Research Catalog

Title

Self-knowledge : beginning philosophy right here and now / Stephen Hetherington.

Author

Hetherington, Stephen Cade

Publication

Peterborough, Ont. ; Orchard Park, NY : Broadview Press, c2007.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

167 p.; 19 cm.

Summary

"Self-Knowledge introduces philosophical ideas about knowledge and the self. The book takes the form of a personal meditation: it is one person's attempt to reflect philosophically upon vital aspects of his existence. It shows how profound philosophy can swiftly emerge from intense private reflection upon the details of one's life and, thus, will help the reader take the first steps toward philosophical self-understanding. Along the way, readers will encounter moments of puzzlement, then clarity, followed by more perplexity and further insights, and then - finally - some philosophical peace of mind."--BOOK JACKET.

Series Statement

Broadview guides to philosophy

Uniform Title

Broadview guides to philosophy.

Subject

• Self (Philosophy)
• Self-knowledge, Theory of
• Moi (Philosophie)
• Connaissance de soi

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• Acknowledgments -- Why? -- Learning with this book -- DAY 1. KNOWING ONE'S PHYSICAL NATURE. "I've just gotta be me" -- My left hand -- Other body parts -- Hidden body parts -- A methodological moment: being philosophical -- Mirrors -- My skin -- Family photography -- My brain -- A motivational moment -- Overview of the day -- Further reading -- DAY 2. KNOWING ONE'S MENTAL NATURE. "The real me, the inner me" -- A non-physical me? -- Another methodological moment: introspection -- Listening to one's mind -- Discovering myself? Creating myself? -- Partial people? -- An underlying self? -- Whose thoughts are these? -- A persisting self? -- An unchanging inner self? -- Memories -- A valuable inner self? -- Intelligence -- Moral worth -- Personal values -- Inner character -- Free will -- A pause -- Overview of the day -- Further reading -- DAY 3. WHAT KIND OF THING WOULD SELF-KNOWLEDGE BE? Some pessimism about knowing what self-knowledge is --^
• Some optimism about knowing what self-knowledge is -- Self-knowledge and other knowledge -- Floating minds -- Deeply unique self-knowledge -- Mere opinion -- Self-confidence -- Accurate confidence -- Luck -- Normal circumstances -- Reliability -- Good evidence -- Agreeing with other people -- Unusual knowledge -- Self-knowledge -- Where to next? -- Overview of the day -- Further reading -- DAY 4. HOW MIGHT SELF-KNOWLEDGE BE GAINED? Methods? Which methods? -- Intuition -- Dreams -- Literature and movies -- Actions -- Psychological and medical studies -- Friends and family -- Experience and maturity -- Back to basics -- Tomorrow, into battle -- Overview of the day -- Further reading -- DAY 5. CONFRONTING DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER SELF-KNOWLEDGE IS POSSIBLE. Doubts, more doubts -- Sensing and observing -- Reasoning and memory -- Complexity -- Meaning -- Inductive reasoning -- Test case: love -- Self-deception -- Self-involvement? Self-detachment? -- Dreaming and the senses --^
• Knowing something fallibly -- Usual knowledge -- Infallibility -- Two pictures of fallibility -- Living fallibly -- "That's life" -- Philosophical progress -- Overview of the day -- Further reading -- A possible philosophy course.

ISBN

• 9781551117980 (pbk.)
• 1551117983 (pbk.)

LCCN

^^2007276967

OCLC

• 81601398
• SCSB-12522583

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library