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33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Good Questions
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"What does it mean to be real?"
"What is knowledge?" "Are mind and matter different from one another?" "Is there a God that watches over the world?" |
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Philosophy Definition
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Philosophy is the activity of thinking about ultimate questions and attempting to develop good, rational reasons about holding one good idea over the other.
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Why we study philosophy
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-Questions our basic assumptions--> why?
-To assume is irrational, philosophy only wants rational |
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Logic
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The study of the general STRUCTURES of sound reasoning and good arguments
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Ontalogy
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The study of basic categories and structures of what exists--> reality
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Theory of knowledge (Epistemology)
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Study of the nature of knowledge, and how/if it can be achieved
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Ethics (Moral philosophy)
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The study of how to live, of good and bad, of right and wrong, and principles of morality
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Valid argument (Deductive argument)
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Form guarantees that the conclusion will be true
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Invalid argument (Deductive argument)
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Form doesn't validate, fallacies
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Sound argument (Deductive argument)
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Both valid form and true premises
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Inductive argument
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Two features:
1. True premises are going to support conclusion (doesn't guarantee it) 2. Always new information found in the conclusion -->generalization -->limited sample |
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Argument from Design
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Analogy: complex order of universe requires a designer/creator, just like a watch (watchmaker)
-->St. Thomas A (1225 A.D) theory of analogy that many things in nature operate to complete a goal |
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Teleology
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All parts need to operate properly with each other to complete a goal
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First cause argument
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Two ideas:
1. Passage of time is an intrinsic causation 2. Infinite series cant be completed -->no final number (because of the passage of time, in causation, there could not of been an infinite series of cause, proceeding the present) (God is the first cause) |
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First Cause
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If there is no first cause then the series of before causes is infinite. Causation proceeds from earlier stats to later states. There was an infinite series of before causes proceeding up to present. Time is not infinite.
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Ontological argument
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Existence is a part of the nature of the greatest or most perfect being (God)
-->God exists, because if he didn't then you can think of something better than God, which you cant |
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Renee Descartes
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Different version of ontological argument
1. everybody, even an atheist, has an idea of a most perfect being 2. most perfect being must have all perfections 3. to exist in reality is greater than to exist as a thought in the mind 4. therefore, this most perfect being (God) has to exist in reality and in the mind |
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Cons against God
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1. evil exists in the world
2. if God had the power to prevent this evil, but chooses not to, he is not all good 3. if God wants to prevent evil, but cant, then God is not all powerful 4. Therefore, an all powerful/good God does not exist |
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Man made evil
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man has choice: could choose to do evil (free will)
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Natural evil
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1. evil that takes the place through nature equals to the good
--> man shows goodness in heart at tough times for others (moral character) --> apparent evil forces us to make choices 2. evil that takes place in natural world helps us become better people |
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Free will
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-God cant always intervene
-Humans created idea of God |
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Atheist
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-Ludwig Feurbach
-Karl Marx |
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Ludwig Feurbach
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God is like a book of fiction
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Carl Marx
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God is the drug of the masses.
If we improve our material and social conditions, we wouldnt have the need for the idea of God |
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Existentialism
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-Through faith, people commit themselves to God
-God will provide answers to ultimate questions -God created the universe -Cares about humanity -Cares about us as individuals |
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Meaninglessness
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No God: No order, no good path, our lives dont matter
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Soren Kierkegaard (religious)
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"There are problems that cant be solved in any value system that doesnt rely on God" answers to ultimate questions are found through faith
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Fredrick Nietzsche (atheist)
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"The claim that human beings can recover from the death of God, it is a true claim. We need to create our own values. We need to accept our place as a mere part of the natural world. All we have is this place on earth, then our earthly life will become worthy and valuable."
-will to power, unleash your soul. live our lives for your own sake |
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Western philosophy
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all starts with water. soul is essential to life (Greek)
solid bodies in the universe |
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Reality
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what it means to be real
--> is there anything that actually exists independently in our minds? |
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Ordinary reality
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that which exists on its own, independently of what any body thinks
-->reality is there, whether or not anybody understands it |
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Independent reality
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on its own, nobody outside of you
--> reality is distinct from imaginary |
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Perceptual illusion
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mistake in reality
-->seeing something take place that isnt actually there -->seeing something doesnt make it real ==> |