[Ebook PDF] The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach, 6th Edition

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The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach, 6th Edition

ISBN-13: 978-0078038341
ISBN-10: 0078038340

Author: William Lawhead (Author)

The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach is a text with readings that enhances comprehension of philosophical study by encouraging students to ponder, explore, and actively participate in the learning process. Philosophy becomes a personal journey for students through Lawhead’s unique pedagogy that introduces philosophical concepts through practical application in the form of primary sources, interwoven exercises, and sections that encourage critical thinking and further exploration of core concepts.

PREFACE
Socrates once complained in the Protagoras that eloquent orators and books are alike in that they provide massive amounts of information, “but if one asks any of them an additional question . . . they cannot either answer or ask a question on their own account.” As I wrote this book, my challenge was to see to what degree I could provide a counterexample to Socrates’ claim. Of course, Socrates is correct: Th ere is no substitute for live philosophical conversations and debates. However, as you get acquainted with this book, you will find that it does ask you questions and provokes you to ask questions in turn. Instead of simply presenting information for you to passively absorb, its many exercises require your active involvement, and some will even provide the opportunity for you to dialogue with your friends about the philosophical issues discussed. For this reason, I chose the title The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach.
Rather than being like a slide show of landscapes you have never visited, this book is a guided, exploratory journey in which you will have to scout the terrain yourself. I hope that the journey will be fun, but there is also much to be done a route. Th is philosophy text is as interactive as is possible within the medium of paper and ink. Students taking courses in philosophy are often asked, “What can you do with philosophy?” After taking this philosophical journey I have planned for you, I hope that you will realize that the really important question is, “What can philosophy do with you?” You will certainly not agree with everything you will read in these pages but do anticipate the fact that engaging with these ideas will not leave you unchanged.
ORGANIZATION
Th is book presents philosophy by introducing the major philosophical topics, questions, positions, and philosophers. Th e different chapters are independent enough that they could be read in a different order if one so desired. However, you should start with the overview (section 1.0) in chapter 1, which will prepare you for the journey. Th e remaining fi ve chapters then lead into each of the major areas of philosophy. Th e fi rst section of each chapter, as well as each subtopic, has the following features:
• Scouting the Territory—a scenario that raises engaging, philosophical questions.
• Charting the Terrain—a more precise presentation of the topic and its signific cancer.
• Choosing a Path—a presentation of the opposing alternatives to help you clarify your own thinking on the issue.
• Conceptual Tools—an occasional feature that introduces important distinctions, defi-nations, or terminology as helpful tools for understanding the topic.
• What Do I Think? —a questionnaire that will help you identify your current stand on the issue. An answer key will show you how philosophers label your own position and which answers are incompatible.
Th e opening section of each topic will be followed by sections that present and analyze the diff erent alternatives that can be taken on the issue. Each of these sections has the following format:
• Leading Questions—a series of questions asked from the standpoint of the position in question that will get you thinking about the philosophy and its merits.
• Surveying the Case for . . . —a presentation of the position under consideration and the arguments supporting it.
• A Reading from . . . —several brief readings that will provide you with practice in analyzing philosophical passages and arguments. As always, you will be provided with guidelines for getting the most out of the passage.
• Looking through X’s Lens—an exercise in which you will be asked to draw out the implications of the philosopher’s position and apply the theory to novel situations.
• Examining the Strengths and Weaknesses of X—a series of considerations and questions that will guide you in forming your own response to the position. Th roughout the book will be a number of exercises that require you to interact philosophically with the issues. Th ese include:
• Philosophy in the Marketplace—a question, survey, or scenario that will allow you to apply the Socratic method of doing philosophy through structured conversations with friends outside of class.
• Th ought Experiments—exercises that will give you the opportunity to make your own philosophical discoveries and to compare your conclusions with those of the great philosophers as well as those of your classmates.
• Stop and Th ink boxes—a brief pause in your reading to form some tentative conclusions about an issue.
• Spotlight on . . . —additional information that helps illuminate the topic.
(For a more detailed explanation of these unique features of Th e Philosophical Journey,
turn to pages 11–15.)
Both students and teachers will find that these features provide a great deal to think about and talk about. In my attempts to make philosophy an activity and not just a course, I began developing this approach to introducing philosophy more than 25 years ago. Th e activities I have experimented with that have made it into the book have been the ones that my students most enjoyed and that have made my task as a teacher easier. I hope that both the students and teachers using this book will find this to be true for them as well.