how to question everything

(an introduction to philosophy with paul musso)

Specifically Designed

For Complete Beginners.

This course has been specifically designed to help complete beginners gain more confidence thinking philosophically. In this course, you will learn concrete strategies and methods for asking the right philosophical questions. One of the main benefits of philosophy is that it allows you to ask questions that other disciplines do not. This is the first step to becoming a philosophical thinker!

This Course Is Completely Free.Forever.

Very few people have the time or luxury to study philosophy at a college or university. The primary mission of Paul Musso Philosophy is to make high quality philosophy content as accessible as possible. That is why this course is, and will always be, completely free! Start learning philosophy today!

Start Learning Philosophy Today.

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Get Started On Your Philosophical Journey!

Learn how to ask philosophical questions, how to identify hidden assumptions, and to think more philosophically

I remember how intimidating the subject of philosophy was for me when I first started questioning the world around me.

I was exposed to philosophical ideas as a young adult through classic films like "The Matrix" and, although I was fascinated, I always felt like I didn't really "get it".

When I would try to read difficult books, or talk to people who were smarter than me, I felt very uncomfortable and like I could never be able to think on a deeper level.

But there wasn't something wrong with me.

What I didn't realize was that although philosophy is a notoriously difficult subject, if one started to ask the right questions, it could become more and more understandable.

But how do we know which questions to ask?

I have specifically designed this course to help complete beginners avoid the discomfort that I felt when I first became interested in philosophy.

In this course, you will learn about what makes philosophy such a unique and powerful discipline, and how to use the tools of philosophy to question the beliefs and assumptions of the world around you in completely new ways. Being able to ask the right questions in the first step towards becoming an independent thinker.

In This Course, You Will Learn:

What Philosophy Is, And What Makes A Question Philosophical

The Socratic Method

We will begin the course by addressing one of the most difficult and humbling questions in Philosophy: "What is philosophy?" This itself is one of the deepest and most fruitful philosophical questions. In order to prepare you for the rest of the course, I will propose a simple answer.

How To Question Logically

Learn the method of one of the greatest philosophers in human history, Socrates. The Socratic method is perhaps his most enduring legacy, and it can be used to not only question common beliefs about a wide variety of concepts, but to deepen our self-knowledge.

How To Question Skeptically

We will spend an entire module learning about the nature of logical reasoning in order to develop strategies for questioning not only the logic of others' reasoning, but our own reasoning. This is a critical philosophical skill since it enables you to detect bad reasoning, bad arguments, and think more clearly. Understanding logic will improve your confidence and ability to think for yourself!

Finally, we will consider Rene Descartes' specific techniques for questioning our deepest assumptions about the external world. Descartes employed a radical method in order to find what he took to be the foundations of all the sciences. Learn about Descartes' method and how it can be used to identify and challenge our deepest assumptions about human knowledge of the external world.

This course is divided into three main modules outlined below. Each module is specifically designed to provide a general overview of a famous method of philosophical questioning with the aim of teaching you how to ask the right questions about the world around you. Although we will discuss some of the famous answers to these questions that have been offered throughout the history of philosophy, this course is focused on developing your ability to think philosophically by teaching you how to question the answers which have shaped the world we all have inherited from our predecessors.

Module 1: The Socratic Method

In this module, you will:

Learn about the famous Greek philosopher Socrates and his timeless contributions to philosophy.
Study the basic steps of Socrates' famous philosophical method
Learn how to apply the Socratic Method to nearly any subject matter, allowing you to question those who claim to know.
Improve your critical thinking skills by gaining new tools of questioning.

Module 2: Logic

In this module, you will:

Learn about the nature of logical reasoning.
Master the most common and powerful forms of human reasoning and argument.
Learn how to question the reasoning of others in order to determine whether they are thinking logically or not.
Improve your analytical and critical thinking skills through practicing logical reasoning.

Module 3: Radical Doubt

In this module, you will:

Learn about the famous method of radical doubt as developed by Rene Descartes.
Understand the significance of Descartes' intellectual project in the history of Western thought.
Learn specific strategies for applying this method to your own beliefs and the beliefs of others in order to gain more self-knowledge, and a deeper understanding of truth.
Expand your worldview by learning how to step outside of your own assumptions and question yourself.

Course Syllabus And Module Overview

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Questions And Answers About The Course

1. Are There Any Pre-Requisites For Studying Philosophy?

Definitely not. Anyone can study philosophy as long as they are willing to read carefully, think carefully, and push through any initial difficulties caused by new terms and ways of thinking. Although philosophy is difficult, like anything else, it gets easier with time.

2. Are There Any Pre-Requisite Readings For This Course?

The course is designed to require no additional texts or reading. Everything that you need to benefit from this course is provided for free on the course website.

3. Which Philosophers Will We Discuss In This Course?

This course is not meant to provide an overview of different famous philosophers, but to teach you concrete philosophical questioning skills. As such, it will primarily focus on the skills themselves, rather than the philosophers who developed them. That being said, it is sometimes necessary to understand certain background facts about the philosophers who developed various methods. The two primary philosophers that you will engage with in this course are Socrates and Rene Descartes.

4. How Can This Be Applied To My Life?

The skills discussed in this course are generally applicable to every kind of human life. Everyone can benefit from thinking more clearly, and knowing how to question the world around them in a deeper way. These skills will help improve your ability to think for yourself, and not let other people affect your thinking in harmful ways.

Closing Thoughts

When I think back to when I bought my first Philosophy book, I am in awe about how a simple curiosity about a subject matter could turn into a passionate lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

I purchased my first philosophy book in High School. The book was called "50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need To Know". I remember telling myself that I was committed to finishing the entire book, even though I found the first few pages difficult.

One step at a time, one page at a time, I continued to learn. Although my progress was slow, I stuck with it and eventually unlocked far more than 50 ideas over the years. Studying philosophy have taught me new ways to think, new ways to speak, and new ways to make sense of the human experience.

Philosophy is not for everyone, but everyone is capable of becoming more philosophical so long as they are curious, open-minded, and patient.

I want to share the beauty of this subject with as many people as I possibly can, so that it can change their lives the way it has changed mine.

Sincerely,

Paul Musso