Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
28 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Why do we need to investigate the limits of human understanding?
Hume |
Without knowledge of the limits of what we can know, topics we can never know will seem like topics we can know so we will have an endless pursuit of futile knowledge.
|
|
|
What are the two kinds of perceptions of the mind?
Hume |
Impressions- perceptions when we sense or feel
external- perceiving outside like animals internal-perceiving emotions Ideas- dull copies of impressions, do not feel impressions, reflect in consciousness |
|
|
What are the limits of human knowledge?
Hume |
No contradictions
Must have ideas based on experience. Man-bear-pig, simple ideas to get idea of complex idea |
|
|
How is the ‘shade of blue’ example a possible exception to this?
Hume |
If you get all the shades of blue in an order except one you would be able to determine the missing one, same with notes on a piano
|
|
|
What are the three principles of association concerning the connections of ideas?
Hume |
Resemblance-photograph remember person
Contiguity in Space and Time-call me maybe Cause and Effect -how you got a gift |
|
|
What are relations of ideas?
|
Ideas demonstrated apriori, these ideas are universal such as Geometry
|
|
|
What are matters of fact?
|
ideas demonstrated aposteriori. No contradiction arise if proven wrong. oxygen is outside
|
|
|
If Adam were to encounter water, why wouldn’t he know from a priori reasoning or observation of its qualities, that he could drown in it unless he were submerged in it?
|
Without experiencing the water before hand, there is no way Adam could know the hidden qualities of the water such that it would drown him. He has to experience it.
|
|
|
What is demonstrated by the billiard ball example?
|
We observe the first ball's motion hitting the second ball which then moves. We observe what occurs here however, we cannot observe the causation, that the second ball will move when hit by the first ball.
|
|
|
5. What are the two assumptions we naturally make when judging? Are we technically permitted to make these assumptions?
|
1. The future will resemble the past.
2. Similar powers will be conjoined with similar sensible qualities. No because we do not experience these assumptions. |
|
|
Do we ever observe the necessary connections between things? For example, do we ever see a bowling ball actually knock over pins in a bowling alley?
|
No we never observe the necessary connection because we cannot observe the causation. If we observe the bowling ball knock over the pins enough times we can observe by custom that this will happen again.
|
|
|
What is custom (or, habit)? Why must custom be an inference based on experience rather than reason?
|
Custom is when we witness an event occurring multiple times such as the sun rising. This must be based on experience because otherwise we cannot observe the causation so we would constantly make mistakes and humans would not be able to function. We have no knowledge that the sun will continue to rise.
|
|
|
What is belief? What separates belief from fantasy (or fiction)? How do ideas become beliefs?
|
Intense conception of an object formed by a judgment the human mind makes when a constant conjunction is noticed. Fiction is based on imagination while beliefs are based upon imagination and something we cannot control that helps us relates imagination to reality. Ideas are impressions in which we get such as watching bowling ball knock down pins, which in turn become beliefs after we witness these impressions enough times.
|
|
|
How can complex ideas be made simpler?
|
Breaking into simple ideas
|
|
|
Why are the ideas of power, necessary, connection, force, and energy NOT based on the following reflections upon sense impressions:
a. The contemplation of bodies interacting b. The contemplation of how the mind controls the body c. The contemplation of how the mind controls the mind. |
These ideas are so complex that we need a simple impression to provide us a basis for these ideas. All of these reflections are complex and not understood. For contemplation of bodies interacting, he provides the billiard ball example where we cannot observe causation. How the mind controls the body Hume believes is poorly known, how we control our fingers but not our heart. The mind controlling the mind where the mind produces ideas mysteriously, and cannot make a necessary connection.
|
|
|
Where do necessary connections come from?
|
The constant conjunction between two objects were we formulate a connection based upon repeated experience.
|
|
|
In what way is human behavior caused by necessity?
|
Human characteristics and motives have stayed relatively the same over history.
|
|
|
What observation makes people think that the way the mind influences the body is unique
|
One specific effect comes from one cause.
|
|
|
What two objections are there that one thing is caused by something else?
|
1. God is perfect, therefore there would be no bad actions
2. God is responsible for these actions which are not perfect, therefore God would not be perfect. |
|
|
What is the traditional response to the first objection? How does Hume refute it?
|
Descartes says that the imperfection is part of the perfection that God has created. Hume says this angers people because it condones the bad.
|
|
|
What is Hume's response to the second objection?
|
It is beyond our abilities to realize God's power concerning good and bad actions.
|
|
|
What is Dr. Tillotson's argument against miracles?
|
Evidence is more reliable the more it relies on your own perceptions. Perceptions of the world are without miracles, and biblical accounts are third hand so they are not credible?
|
|
|
What is the value of eyewitness testimony?
|
It has great value, because when you perceive something it is much more credible.
|
|
|
What is the first proof against miracles?
|
Testimony is more credible the more it is observed. The laws of nature are observed every day making them more likely than miracles. Also, miracles interfere with the laws of nature so they are unlikely.
|
|
|
What is the second proof against miracles?
|
Miracles have not been witnessed enough to be true and the witness accounts are not credible.
|
|
|
What is the third proof against miracles?
|
Humans are naturally drawn to wonder and feel a need to be religious and believe religion. Why do we believe religion if we do not believe gossip?
|
|
|
What is the fourth proof against miracles?
|
Testimonies of miracles occur in more uneducated areas, or only believed in due to tradition. So they are more inclined to believe witnesses because they do not know any better
|
|
|
What is the fifth proof against miracle?
|
Different religions have different miracles and they constantly fight about which miracles are right. However, if they constantly fight one religion's miracles cannot be right if the others are.
|
