Know Thyself - The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge: The Examined Life
According to legend, inscribed on walls of the temple on the sacred site of Delphi in Ancient Greece were two premier injunctions: NOTHING IN EXCESS, and KNOW THYSELF. This course will be an examination of the latter injunction in an effort to discover what self-knowledge is, why it might be valuable, and what, if any, limitations it might face. What is missing from a person lacking in self-knowledge that makes her less wise, virtuous, or competent in certain areas than others who have this capacity, and what if anything might she do to fill that gap?
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- Level Foundation
- المدة 19 ساعات hours
- الطبع بواسطة The University of Edinburgh
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Offered by
عن
According to legend, inscribed on walls of the temple on the sacred site of Delphi in Ancient Greece were two premier injunctions: NOTHING IN EXCESS, and KNOW THYSELF. This course will be an examination of the latter injunction in an effort to discover what self-knowledge is, why it might be valuable, and what, if any, limitations it might face. What is missing from a person lacking in self-knowledge that makes her less wise, virtuous, or competent in certain areas than others who have this capacity, and what if anything might she do to fill that gap? Historical sources as well as recent research in philosophy, experimental social psychology, and neuroscience will inform our investigation, in the course of which we will become students of our own dreams, and cultivate some meditative practices. Learning Outcomes: Learners will gain familiarity with prominent themes from Western, classical Chinese, and Buddhist approaches to our knowledge of ourselves. In the course of doing so, they will gain an appreciation of the relation of self-knowledge to wisdom, of the value of intellectual humility, as well as of methods of learning about oneself that do not depend on introspection. Learners will also become familiar with contemporary research in experimental social psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience into the emotions, the unconscious, the role of affect in decision making, and self-deception. They will also gain an appreciation of a challenge to the assumption of a coherent, unified self that derives from the Buddhist tradition. --- This course was created by a partnership between The University of Edinburgh and Humility & Conviction and Public Life Project, an engaged research project based at the University of Connecticut and funded by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation.الوحدات
The following materials will introduce you to this course and help you prepare.
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4
Readings
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1
Discussion
1
Discussions
- Get to know your classmates
4
Readings
- Introduction: Know Thyself @ Wireless Philosophy
- About this course
- Course assessments and exercises
- Optional companion book
LEARN
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8
Videos
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6
Assignment
6
Assignment
- Initial thoughts
- Practice Quiz 1: The Oracle
- Practice Quiz 2: knowledge, wisdom and ignorance
- Knowledge and ignorance
- Do you agree?
- Module One Quiz: 5 questions assessed
8
Videos
- The Gadfly
- Is anyone wiser than Socrates?
- I know that I know (almost) nothing
- Meditative moment
- Is an unexamined life worth living?
- "Not to be lived"
- What is knowledge good for?
- Summary
ENGAGE
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3
Readings
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3
Discussion
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Chapter One Quiz
3
Discussions
- Knowledge and wisdom
- "Not worth living"?
- Pluralism
3
Readings
- Existentialist Comics - The "Apology"
- Know Thyself, Chapter One
- Interesting videos and podcasts
GO FURTHER
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3
Readings
3
Readings
- Plato's Apology - full text
- 'Socrates' by Professor Deborah Nails
- 'The Delphic Oracle: A Multidisciplinary Defense of the Gaseous Vent Theory' By Spiller et al
LEARN
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9
Videos
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6
Assignment
6
Assignment
- Initial thoughts
- Practice Quiz 1
- Practice Quiz 2
- Evaluate Descartes' argument
- Evaluate the arguments again
- Module Two Quiz: 5 questions assessed
9
Videos
- Descartes
- What can be called into doubt?
- Are you dreaming now?
- I think, therefore I am
- Concerning God
- The physical and the mental
- Divisibility of mind and body
- Meditative moment
- Dualism
ENGAGE
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3
Readings
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3
Discussion
3
Discussions
- Are you dreaming right now?
- About God
- Minds and bodies - are they distinct?
3
Readings
- Know Thyself, Chapter Two
- Interesting videos and podcasts
- Brief essay on Descartes' argument for dualism
GO FURTHER
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4
Readings
4
Readings
- Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy
- Correspondence between Descartes and Princess Elisabeth
- Prof. Christia Mercer on Descartes' debt to Teresa of Avila
- Rationalism vs Empiricism
LEARN
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8
Videos
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5
Assignment
5
Assignment
- Initial thoughts
- Practice quiz
- More know-how intelligence
- Examples of failed phosphorescence or introspection/infallibility
- Module Three Quiz: 5 questions assessed
8
Videos
- Concept of mind
- Ghost in the machine
- Stupid is, as stupid does
- Embodied cognition
- Priviledged access
- Locked in
- The materialist strikes back
- Meditative moment
ENGAGE
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3
Readings
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3
Discussion
3
Discussions
- On so-called privileged access
- Is there a ghost in the machine?
- Do you think the response to the Locked-in syndrome objection is satisfactory? Why or why not?
3
Readings
- Know Thyself, chapter three
- Interesting videos and podcasts
- On embodied cognition
GO FURTHER
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4
Readings
4
Readings
- Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind
- Gilbert Ryle at the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy
- Locked-In Syndrome
- Another MOOC: more about embodied cognition
LEARN
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7
Videos
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5
Assignment
5
Assignment
- Initial thoughts
- Your rituals
- Human nature as an excuse
- Part of human nature?
- Module Four Quiz: 5 questions assessed
7
Videos
- Human nature
- Investigating human nature
- How best to live?
- Theory of human emotions
- Non-basic emotions
- Second nature
- Meditative moment
ENGAGE
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4
Readings
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4
Discussion
4
Discussions
- What, if anything, is a part of human nature?
- Culture-specific emotions
- First or second nature?
- How do, or can, we know about our nature?
4
Readings
- Existentialist Comics - Sartre
- Human nature: Six things we all do (New Scientist)
- Human nature matters (Aeon)
- Some interesting videos and podcasts
GO FURTHER
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4
Readings
4
Readings
- Read more about Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
- Read more about Sartre, Existentialism, and Nothingness (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
- Steve Darwall: Empathy, Sympathy, Care
- More on basic emotions
ENGAGE
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1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Apply your knowledge of self-knowledge!
GO FURTHER: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon!
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2
Readings
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1
Discussion
1
Discussions
- Wikipedia Edit-a-thon discussions
2
Readings
- Share what you've learned by editing the Wikipedia entry on self-knowledge!
- A brief How-To
Know Thyself better through other courses in our series
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2
Readings
2
Readings
- The Unconscious
- Losing Oneself
Survey
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1
Readings
1
Readings
- Post-Course Survey
Auto Summary
"Know Thyself - The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge: The Examined Life" delves into self-awareness, exploring its significance and constraints. Offered by Coursera and led by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Connecticut, this foundational course spans 1140 minutes. It integrates insights from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, examining Western, Chinese, and Buddhist perspectives. Ideal for those interested in wisdom and intellectual humility, it offers starter and professional subscription options.
Mitchell Green