Students learn to critically think about philosophy.   The Philosopher’s Way inspires students to think like a philosopher, helping them become more accomplished critical thinkers and develop the analytical tools needed to think philosophically about important issues.   This text features readings from major philosophical texts and commentary to guide students in their understanding of the topics. It is organized by questions central to the main branches of philosophy and examines the ideas of philosophers past and present.   A better teaching and learning experience This program will provide a better teaching and learning experience—for you and your students. Here’s how: Improve Critical Thinking – Critical thinking features challenge students to go beyond their reading and explore the connections philosophy has in their everyday lives. Engage Students – Full-color visuals bring topics to life, and writing examples give students a foundation for their own philosophical exploration. Support Instructors –Instructor’s Manual, Test Bank, MyTest, and PowerPoint slides are available to be packaged with this text.  

Table of Contents:
Found in this section: 1. Brief Table of Contents 2. Full Table of Contents   1. BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS   Chapter 1What is Philosophy? Thinking Philosophically About Life Chapter 2 What is the Philosopher’s Way? Socrates and the Examined Life Chapter 3 Who are You? Consciousness, Identity, and the Self Chapter 4 Are You Free? Freedom and Determinism Chapter 5 How Can We Know the Nature of Reality? Philosophical Foundations Chapter 6 What is Real? What is True? Further Explorations Chapter 7 Is there a Spiritual Reality? Exploring the Philosophy of Religion Chapter 8 Are there Moral Truths?Thinking About Ethics Chapter 9 What are Right Actions? Constructing an Ethical Theory Chapter 10 What is Social Justice? Creating a Just State   2. FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS   Preface   Chapter 1: What is Philosophy? Thinking Philosophically About Life 1.1 Why Study Philosophy? 1.2 Defining Philosophy  Philosophy Is the Pursuit of Wisdom Philosophy Begins with Wonder  Philosophy Is a Dynamic Process  The Ultimate Aim of Philosophy  1.3 Thinking Philosophically: Becoming a Critical Thinker  Thinking Philosophically What Is Your Philosophy of Life?  Qualities of a Critical Thinker  Thinking Philosophically Who Are Your Models of Critical Thinking?  The Process of Critical Thinking  Thinking Philosophically Applying the Critical Thinking Model Stages in Critical Thinking 1.4 Understanding Arguments  The Structure of Arguments  Evaluating Arguments  Deductive Arguments  Inductive Arguments  Informal Fallacies  Thinking Philosophically Evaluating Arguments  1.5 Branches of Philosophy  Metaphysics  Thinking Philosophically Are You Willing to Question Your Beliefs?  Thinking Philosophically How Do You Know What Is True?  Epistemology  Ethics  Thinking Philosophically Do You Have a Moral Philosophy?  Political and Social Philosophy  Aesthetics  1.6 Reading Critically: Working with Primary Sources  Bertrand Russell, from The Value of Philosophy  Reading Critically Analyzing Russell on the Value of Philosophy  1.7 Making Connections: The Search for a Meaningful Life  Thinking Philosophically What Do You Hope to Learn?  Writing About Philosophy Analyzing Your Beliefs  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 2: What is the Philosopher’s Way? Socrates and the Examined Life 2.1 Socrates: A Model for Humanity  Hesiod, Homer, and the Birth of Philosophy Karl Jaspers, The Axial Period A Man of Greece  A Midwife of Ideas  The Wisest of Men?  Plato, from The Apology  Reading Critically Analyzing Socrates on Wisdom and Humility  2.2 The Socratic Method  Plato, from The Republic  Reading Critically Analyzing a Socratic Dialogue  2.3 Socrates’ Central Concern: The Soul  Plato, from The Apology  Reading Critically Analyzing the Core Teachings of Socrates  2.4 The Trial and Death of Socrates  Plato, from The Apology  Thinking Philosophically Countering Personal Attacks  Reading Critically Analyzing Socrates on Trial  2.5 Making Connections: Socrates’ Legacy  Thinking Philosophically Is Socrates Relevant Today?  Writing About Philosophy A Socratic Dialogue  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 3: Who are You? Consciousness, Identity, and the Self 3.1 Know Thyself?  Thinking Philosophically Do You Know Yourself?  3.2 The Soul Is Immortal: Socrates and Plato  Plato, from Phaedo  Reading Critically Analyzing Socrates on the Self  Plato, from Phaedrus, The Chariot Analogy  3.3 St. Augustine’s Synthesis of Plato and Christianity Thinking Philosophically Do you believe in an immortal soul? 3.4 Descartes’ Modern Perspective on the Self Rene Descartes, from Meditations on First Philosophy Thinking Philosophically Are you a Seeker After Truth? Reading Critically  Analyzing Descartes on the Mind/Body Problem 3.5 The Self Is Consciousness: Locke  John Locke, from On Personal Identity  Thinking Philosophically Applying Locke’s Ideas  Reading Critically Analyzing Locke on the Conscious Self  3.6 There Is No Self: Hume  David Hume, from On Personal Identity  Reading Critically Analyzing Hume on the Absence of Self  3.7 We Construct the Self: Kant  Immanuel Kant, from Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics  Immanuel Kant, from Critique of Pure Reason  Thinking Philosophically Sense, Perception, and Your Self  Reading Critically Analyzing Kant’s Unity of Consciousness  3.8 The Self Is Multi-Layered:  Freud Sigmund Freud, from An Outline of Psychoanalysis Reading Critically Analyzing Freud’s Ideas about Mind 3.9 The Self Is How You Behave:  Ryle Gilbert Ryle, from The Concept of Mind Reading Critically Analyzing Ryle’s View of Self as Behavior 3.10 The Self Is the Brain: Materialism  Churchland, from On Eliminative Materialism  Reading Critically Analyzing Churchland’s Materialism  3.11 The Self is Embodied Subjectivity:  Husserl and Merleau-Ponty Marcel Proust, from In Search of Time Lost Thinking Philosophically Applying Phenomenology Marcel Proust, from Within a Budding Grove 3.12 Buddhist Concepts of Self Milindaphanha, The Simile of the Chariot Reading Critically Analyzing the Buddhist Chariot Analogy 3.13 Making Connections: In Search of the Self  Thinking Philosophically What Is Your Concept of the Self?  Writing About Philosophy Defining the Self  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 4: Are You Free? Freedom and Determinism 4.1 Are You the Master of Your Fate?  Thinking Philosophically What Are Your Assumptions About Freedom?  4.2 Determinism  Baron d’Holbach, from The System of Nature  Thinking Philosophically Do You Choose Freely?  Reading Critically Analyzing Baron d’Holbach on the Illusion of Freedom  4.3 Compatibilism  External Constraints May Limit Freedom: Stace  W. T. Stace, from Religion and the Modern Mind Internal Constraints May Also Limit Freedom: Schlick  Free Will Is a Human Creation: Dennett  Reading Critically Evaluating Compatibilism  4.4 Indeterminism and Libertarianism  We Live in a World of Possibilities: James  William James, from The Will to Believe  Reading Critically Analyzing James on Free Will  We Create Ourselves Through Our Choices: Sartre  Jean-Paul Sartre, from Existentialism Is a Humanism  Reading Critically Analyzing Sartre on Freedom, Choice, and Responsibility  4.5 A Feminist Analysis of Freedom  Jean Grimshaw, from Autonomy and Identity in Feminist Thinking  Reading Critically Analyzing Jean Grimshaw on Autonomy  4.6 Making Connections: Creating a Synthesis  Overcoming Limitations to Your Freedom  Confronting External Constraints  Confronting Internal Constraints  Thinking Philosophically What Are the Limitations to Your Freedom?  Writing About Philosophy Understanding Personal Freedom  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 5: How Can We Know the Nature of Reality? Philosophical Foundations 5.1 What Is the Nature of Reality?  Thinking Philosophically What Is Your Concept of Reality?  5.2 Reality Is the Eternal Realm of the Forms: Plato  The Divided Line  The Theory of Innate Ideas  Plato, from Meno  Reading Critically Analyzing Plato’s Theory of Innate Ideas  The Path to Knowledge of Reality: The Cave Allegory  Plato, from The Republic  Reading Critically Analyzing Plato’s Allegory of the Cave  5.3 Reality Is the Natural World: Aristotle  Aristotle’s Two Categories: Matter and Form  Entelechy  The Four Causes  Aristotle, from Metaphysics  Reading Critically Analyzing Aristotle’s Concept of Reality  5.4 Can Reality Be Known? Descartes  René Descartes, from Meditations on First Philosophy  Reading Critically Analyzing Descartes’ Radical Doubt  5.5 Making Connections: Your Beliefs About the World  Thinking Philosophically Evaluating the Accuracy of Your Beliefs  Writing About Philosophy Analyzing Philosophical Themes in a Fictional Work  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 6: What is Real? What is True? Further Explorations 6.1 Questioning Independent Reality  Bertrand Russell, from Appearance and Reality  Reading Critically How Do You Know What Is “Real”?  6.2 All Knowledge Comes from Experience: Locke  Locke’s Critique of “Universality”  John Locke, from An Essay Concerning Human Understanding  Leibniz’s Case Against Locke  Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, from New Essays Concerning Human Understanding  Locke’s Causal Theory of Perception  John Locke, from An Essay Concerning Human Understanding  Reading Critically Analyzing Locke’s Empirical View  6.3 Reality Depends on Perception: Berkeley  George Berkeley, from A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge  Reading Critically Analyzing Berkeley’s Subjective Idealism  6.4 Understanding Reality Demands Skepticism: Hume  David Hume, from An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding  Reading Critically Analyzing Hume’s Case for Skepticism  6.5 We Constitute Our World: Kant  Immanuel Kant, from Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics  Hume’s Challenge to Philosophy  Kant’s Solution: Transcendental Idealism  Immanuel Kant, from Critique of Pure Reason  Two Realities: Phenomenal and Noumenal  Reading Critically Analyzing Kant’s Synthesizing Project  Applying Kant’s Theory  Three Accounts of the Assassination of Malcolm X  Reading Critically How Is Knowledge Constructed?  6.6 Emotions Shape Our Understanding: Jaggar  Alison M. Jaggar, from Love and Knowledge: Emotion in Epistemology  Reading Critically Analyzing Jaggar on the Role of Emotions  6.7 Making Connections: Developing Informed Beliefs  Thinking Philosophically What Are the Limits of Your Knowledge?  Writing About Philosophy Constructing Knowledge  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 7: Is there a Spiritual Reality? Exploring the Philosophy of Religion 7.1 Thinking Philosophically About Religious Beliefs  Thinking Philosophically What Are Your Religious Beliefs?  7.2 What Is Religion?  Ways of Defining Religion  Frederick Streng, from What Is Religion?  Reading Critically Analyzing Streng on Definitions of Religion  God Is a Human Projection: Feuerbach  Ludwig Feuerbach, from The Essence of Christianity  Reading Critically Analyzing Feuerbach on Religion as Anthropomorphism  Religion Is Vital Quest: Nishitani  Keiji Nishitani, from Religion and Nothingness  Reading Critically Analyzing Nishitani on the Religious Quest  7.3 A Brief Survey of World Religions  Hinduism  Buddhism  Daoism (Taoism)  Judaism  Christianity  Islam  Indigenous Sacred Ways  Thinking Philosophically Expanding Your Religious Understanding  7.4 Can We Prove the Existence of God?  The Ontological Argument  Saint Anselm and Gaunilo, from The Ontological Argument  Reading Critically Analyzing the Ontological Argument  The Cosmological Argument  Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Summa Theologica  Reading Critically Analyzing the Cosmological Argument  The Argument from Gradations of Perfection  The Argument from Design  William Paley, from Natural Theology  Reading Critically Analyzing the Argument from Design  The Argument from Morality  Immanuel Kant, from Critique of Practical Reason  Reading Critically Analyzing the Argument from Morality  7.5 The Problem of Evil  J.L. Mackie, from Evil and Omnipotence Reading Critically Analyzing Mackie on the Problem of Evil John Hick, from Philosophy of Religion  Reading Critically Analyzing Hick on the Problem of Evil  Edward H. Madden and Peter H. Hare, A Critique of Hick’s Theodicy Reading Critically Analyzing Madden and Hare’s Critique of John Hick’s Theodicy 7.6 Faith and Religious Experience  Religious Faith as a Wager: Pascal  Blaise Pascal, “A Wager” from Thoughts on Religion  Reading Critically Analyzing “Pascal’s Wager”  Religious Beliefs Require Sufficient Evidence: Clifford  W. K. Clifford, from The Ethics of Belief  Reading Critically Analyzing Clifford on the Ethics of Belief  Religious Belief Is Legitimate and Compelling: James  William James, from The Will to Believe  Reading Critically Analyzing James on the Will to Believe  Subjective Knowing: The Leap of Faith  Søren Kierkegaard, from The Leap of Faith and the Limits of Reason  Søren Kierkegaard, from Concluding Unscientific Postscript  Reading Critically Analyzing Kierkegaard on Faith and Reason  7.7 Making Connections: Reflections on the Philosophy of Religion  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 8: Are there Moral Truths? Thinking About Ethics 8.1 Your Moral Compass  Ethics and Values        Thinking Philosophically What Are Your Moral Values?  Thinking Critically About Ethics Thinking Philosophically Making Moral Decisions  8.2 Ethical Relativism  Ethical Subjectivism: Each Person Determines What Is Morally Right  Thinking Philosophically How Subjective Are Your Ethics?  Cultural Relativism: Each Culture Determines What Is Morally Right  Ruth Benedict, from Anthropology and the Abnormal  Thinking Philosophically Cultural Relativism and Your Moral Perspective  Reading Critically Analyzing Benedict on Culture and Values  8.3 Ethical Absolutism: Some Moral Values Are Universal  Thinking Philosophically Do You Believe in Universal Values?  W. T. Stace, from The Concept of Morals  Reading Critically Analyzing Stace’s Critique of Ethical Relativism  8.4 Egoism as a Universal Principle  Arguments for Egoism  Plato, from The Republic, “The Myth of Gyges”  Reading Critically Analyzing “The Myth of Gyges”  Ayn Rand, from The Virtue of Selfishness  Reading Critically Analyzing Rand on the Virtue of Selfishness  Arguments Against Egoism  James Rachels, from Egoism and Moral Skepticism  Reading Critically Analyzing Rachels’s Critique of Egoism  8.5 Religion and Universal Values  Divine Command Theory  Thinking Philosophically Religion and Your Ethical Values  The Story of Abraham and Isaac, from the Bible  Natural Law Theory  Thinking Philosophically Do You Believe in Natural Laws?  Martin Luther King Jr., from Letter from a Birmingham Jail  Reading Critically Analyzing King on Universal Values  8.6 Making Connections: On Becoming an Ethical Person  Robert Coles, from The Disparity Between Intellect and Character  Thinking Philosophically Can Morality Be Learned in College?  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 9: What are Right Actions? Constructing an Ethical Theory 9.1 Expanding Your Knowledge of Moral Philosophy  9.2 Character: Virtue Ethics  Thinking Philosophically What Is Your Moral Character?  Aristotle, from The Nicomachean Ethics  Reading Critically Analyzing Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics  9.3 Maxims: Duty to Moral Laws  Immanuel Kant, from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals  Thinking Philosophically The Categorical Imperative and Your Moral Compass  Immanuel Kant, from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals  Reading Critically Analyzing Kant on Duty and Reason  9.4 Consequences: Utilitarianism  The Greatest Happiness for the Greatest Number: Bentham Jeremy Bentham, from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation  Thinking Philosophically Applying the Hedonistic Calculus  Higher Pleasures Have Greater Worth: Mill  John Stuart Mill, from Utilitarianism  Reading Critically Analyzing Utilitarianism  Consider the Interests of Animals: Singer  Peter Singer, from Animal Liberation  Reading Critically Analyzing Singer on Animal Rights  9.5 Authenticity: Existentialist Ethics  “The Crowd Is Untruth”: Kierkegaard  Søren Kierkegaard, from On the Dedication to ‘That Single Individual’  Søren Kierkegaard, from The Present Age  Reading Critically Analyzing Kierkegaard on Authenticity  Beyond Good and Evil: Nietzsche  Friedrich Nietzsche, from The Gay Science  Friedrich Nietzsche, from Beyond Good and Evil  Reading Critically Analyzing Nietzsche on Morality  Authenticity and Ethical Responsibility: Sartre  Jean-Paul Sartre, from Existentialism Is a Humanism  Reading Critically Analyzing Sartre on Moral Responsibility  Our Interplay with Others Defines Us: de Beauvoir  Simone de Beauvoir, from Ethics of Ambiguity  Reading Critically Analyzing de Beauvoir on Moral Choices  Courage Is the Highest Value: Camus  Camus, from The Myth of Sisyphus  Reading Critically Analyzing the Myth of Sisyphus  9.6 Empathy: The Ethics of Care  Nel Noddings, from Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education  Reading Critically Analyzing Noddings on the Ethics of Care  9.7 Making Connections: Your Moral Compass Revisited  Thinking Philosophically Constructing an Ethical Theory  Writing About Philosophy Analyzing Moral Choices in a Film or Novel  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Chapter 10: What is Social Justice? Creating a Just State 10.1 Elements of a Just Society  Thinking Philosophically Examining Our Society  10.2 Classical Theories of Society: Confucius, Plato, and Aristotle  Society Should Be Based on Virtue: Confucius  Reading Critically Analyzing Confucius on the Social Order  Society Should Be Based on Function and Harmony: Plato  Plato, from The Republic  Reading Critically Analyzing Plato on Social Harmony  Society Is the Natural State of Humanity: Aristotle  Aristotle, from Politics  Reading Critically Analyzing Aristotle on Community  10.3 Justice Depends on a Social Contract: From Hobbes and Locke to Rawls  We Need a Social Contract to Coexist: Hobbes  Thomas Hobbes, from Leviathan  Reading Critically Analyzing Hobbes on the Social Contract  The Social Contract Protects Natural Rights: Locke  John Locke, from The Second Treatise of Civil Government  Thomas Jefferson et al., from The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription  Reading Critically Analyzing Locke on Natural Rights  The State of Nature: Assumptions and Questions  The State of Nature Is a Conceptual Tool: Rawls  John Rawls, from A Theory of Justice  Thinking Philosophically Creating a Just Society  Reading Critically Analyzing Rawls on Justice and Equality  10.4 Justice Is Based on Need and Ability: Marx and Engels  Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, from Manifesto of the Communist Party  Reading Critically Analyzing Marx and Engels on Social Justice  10.5 Justice Is What Promotes the General Welfare: Mill  Thinking Philosophically Analyzing Mill’s Concept of Justice  John Stuart Mill, from On Liberty  Reading Critically Analyzing Mill on Liberty  10.6 Justice Is What Promotes Gender Equality: Okin  Susan Moller Okin, from Justice, Gender, and the Family  Reading Critically Analyzing Okin on Gender Equality  10.7 Making Connections: An Ideal Society  Thinking Philosophically Your Ideal Society  Writing About Philosophy Your Ideal Society  visual summary  chapter review  for further reading, viewing & research    Credits  Index