Philosophy Midterm

Front 1

What were Russell's arguments for the value of philosophy?

Back 1

Believe that it is valuable. Makes us more objective, improves the individual. Feeds our minds, gets science going, makes us one with the universe.

Front 2

Valid/Invalid arguments

Back 2

Valid - If the premises are rue, then the conclusion must be true. Invalid - stretched too far on the conclusion or used a false premise.

Front 3

A Priori

Back 3

Things that are true without having to experience them, prior to experience (math). Self Evident. Ex. triangles have three sides.

Front 4

A posteriori

Back 4

Knowledge after experiencing something (the stove is hot).

Front 5

Ontological Argument

Back 5

Uses A Priori to prove God's existence.

Front 6

Anselm's ontological argument

Back 6

P1: we can have a concept of God as the greatest thing that exists.
P2: It's greater to exist in reality than in the mind only (1 real dollar is better than a million imaginary dollars).
C: God exists in reality.

Front 7

Objection to Anselm's ontological argument.

Back 7

OBJECTIONS: (Gaunilo)
P1 : You can think of the perfect island.
P2: It's greater to exist than to not exist.
P3: The island can either exist solely in our minds, or in reality.
C: The perfect island exists.OBJECTIONS: (Gaunilo)
P1 : You can think of the perfect island.
P2: It's greater to exist than to not exist.
P3: The island can either exist solely in our minds, or in reality.
C: The perfect island exists.

Front 8

Cosmological Argument

Back 8

(Aquinas)
Prime mover argument, First Cause argument
Possibility and necessity

Front 9

Prime Mover Argument

Back 9

(Aquinas)
p1: Motion comes from other motion
p2: there had to be a start to that motion - an unmoved mover
c - god is the start/prime mover

Front 10

First Cause Argument

Back 10

(Aquinas)
P1: One thing is caused by another
P2: There must have been a first cause - an uncaused cause
God is that first cause

Front 11

Possibility and Necessity Argument

Back 11

(Aquinas)
Part of Cosmological argument
P1: We are possible:
P2: There must be a necessary entity to ensure our continued existence
C: God is that necessary entity

Front 12

Teleological Argument

Back 12

Same as the Design Argument

Front 13

Design Argument

Back 13

P1: Universe/world is organized,beautuful, and purposeful.
P2: There had to be a designer to make things organized (couldn't happen by accident)
C: God is that designer

Front 14

Objections and responses to design argument

Back 14

1. We make babies (paley brought that up - kind of a straw man approach)
R - even more impressive god designed something that could reproduce itself.
2. Useless, imperfect parts
R - judge the things that are working well, it still had to be designed too.
3. Imperfections
R - Not imperfect design but imperfect materials

Front 15

Paley -

Back 15

Watch argument - basically the same as the design argument.

Front 16

Argument from Gradation

Back 16

If there is a good and a better, there must be a best.
God is the best.
Objection - the best is relative

Front 17

Cumulative Selection

Back 17

Dawkins
Cannot explain the complexity of the world with single step selection. We have a perfectly good explanation for the complexity of the world. We don't need to add God to the picture (following ocaam's razor - idea of God makes it more complicated.)

Front 18

Single Step Selection

Back 18

Everything randomly just appeared the way it is, instead of small changes little by little.

Front 19

Darwin's theory of evolution

Back 19

Natural Selection

Front 20

Dawkins argument against God

Back 20

Natural Selection
Sieves - lets through what fits. selects in a natural way.
Cumulative Selection