What Philosophy Is

Skepticism and Common Sense

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another.

Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting. Also, it is reasonable to assume that the final exam’s questions will be drawn from these questions—particularly those in bold.

Readings:

• G.E. Moore, “Proof of an External World” from Stephen M. Cahn (ed.), Philosophy for the 21st Century, pp. 137-139. (Skip Meditation III)

The quote from Kant that Moore discusses is:

It still remains a scandal to philosophy … that the existence of things outside us … must be accepted on faith, and that, if anyone thinks good to doubt their existence, we are unable to counter his doubts by any satisfactory proof. (Kant, Preface of Critique of Pure Reason, 2nd Edition)

Questions:

1. What is Moore’s proof that external things exist now? What is his proof that external things existed in the past? Why does Moore claim these are good proofs? Are these proofs sufficient to counter Descartes’ radical doubt? Are these, in general, strong and compelling arguments?

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