How to do philosophy

If all knowledge is either a matter of definition or a matter for science, what about philosophy?

David Hume

Claims that could not be checked up on, either by the analysis of definitions or by observation were a waste of paper. Theological works seemed to make such claims.

( Hume thought mathematical truths were 'definitional' - all like the 'Brothers are male' example

What then about philosophy? Should we be doing philosophy 'scientifically' - ie through observation or lab experimentation? Or, if this sounds silly, how else should we be doing it?

One approach to the questions philosophers address is to say they are a real ragbag. The only thing that puts them in the same bag is that there doesn't seem any agreed method of trying to answer them.

Different schools of philosophy have different beliefs about how it is legitimate to proceed with the philosophical questions they take up.

Socrates method of doing philosophy

What of the method we see displayed in the Meno?

In dialogue (he doesn't lecture!) Socrates tried to get agreement a point at a time, and relied on his pupil's rationality to accept that if A and B and C were so, D must be too.

Socrates seems to have a commitment to reasoning things out.

Many people then identify another point. They say what Socrates does, typically, is to work towards a definition of the key notion at issue.

Some modern philosophers think Socrates is using the method they are committed to using themselves. They call it 'conceptual analysis'.

Conceptual Analysis

There must be a rule attached to a concept which says when it applies and when it doesn't. Studying the concept philosophically is a matter of getting clear about the rule that governs its application.

Philosophy as arising from confusion

Philosophy is thought of by some as the exercise of removing conceptual confusions.

Gilbert Ryle's brilliant and original study The Concept of Mind is maybe an example here.

Other philosophers insist that philosophical questions are substantial ones and philosophers' search is for truthful answers to them. Socrates may be among them.

Kant/Strawson

Another approach to (anyway, some of) the questions philosophy addresses: they invite us to work out what conceptual framework needs to be in place for (rational) thought to be possible