Philosophy study guide

Diderot's perspective on examined life

"All things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone's feelings...We must ride roughshod over all these ancient puerilities [immaturities], overturn the barriers that reason never erected, give back to the arts and sciences the liberty that is so precious to them...We have for quite some time needed a reasoning age when men would no longer seek the rules in classical authors but in nature..." -

How many denominations of Christianity are there ??

30 +many of which have significant differences

Dr Nalls argument concerning the implications of the incomprehensible god argument

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Dr nalls critique of the free will defense of gods goodness in the face of evil

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Humes perspective on the teleological argument

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logical compatibilit

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logical contradiction

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logical incompatibility

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Antonio Gramsci's explanation of social hegemony

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Mill's perspective on examined life

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deductive sound arguments

A deductive argument is sound if and only if: It is valid and It contains only true premises

good argument

A group of statements or claims that attempt to provide reasons for believing a particular claim to be true "one or more statements...offered as support for some other statement" Arguments have two components: Premise: reason (statement or claim) given for accepting the conclusion of an argument Conclusion: the statement or claim that an argument is trying to establish

st augustines view on evil

Argues that evil is the absence of good God did not create evil; humans did when their ancestors, Adam and Eve, turned away from God by eating of the tree of knowledge, against his will humans are not free but rather at the mercy of one of two gods (either the evil god who rules the body or the good god who rules the mind) For Augustine, one of the strengths of Christianity as a religion is that it grants human beings freedom of the will and thus the ability to observe the moral obligations to which God has commanded them

Pascals wager and objections to the argument

Argument advanced in 1669 work Thoughts (Penses) Pascal contends: We are not rationally but we are pragmatically justified in believing in God We should wager that God exists given these two likely scenarios 1. If He does, we gain eternal salvation. 2. If He doesn't, we lose nothing Pascal's Wager assumes there are two numbers on the wheel: His particular God's exists His particular God does not exist But the wager is far more complicated The world is filled with numerous religions 30+ different denominations of Christianity, many of which have significant differences Pascal's God is only one of many possibilities Thus, our odds are much worse than 50/50

Bertrand Russell's concept of tyranny of custom

Bertrand Russell contends that uncritical conformity to society's dominant ideas limits our understanding of the world "The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation..." "Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom"

Socrates on Athenian men with "highest reputations"

In speaking to a variety of prominent men in Athens, from politicians to poets, Socrates said: "I found the men with the highest reputations were nearly the most foolish and some inferior men were really wiser and better." Their chief error was that they thought themselves wise or enlightened when in fact their beliefs were superficial/shallow and often contradictory

Descarte's method of doubt

Sets out to reexamine the basis of his knowledge in the solitude of his private thoughts Method of Doubt Began from a position of radical doubt, refusing to assume any ideas as true that were not "clear and distinct" Seeks first principles or axioms, self-evident ideas upon which to base all other ideas

Socrates on his perspective on the "unexamined life"

Socrates is the central voice in Plato's many works Socrates, as he is represented in Plato's work, is considered by many to be the father of Western philosophy According to Socrates, philosophy aims to: Discern virtuous thought and action, thus leading to a virtuous or good life; To bring about "improvement of the soul" The Good Life is the Examined Life According to Socrates, our actions follow from our beliefs Since our lives are guided by our beliefs, only those critically evaluating such beliefs are in the position of distinguishing truth from falsehood And doing this is necessary for leading a good life In The Apology Socrates famously declares: "the unexamined life is not worth living."

disjunctive syllogism

Takes the form: Either p or q Not p. Therefore, q. Think process of elimination This form is always valid If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.

Hypothetical syllogism

Takes the form: If p, then q. If q, then r. Therefore, if p, then r. This form is always valid If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.

Denying the consequent (modus Tollens)

Takes the form: If p, then q. Not q. Therefore, not p. This form is always valid If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true

affirming the antecedent (modus Ponens)

Takes the form: If p, then q. p. Therefore, q. This form is always valid If the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true.

epistemology

The study of knowledge Epistemology is based on the Greek word for knowledge: episteme deals with the definition of knowledge and how to go about justifying knowledge claims. What kinds of knowledge that are possible

Socrates on why he believes he is better off than other men in his society.

This experience prompted Socrates to determine that: "although I do not suppose either of us knows anything really beautiful and good, I am better off than he is—for he knows nothing and thinks that he knows" Socratic wisdom teaches that being aware of the limitations of our knowledge puts us into a better position to seek the truth

arguing

To argue is to provide reasons for one's conclusions

deductive arguments

a process of reasoning from one principle to another by means of accepted rules of inference.

inductive arguments

a process of reasoning in which the characteristics of an entire class or set of things on the basis of an acquaintance with some of its members.

ethics

a system of general moral principles and a conception of morality and its foundation or the study of moral principles

ontological argument

an argument or set of argments that tries to prove the existence of god from the very concept of god.

cosmological argument

an argument or set of arguments that undertakes to prove to prove that god exists on the basis of the idea that there must have been a first cause or an ultimate reason for the existence if the universe ( the cosmos)

teleological argument

an argument that attempts to "prove" that god exists because of the intricacy and design of nature, it is sometimes called the arguement from design since the basis of the argument is that since the universe is evidently designed it must have a designer. The analogy most often used in our inference from finding a complex mechanism on the beach that some intelligent being must have created it.

the problem of evil

if you believe in god it not simple at all. If god is all powerful (omnipotent) all knowing (omniscient) and just then how is it possible that there is so much unearned suffering and unpunished wickedness in the world? If god exists how can the world be so full of evil? this is a a problem because so few believers in any religion are willing to give up their faith in the power of nature or of its creator, and innate goodness or the belief that there is just justice

Kant's perspective on examined life

slide 48 1st lecture???

morality

the rules for right actions and prohibitions against wrong acts.

logic

the study of the rules of valid inference and rational argument. Study of the Composition and structure of our arguments Justifications for statements/beliefs The relationship between concepts and beliefs Examination of good reasoning: Providing support for one's assertions, beliefs