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  • 为什么哲学?

    Why do Philosophy?
    ::为什么哲学?

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    Philosophy is one of the most challenging undertakings a human can enter into. It is one of the most powerful mental disciplines humans have developed in their time on this planet. It has changed the course of human events around the world in manners that are both subtle and in some that are quite obvious. Philosophy has evol ved or arisen in every major human civilization. It is a natural development for minds that are inquiring and critical.
    ::哲学是人类可以从事的最具有挑战性的任务之一,它是人类在这个星球上时代发展的最强大的精神学科之一,它以微妙和非常明显的方式改变了世界各地人类事件的过程,哲学在人类的每一个主要文明中都有演进或出现,这是人们在探索和批评思想的自然发展。

    People come to the reading and studying of Philosophy through different paths. Many, perhaps most, do so because they have entered some formal educational program that has the study of Philosophy as part of a curriculum of studies. Some, a few, come to Philosophy because they have a mind that is questioning and they want to learn more about the issue or problem that is on their minds and are so they led through this common but less traveled path to the door of philosophy as they discover that there are books on the topic that perplexes or befuddles them or stirs them to wonder and they learn that these books are written by philosophers.
    ::人们通过不同的途径来阅读和学习哲学。许多人,也许多数人这样做是因为他们参加了一些正式的教育方案,把哲学研究作为学习课程的一部分。有些人,有些,有些,他们来哲学,因为他们的思维在质问,他们想更多地了解自己思想上的问题,因此,他们通过这个共同的、但不太远道而通向哲学门的道路,因为他们发现有关于这个主题的书籍,他们迷惑或迷惑他们,或激起他们好奇,他们知道这些书是哲学家写的。

     Most people who take a course in Philosophy do so without having had another. Most will take only one and many of them do so primarily to satisfy some degree requirement. Indeed, many students in a high school Philosophy course are only interested in finishing the course in order to get their credits and those credits are to satisfy a degree requirement. The degree is desired as a means to some other end: going to college, getting a job, getting a different job or promotion. Be that as it may, this text is designed to stimulate your mind. Whether you read it because it is required or whether you are really interested in the subject matter, there will be plenty in this study of Philosophy to interest you, entertain your mind, challenge you, and frustrate you as well.
    ::多数在哲学课程上学习的人都这样做而没有别的课程。 大多数人只花一个, 其中许多人这样做主要是为了达到某种程度的要求。 事实上, 高中哲学课程的许多学生只有兴趣完成该课程以获得学分, 而那些学分是为了满足学位的要求。 学位是达到其他目的的一种手段: 去上大学、 找工作、 获得不同的工作或晋升。 不管是这样, 这份文本的设计是为了激发你的头脑。 无论你读了它是因为需要它, 还是你是否真正感兴趣这个主题事项, 这份关于哲学的研究将会有很多内容来吸引你的兴趣, 娱乐你的思想, 挑战你, 并且挫败你。

    A Friendly Philosophical Warning
    ::友好的哲学警告

    Most people think that it is all well and good and no big deal to read and accept such phrases as "there will be plenty in this study of Philosophy to interest you, entertain your mind, challenge you and frustrate you as well. " Well, in the case of Philosophy and of this work in particular, the reader should be aware and forewarned that the issues raised in this work might just be disturbing to them in a personal manner, if they seriously consider the issues raised in this work, that are characteristic issues for Philosophy and how Philosophers approach them. What is meant by this? Is it just a " promo " for the book? Is it some "hype" or "come-on"? Well, I simply report to you that there are many who have read this work in connection with taking a class in Philosophy who have been disturbed in their thinking and have needed to make changes in the very manner in which they think, the manner in which they settle on their beliefs and on what they think is true after being encouraged to think most carefully and seriously and critically about a number of very basic questions and issues. Why would this be the case? 
    ::多数人认为阅读和接受这样的词句是好的,是好的,是好的,没有什么大不了的。 读和接受这样的词句,比如“在这份哲学研究中将会有很多东西让你感兴趣,让你有思想,挑战你,也让你感到沮丧。” " 那么,在哲学和这项工作中,读者应该意识到并预先警告,如果他们认真研究在这项工作中提出的问题,他们可能只是以个人的方式感到困扰,如果他们认真研究在这项工作中提出的问题,这些是哲学的特有问题,以及他们如何对待这些问题。这是什么?这是一本书的“宣传”吗?这是一本书的“宣传”吗?是某种“Hipe”还是“Come-on”? 嗯,我简单地告诉你,在阅读这一作品时,许多人在阅读哲学课程时,他们的思想受到干扰,需要改变他们思考的方式,他们解决信仰的方式,以及他们的想法在被鼓励对一些非常认真和批判的基本问题和问题进行思考之后是真实的?为什么这是这个案例?

     Well, in Philosophy people reflect on their thinking and on the contents of their minds in terms of the views, assumptions, presuppositions and beliefs and sets of beliefs that they hold and with which they do their thinking. Today when people do that after having been alive for say 18 years or more they find that in that time they have acquired a good number of ideas and beliefs and that when you get around to examining them with the slightest bit of careful thought it turns out that not all of the beliefs can be true. Yes, people learn through Philosophy that they have been holding beliefs that are inconsistent or even outright contradictory to one another. This can be quite disturbing for some of those beliefs have provided some degree of comfort or even a feeling of certainty that makes life easier. 
    ::在哲学中,人们思考他们的思维和思想内容,思考他们持有的观点、假设、预想、信仰和信仰,思考他们的想法,思考他们的想法和信仰。如今,当人们在生存了18年或18年以上之后这样做时,他们发现在那时,他们已经获得了大量的思想和信仰,当你带着一丝细微的仔细思考来审视他们的时候,人们发现并非所有的信仰都是真实的。是的,人们通过哲学了解到,他们持有的信仰是不一致的,甚至完全自相矛盾的。对于其中一些信仰来说,这可能相当令人不安,他们提供了某种安慰,甚至一种使生活更加容易的确定感。

    The beliefs that are serving as the most basic upon which others are founded or with others are supported can provide the overall view of life that serves those believers with a sense of identity and orientation and of life's value, even the basis for hope in the face of death that all is not for nothing. It can be quite disturbing to reach a point where one is facing the simple truth that some of the held beliefs are contradictory and realizing that they can’t all be true requires that a decision be made as to which beliefs are better founded and more likely to be true and which are less so or even proven not to be true and needing to be rejected and abandoned. It is like being directed or forced to give up that which has been serving so well for so long to provide a sense of comfort. It is akin to being forced to open up the mind and venture out into new areas of thought and having to bear the possibility that this motion from the old and comfortable into the new and perhaps disturbing. What is most disturbing and a sign of intellectual growth is that one is "forced" into the new mode of thinking by the decisions made by the thinker based on the thinker's own realization and acceptance that the prior thoughts are now seen as being defective in some way. This is not a mental act that anyone performs being forced to do so from without but is only done from within once the mind has been opened up and educated into the consideration of more information and the examination of the relationship to one another of the ideas and beliefs that were being held in an uncritical fashion. 
    ::作为他人赖以成立或与他人一起得到支持的最基本信念,可以提供生活的整体观,为那些信仰者提供认同感、方向感和生命价值感,甚至是面对死亡的希望基础,而面对死亡却并非一无所有。 面对一个简单真理,即某些持有的信念有些自相矛盾,并且认识到这些信念不可能全部是真实的,这要求做出一个决定,决定哪些信仰更有根基,哪些信仰更有可能真实,哪些信仰更不那么真实或甚至证明不真实,需要被否定和抛弃。这就像被指使或被迫放弃那些长久以来一直保持良好状态的信仰,以提供一种安慰感。要达到这样一个地步,可能相当令人不安的是,人们不得不面对这样一个地步,那就是:人们不得不敞开思想,从旧的、舒适到新的、或许令人不安的观念,认识到这些观念,最令人不安的是,一种思想者所下定的思维模式是“强迫的”进入新的思维模式,而某些思想者所做出的决定则需要被否定和抛弃。 一种思想者现在的思维方式是,一种思想意识意识上的思维是,而这种思想上的思维从一种思想是没有被反复的,一种思想上的思维是没有被接受,一种思想的,一种思想上的,一种思想的自我被接受是被接受一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想的自我被接受是被接受是被反复的,一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想被接受是没有被接受是被接受的一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想的自我被接受是被接受是被接受是被接受,一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想的,一种思想被接受是被接受是被接受的一种思想的,一种思想的自我被接受是被接受是被接受,一种被接受,一种思想的,一种思想被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受的一种被接受,一种被接受是被接受于一种被接受,一种被接受于一种思想被接受的一种被接受于一种思想被接受的一种被接受于一种思想被接受,一种被接受,一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受于一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受的一种思想被接受,一种被接受于一种被接受的一种

     It is not a pleasant act to realize the need to surrender that which was once so certain and comforting for entry into a process with a resultant set of beliefs and positions that one does not yet know. Some will attempt to refuse to make the departure from past beliefs out of fear of the new and some will attempt to refuse in an effort to remain in close relationship to those who share the old ideas and beliefs, thinking erroneously that the relationships are absolutely dependent on the belief systems that are shared by those in the relationships. One reader expressed this view in this manner after having reached a point of realizing that some previous beliefs were simply no longer tenable "I feel like I am being disloyal if I were now to change my mind."
    ::承认必须放弃曾经如此肯定和令人感到安慰的信仰和立场,从而进入一个进程,从而产生人们尚不知道的一系列信仰和立场,这并非一件令人愉快的事,有些人出于对新信仰的恐惧,企图拒绝背离过去的信仰,有些人则试图拒绝与那些赞同旧思想和信仰的人保持密切关系,错误地认为这种关系完全取决于关系中的人所共有的信仰体系。一位读者在认识到某些先前的信仰根本不可能再站得住脚之后,以这种方式表达了这种观点。 “我现在要改变主意,我感觉自己是不忠心的。”

    If this work is successful the reader will see that there are a number of positions that have been taken on many of the most basic problems or issues or questions faced by philosophers over the millennia and that some of them are better defended than are others. It is the intent of this work to encourage the reader to become a critical thinker and to make the best informed decision as to which position is at this time the best position to hold and then to move to adopt that position. 
    ::如果这项工作取得成功,读者将看到,对于哲学家在千年中面临的许多最基本问题或问题,已经采取了若干立场,其中一些问题或问题比另一些问题或问题得到更好的保护,这项工作的目的是鼓励读者成为批判性思想家,并作出最明智的决定,确定目前哪个职位是最佳职位,然后是采取这一立场的最佳职位。

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    Here are some of those issues:
    ::以下是其中一些问题:

    • What is real?
      ::什么是真实的?
    • What is truth?
      ::什么是真理?
    • What is knowledge?
      ::什么是知识?
    • What is the good?
      ::有什么好处?
    • What is justice?
      ::什么是正义?
    • Is the mind something separate from the body?
      ::大脑和身体有什么区别吗?
    • Are we free or our actions determined by that over which we no longer have any control or influence?
      ::我们是否自由,我们的行动是否由我们不再控制或影响的行动所决定?

     It has happened in the past that readers of this work have come to understand that there are three or four or possibly more positions to take on any or each of these issues. They also have come to realize that the positions that they held upon entering into the reading and the reflecting and the critical thinking process could no longer be accepted as the best position which they could defend using reasoning and evidence. Then they face the decision as to whether or not they will abandon their prior positions and move to the best defended position in their own view or attempt in some manner to deny what they have come to see as the faults in their positions and going on maintaining them for the sake of avoiding change, discomfort or some other perceived ill felling. 
    ::过去曾发生过这样的情况:这项工作的读者已经认识到,对于这些问题中的任何或每一个问题,有三、四个或更多的立场,或者说可能有更多的立场,他们也逐渐认识到,他们进入阅读过程时所持的立场,以及反映和批判性思维过程,不能再被接受为他们利用推理和证据进行辩护的最佳立场;然后,他们面对的是,他们是否将放弃其先前的立场,在他们自己看来,是否将采取最好的辩护立场,或者试图以某种方式否认他们所认为的立场中的错误,并为了避免变化、不适或某些其他被认为的弊端而维持这些立场。

    This difficulty can be expressed in this manner paraphrasing what more than one reader has disclosed:  " I now know that there are five possible positions and that the one that I can best defend is position ‘c’, but I would like to go on believing in 'b' because that is what I was brought up with and what all my family and friends think." So be forewarned that if the reader takes seriously reflecting on and thinking about matters in this text there may be some difficult decision ahead as to how the reader will be fixing the beliefs with which the reader will be thinking about matters of great importance and of personal concern.
    ::这种困难可以用这种方式来表达,引用不止一个读者所透露的内容: " 我现在知道有五种可能的立场,我最能捍卫的立场是立场`c ' ,但我想继续相信`b ' ,因为这就是我所听到的,也是我所有家人和朋友所认为的。 " 因此,应预先警告,如果读者认真思考和思考本案文中的问题,今后可能要作出一些困难的决定,即读者将如何确定读者将如何思考非常重要和个人关切的事项的信念。

    Back to Philosophy
    ::返回哲学

    At this time what I would like to do is to get you to gather some idea of what you think Philosophy is. So I have an assignment for you. Think about philosophy and about what questions you have about life. It is very easy really. I don’t want you to do any research or to read anything before you answer the questions I just want you to think about these things. So, do so, and write your answers or responses down in some way and keep them somewhere and then review it when you have completed your reading of this work. See if your thoughts and views have changed any by that time.
    ::现在我想做的是让你了解你认为哲学是什么。所以我有一个任务给你。想想哲学,想想你对生活有什么问题,这其实很简单。我不想让你做任何研究,或者在你回答我的问题之前读任何东西,我只是想让你去想这些事情。所以,这样做吧,写下你的答复或者答复,把它们保存在某处,然后在你阅读完这份工作之后再审查它。看看你的想法和观点到那时是否已经改变。

     Now read the next section and we’ll be off on our excursion into Philosophy and some of the issues that have disturbed , challenged , perplexed and even excited humans around the world for over two thousand years!
    ::现在阅读下一节, 我们将会离开去探索哲学和一些问题, 这些问题已经扰乱、挑战、困惑甚至兴奋了两千年多, 全世界人类!

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    Getting Started
    ::开始

    I have been in Philosophy in some formal manner for over three decades. However, I have been doing philosophy since I was very, very, young, say about 9 years old. I would ask questions. I would ask lots of questions and most of those around me at the time, my friends and relatives, did not have answers. Most had no patience even for discussing the issues. I learned to keep my questions and ideas to myself. Oh, for sure, they would “leak out” once and a while but to no serious consequence other than for most folks to think I was different. It wasn’t until I arrived in college that I learned that what it was that I had and it had a name. It is called Philosophy.
    ::30多年来,我一直以某种正式的方式学习哲学。然而,自从我非常,非常,非常,年轻以来,我一直在学哲学,大约9岁。我会问问题。我会问很多问题,而且当时我周围的大多数朋友和亲戚都没有答案。大多数人甚至没有耐心讨论这些问题。我学会了把自己的问题和想法留给自己。哦,当然,他们会一次又一次地“溜走 ” , 但除了大多数人认为我与众不同之外,不会产生严重后果。直到我进入大学,我才知道自己拥有什么,它有一个名字。它被称为“哲学 ” 。

    Now I have also learned that many people have a number of wrong ideas about what Philosophy is and does and how it operates. Let me give you an example of one of the improper but popular uses of the term “Philosophy”.
    ::现在,我还了解到,许多人对哲学是什么、做什么和如何运作有一些错误的观念,我要举一个例子,说明“哲学”一词使用不当但普遍流行。

     A true story : I was in a New York City taxicab. The driver spoke English. Honest, he did. In fact he was listening in on a conversation I was having with a friend and at one point the driver volunteered the following remark: "You’ve got to take it one day at a time. That’s my philosophy!"
    ::一个真实的故事:我在一家纽约市的出租车上。司机说英语。真的,他做到了。事实上,他正在听一个我和一个朋友的谈话,司机曾提出以下意见:“你必须一次接受一天。这就是我的哲学!”

    I suppose that I could have ignored the remark, except that I really wasn’t sure at all what the heck he meant. And I knew that uttering pithy remarks was not philosophy at all! So I answered the driver’s remarks with a series of questions.
    ::我想,我本可以忽略这一说法,但其实我根本不确定他到底想说什么。 我知道说些乏味的话根本不是哲学! 所以我用一系列问题回答司机的话。

    • What do you mean by “you”, others don’t?
      ::你的意思是「你」,
    • What do you mean by “got to”? Do you mean “got to” as in the laws of gravity and I have no choice or do you mean “got to” as in laws where I’ll get punished if I don’t? Just why do I “got to”?
      ::你说的“必须”是什么意思?你是说“必须”如重力法则所述,我别无选择,还是说“必须”如法律规定,如果我不这样做,我会受到惩罚? 为何我“必须”如“必须”如“必须”如法律规定?
    • What do you mean by “take it”? What else is available? “Leave it”?
      ::“拿走”是什么意思?还有什么可用呢?“留下”吗?
    • “One day at a time"? Why not two days at a time? Heck, why “one day”? Why not one hour or one minute or one second?
      ::“一天一天一次”,为什么不一次两天呢?为什么是“一天”呢?为什么不是一小时、一分钟或一秒钟呢?
    • Well, when I was done the driver just said, “I’m sorry.” And that was the end of his contribution to our discussion.
      ::当我做完司机时,司机刚刚说:“对不起 ” 。 而这正是他对我们讨论的贡献的结束。

    Philosophers ask questions. In my classes I would ask students “what do they think Philosophy is?" Over the years I have heard a lot of answers to the question: What do you think Philosophy is? Let me list a few that are not correct. Some are very off the mark and others are only partially correct.
    ::哲学家问问题。在我的班级里,我问学生“他们认为哲学是什么? ”这些年来,我听到很多答案都问到这个问题:你认为哲学是什么?让我列举一些不正确的问题。有些问题不太正确,有些问题只是部分正确。

        Past students' attempts to define philosophy;
    ::过去的学生试图界定哲学;

    • Logical reasoning to answer any questions or problems.
      ::逻辑推理来回答任何问题或疑问。
    • Means by which to view and encounter life.
      ::观察和接触生命的手段。
    • A system of beliefs and behaviors based upon experience and judgment.
      ::基于经验和判断的信仰和行为体系。
    • Different views and beliefs that people have.
      ::人们有不同的观点和信仰。
    • Just personal opinions.
      ::只是个人意见
    • Logical thinking or reasoning, taking into account all that is known to be convincing.
      ::逻辑思维或推理,考虑到所有已知具有说服力的想法或推理。
    • A frame of mind.
      ::一种思维框架。
    • A way of viewing the world and handling life’s experiences and explaining it.
      ::一种观察世界、处理生活经历、解释世界的方式。
    • Great thinkers thought and ideas.
      ::伟大的思想家和思想家
    • The way a person is able to maneuver their intellectual ability.
      ::一个人如何能操纵自己的智力能力。
    • A theory based upon moral codes and reasoning.
      ::以道德守则和推理为基础的理论。
    • Study of one’s thoughts without the impact of external opinions.
      ::研究自己的想法而不考虑外部意见的影响。
    • Someone’s ideas and outlook on life or anything.
      ::某些人对生活的看法与展望。
    • Someone’s point of view.
      ::某些人的观点。
    • The art of reasoning, thinking and discussing.
      ::推理、思考和讨论的艺术。
    • Logic, knowledge, a body of principles to follow.
      ::逻辑、知识、一系列原则。
    • A discipline of thinking, which involves moral reasoning, logic, and principles.
      ::思维纪律,涉及道德推理、逻辑和原则。
    • View or Opinion or Belief or Theory.
      ::观点或意见或信仰或理论。
    • Ability to think and make your own judgments.
      ::思考和做出判断的能力
    • Things I live by.
      ::我所生活的东西
    • A belief, way of life or religion.
      ::信仰、生活方式或宗教。
    • A way of Life.
      ::一种生活方式。
    • A translation of the complexities from all angles and summarizing it to its simplistic terms.
      ::将各种角度的复杂性加以翻译,将其归纳为简单化的术语。
    • The way the individual interprets or rationalizes what is encountered.
      ::个人如何解释或理顺遇到的问题。
    • Analyzing, questioning, discussing and thinking.
      ::分析、质问、讨论和思考。
    • Information handed down from generation to generation: Beliefs, stories, rituals, and experiences.
      ::代代相传的信息:信仰、故事、仪式和经验。

    It is possible that I will be adding additional attempts at to this list. Students and readers continue to surprise me with answers to questions such as this one. Some of the answers appear as if the answer did go to some dictionary or reference work while others appear to be very direct and simplistic. 
    ::学生和读者继续用对像这个这样的问题的答复来给我一个惊喜,有些答案似乎好像答案确实出现在一些字典或参考工作上,而另一些则似乎非常直接和简单。

    Now I do not want to start this introduction to Philosophy by giving you a clear definition of what Philosophy is. Instead, I shall tell you a great deal about it-- most of which you will forget. Then, I’ll show you some examples of Philosophy in the writings of Philosophers on the major issues Philosophers have been thinking about for over two thousand years,  much of which you will remember, if only vaguely . Finally, I’ll attempt to engage you in doing philosophy through the discussions and presentations of various positions on many of the issues and that is when I think you will understand both what philosophy is and some of the most challenging and recurring issues with which philosophy has dealt and continues to pursue. 
    ::现在,我不想通过给你们一个明确的哲学定义来开始对哲学的介绍。相反,我要告诉你很多关于哲学的内容 — — 大部分你都会忘记。然后,我要向你们展示哲学家两千年多来一直在思考的主要问题的著作中的一些哲学的例子,许多哲学家会记得这些,即使只是模糊的。 最后,我将尝试通过讨论和阐述关于许多问题的各种立场来使你们从事哲学工作,这就是我认为你们既理解哲学是什么,也理解哲学已经处理并继续追求的一些最具挑战性和经常性的问题。

    For a good overview of different ideas about what Philosophy is and forms or fields in Philosophy
    ::详细概述关于哲学是什么和哲学的形式或领域的不同观点

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    EPISD Informed Problem Solvers Goal
    ::EPISD 信息化解决问题者目标

    Read
    ::已读

    •     

    What is Philosophy?
    ::什么是哲学?

     Resources:
    ::资源:

    •  

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    EPISD Critical Knowledge and Creative Thinking Goal
    ::EPISD 关键知识和创造性思维目标

     Philosophical Applications
    ::哲学应用

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     Answer each of these questions. You will come to learn why it is important to do so as we proceed through the course.  We need to establish a starting point.  Make sure you keep your answers.
    ::回答每一个问题。 你会明白为什么在我们走完这条路时必须这样做。 我们需要建立一个起点。 请务必记住您的答案 。

    1. Do you believe that there is a real world?
      ::你相信有真实的世界吗?
    2. Do you believe that you are real and are part of the real world?
      ::你相信自己是真实的,是真实世界的一部分吗?
    3. Do you believe that you have a body?
      ::你相信自己有身体吗?
    4. Do you believe that you have a mind?
      ::你相信自己有思想吗?
    5. Do you believe that you have a soul or spirit that survives after death?
      ::你相信自己有灵魂或灵魂 死后能生存下来吗?
    6. Do you believe that there is a force, agency, spirit or greater reality that is responsible for the existence of the universe?
      ::你相信有力量、力量、精神 或更大的现实 对宇宙的存在负责吗?

    Vocabulary
    ::词汇表

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    EPISD Effective Bilingual Education Goal
    ::EPISD 有效双语教育目标