study of “higher†reality or the “invisible†nature behind everything, but that isn’t true. It is, instead, the study of all of reality, visible and invisible; and what constitutes reality, natural and supernatural. Because most of the debates between atheists and theists involve disagreements over the nature of reality and the existence of anything supernatural, the debates are often disagreements over metaphysics. Metaphysics...Ethics & Morality: How Do We Know What's Right and Wrong?: The terms ethics and morality are often used interchangeably and can mean the same thing in casual conversation. Strictly speaking, though, morality refers to what we would call moral standards and moral conduct while ethics refers to the formal study of those standards and conduct. This is why the study of ethics is often called "moral philosophy." Atheists and theists frequently debate ethics on several levels: what is the origin of morality, what are proper moral behaviors, how should morality be taught, what is the nature of morality, etc. Ethics & Morality...Philosophy of Politics & Law: How Can We Govern Society?: The Philosophy of Politics and the Philosophy of Law (jurisprudence) are often studied separately, but they both come back to the same thing: the study of force. Politics is the study of political force in the general community and jurisprudence is the study of how laws can and should be used to achieve political and social goals. Many religious theists believe that both law and politics should be based on a religious foundation, and in particular on the commands of some alleged god. Without that foundation, they argue, both law and politics will be illegitimate uses of force. Philosophy of Politics & Law...Aesthetics, History, and Education: Aesthetics is the study of beauty and taste, whether in the form of the comic, the tragic, or the sublime. The word derives from the Greek aisthetikos, meaning "of sense perception." Aesthetics has traditionally been part of philosophical pursuits like epistemology or ethics, but it started to come into its own and become a more independent pursuit under Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher who saw aesthetics as a unitary and self-sufficient type of human experience. Because of art's historical role in the transmission of religion and religious beliefs, atheists should have something to say on this topic. Aesthetics... The Philosophy of History is the study of history, writing about history, and what impact history has. It is referred to as Critical, Analytical, or Formal Philosophy of History, as well as the Philosophy of Historiography. If the focus is on the progress of history and whether history is moving towards a final, ultimate goal, or is just a collection of events with no purpose or end, it is called the Speculative, Synoptic, or the Material Philosophy of History. For many religious theists, the philosophy of history is more an explanation of how their god works in human history to unveil and ultimate plan. Philosophy of History... The Philosophy of Education deals with how children should be educated, what they should be educated in, and what the ultimate purpose of education should be for society. This is an often neglected field of philosophy and, when it is addressed, it tends to only be in educational programs designed to train teachers â€" in this context, it is a part of pedagogy, which is learning how to teach. For religious theists, the philosophy of education can often be tightly integrated with theology and religious indoctrination in order to instill religious values, doctrines, and commitment at a young age. Philosophy of Education...  | |
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