Timothy Butler
Philosophy 1000
Professor Izrailevsky
April 25, 2011
Class Reflection
In this philosophy course we were given a basic knowledge of several philosophers
whose ideas have shaped the world as we know it. The teachings of the ancients have been
passed down to the great thinkers that followed them, and these old bits of wisdom influence
even the philosophers of today. In a way, these ideas were never invented but simply handed
down and cultivated through the ages to become the knowledge that we gather today. I have
loved learning about the classical thinkers and the great minds of the middle ages. I have
discovered the connections between the modern philosophers and all those that came before
them. And in the end I have found myself having a better understanding of the world around me
and the people who bring it to life.
Entering this course, I predicted that I would be learning about ideas that were too
challenging for most people to think about and therefore tedious to consider. But I was surprised
to find the philosophers I studied asked the same basic questions that everyone has inside; the
basic need to understand our existence. This course has given me the tools to create my own
personal philosophy and think for myself. But as I realize that I have only scratched the surface
of this knowledge, I must remember the wisdom of Socrates: “the more I know, the more I
understand how little I know.” Nevertheless, the passion to question and think is something I
have gained by studying philosophy, and it’s a passion I will carry with me throughout my life.
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