CHECKPOINT

Activity
1. State your own opinion or view why there is a need to study philosophy?
2. What are the concerns of practical men based on your own observation of how an
ordinary life is lived by everyone? In relation to it, why philosophy is a shame for others?
Philosophy is with us since we are born. It applied to almost any area and part of
our life. Philosophy deals with the rational thinking by individuals in learning. It helps you
compose your mind and in every decision you make. Philosophy helps us improve our
problem-solving abilities, the critical mind will enhance, communication skills, persuasive
abilities, and writing abilities. The following is an overview of how philosophy aids in the
development of these critical skills. We human beings are naturally inquisitive creatures,
and we can’t help wondering and asking our self about the world that around us, our place
in it and what will happen. We’re also equipped with a powerful and critical intellectual
capability, which allows us to reason logically as well as just wonder. Although we may
not realize it, whenever we reason or just doubt, we’re thinking philosophically. It is really
indeed important and we need to study philosophy or rather you don’t want it you will be
still using everytime the philosophy and think philosophically. It helps our mind at ease
and reclaims our critical thinking, logical reasoning, perception and creativity. To put it in
simplest way, knowing yourself, what you want to do is just a simple philosophical
thinking. As I learn about how and what is philosophy and how it works and run, I really
love how Sigmund Freud developed the psychoanalysis and he is one of the influential
thinker.
This chapter is a powerful defense of philosophical practice. Russell specifically
discusses the "practical man," who sees philosophy as a pursuit of "hair-splitting
distinctions" and trivialities. Getting a "wrong view of the ends of life" and "the kinds of
goods that philosophy seeks to accomplish" leads to this way of thinking about
philosophy. Russell draws a distinction between the utilitarian and the aesthetic. The
notion that devoting time to philosophy will divert our attention away from more realistic
considerations is not new. Of course, implying that philosophy isn't as useful or functional
as other topics or practices is a philosophical notion that needs to be justified. Philosophy
will not fatten our wallets or elevate us to dizzying heights in a democratic state; in reality,
it can render us reckless about these stuff. What if we fatten our wallets or ascend to high
office while remaining ignorantly naive, coarsely unfurnished in mind, brutal in action,
erratic in character, chaotic in appetite, and blindly unhappy? If we are faithful to
philosophy, it can provide us with a healing unity of spirit. We are so sloppy and self-
contradictory in our thought that it is possible that we will explain ourselves, bring
ourselves together into consistency, and be ashamed of having conflicting expectations
or convictions. And it is possible that unity of mind can lead to the unity of intent and
character that defines a person's personality and lends some dignity to our existence.
CHECKPOINT
Activity
A. Is Stoic sense of apathy ethical? Why or why not? Explain your view further.
B. Discuss the strengths and limits of Hedonism and Epicureanism based on how you
analysed and understood these ethical theories.
Stoicism's purpose as an ethical philosophy is to achieve freedom from passion (in
the ancient sense of "anguish" or "suffering") by pursuing reason and "apatheia" (apathy,
in its ancient sense of being objective, unemotional and having clear judgment). It teaches
equanimity in the face of life's highs and lows, as well as detachment and a "passive"
response to external events. Stoicism is often mistaken for apathy, which is described as
a lack of zeal, concern, or enthusiasm. It is not the same as Stoic philosophy. We can
and should strive for success, growth, and meaning. These factors all contribute to living
a healthy and happy life. These factors contribute to the development of productive and
contributing members of society. Stoicism's ambiguity stems from a misunderstanding of
the idea of acceptance. Stoicism teaches us to embrace what we cannot change and
concentrate on what we can. We have no control over the things in life that are beyond
our control, so concentrating our time and energy here would almost certainly result in
needless misery and time loss.
As far as I know and understand, some strengths and advantages and some
examples about Hedonism are: It focuses on an individual's maximum happiness. Apart
from Hedonism, which is described as "gross sensual pleasure," there is refined
hedonism, which is characterized as "long-lasting sustainable pleasure." Appreciating art,
investing in personal relationships, and cultivating interests are all examples of Refined
Hedonism. Promotes consumerism, which benefits the economy and creates jobs. On
the other hand, the disadvantages and some limits of Hedonism are: Drug abuse is
justified by hedonists because it provides a sense of gratification, albeit fleeting. Is more
likely to make a person spendthrift than to encourage him to save for the future. Hedonists
are unaware that long-term gratification comes at the cost of short-term misery when it
comes to wellbeing and financial prudence. Hedonists are subjected to the law of
marginal utility, which states that they must eat more and more to achieve the same level
of pleasure. Consumption of natural resources is a product of consumerism, which is bad
for the environment and sustainable growth. Their never-ending greed transforms into a
desire, and so on. In the long run—or even in the short run, when deliberately pursuing
pleasure interferes with enjoying it—constant pleasure-seeking can not deliver the most
actual pleasure or satisfaction for the hedonist. For Epicureanism, when it came to
finding happiness, Epicurus had ideas about satisfaction, desires, lifestyle, and more.
Epicurus' ethic of enjoyment is, in theory, the polar opposite of the Stoic ethic of obligation.
However, the results are the same: the Epicurean is forced to live with the same
temperance and justice as the Stoic in the end. One point of divergence, however, is
crucial: the Stoic city's walls are those of the earth, and its law is that of reason; the
Epicurean city's boundaries are those of a garden, and its law is that of friendship. Though
this garden can reach the ends of the world, it is always centered on a single person.