Exam 4

Question 1

1) What are the objections to Shankara’s view (all is one without parts)?

Answer 1

1. Where does the illusion reside?
   - Can not be in my mind or Brahman
2. How can Brahman be hidden, given nature and pore consciousness
3. How can the world be neither a thing (being) nor a thought (product if being)
4. How can the world be neither real (eternal) or unreal (non-existent) nor both

Question 2

What are the objections to Ramanujan’s view (all is one with parts)?

Answer 2

1. All the parts (of the one) are the same
   - obj: all finite parts don’t equal infinite
2. All the parts are the same
   - obj: if each part is infinite then we wouldn’t need more parts
3. Some parts are infinite and some finite
   - obj: if that’s the case than this is creator and creation not spiritual monism

Question 3

What is the argument that the material world exists? And what are the reasons for the minor premise?

Answer 3

Argument: Something external to myself appearsto exist

Minor premise:

T​he cause of what I see isnot non­material/ mind (it is not mymind, and not anothermind).

1. Sub argument 1:
   a. If the cause of what I see ismymind, then I would have total (all)control overwhat I see next.
   b. I do not have total control over what I see next.
   c. Therefore the cause of what I see isnot mymind.

     Sub argument 2:

a. If the cause of what I see isanother mind, then I would have no control overwhat I see next
b. It isnot the case that I have no control (i.e. I do have some control)overwhat I see next.
c. Therefore, the cause of what I see isnot another

Question 4

What are the two forms of dualism, and what are the objections to each?

Answer 4

1. Ordinary Duelism: mater is eternal and independent of spirit
   - Obj: matter is not self-sustaining so it can’t be eternal
2. Dependent Duelism: matter is eternally dependent on spirit
   - Obj: this would be creator & creation not duelism

Question 5

What is the cumulative revised argument for God?

Answer 5

a. Something iseternal
b. Whatiseternal iseithermatterorspirit
c. Whatiseternal isnot matter
d. Whatiseternal isnot the individual self/spirit, which istemporal
e. Therefore,what iseternal issome otherspirit, which we call God.

Question 6

What is the definition of ‘God’ in Theism?

Answer 6

A spirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth

Question 7

What are Hume’s five solutions and five responses to the problem of evil?

Answer 7

1. Gods goodness is perfect but incomprehensible
   - then all religion ends
2. To know why there is evil, I must know all
   - hope not proof
3. More good than evil
   - cannot measure amount
4. God is very powerful but not infinitely so
   - he can create and isn’t infinitely powerful is a contradiction
5. No natural evil is needed
   - how can you know pleasure without pain

Question 8

What is the Freewill Solution to the problem of evil, and what are the objections?

Answer 8

Free Will Solution:

1. Natural evil isdue to moral evil (assumesthat natural evil isnot
   original in Theism).
2. Moral evil isdue to free will.
3. Free will isnecessaryforhuman dignity.

Response to Free Will Solution:

1. Free will makesmoral evil possible, not actual.
2. If moral evil becomesactual, that doesnot make it necessary.
3. Moral evil doesnot have to be possible; one can be free without
   the possibilityof moral evil.

Question 9

What is the definition of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in the Ironic Solution?

Answer 9

Good:

Evil: failure to use reason to the fullest

Question 10

What are the three main concepts in Ethics? Define each and provide examples of the second concept.

Answer 10

1. Meta Ethics: exploresthe preconditionsfornormative and applied ethics
2. Normative Ethics: includestheoriesthat pursue answersto the question: “What
   oughtItodo?”
   - ex: Existentialism:​The good isachieved byan act of the will determining the good
   independent of anyessential human nature
3. Applied Ethics: assumesrationallyjustified meta­ethical principlesand a
   normativeethical theory, which maybe applied to practical ethical problemsin a
   clear,critical and comprehensive manner

Question 11

BONUS: Why is there moral evil and why is there natural evil in the Ironic Solution?

Answer 11

????

Question 12

BONUS: What is the Ironic Solution?

Answer 12

1. Because all evil in the world, I can’t see how it can be so
2. Because of all unbelief in the world
3. Because of all the unbelief in me
4. Because I shut my eyes I can’t see God is all powerful