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General questions Flashcards

1
Q

What is represented by the outside world in the story of the cave?

A

The real world, the world of the forms, which lies beyond our world.

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2
Q

Why should philosophers ruel accroding to plato?

A

The philosophers should rule because they have knowledge, whereas the ordianry person does not.

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3
Q

Which of the forms is the ultimate form?

A

The Form of the Good.

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4
Q

Which of the four causes is the most important as far as Aristotle is concerned? What does this show about his philosophy?

A

The final cause. It shows that Aristotle belives that all things have a purpose or telos.

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5
Q

What are the differences between Aristotle’s prime mover and religious ideas of God?

A

Contrary to religious ideas of God, the Prime Mover is not omniscient and does not interact with or love the creation. It is a cause rather than a creator.

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6
Q

How do exitentialists differ from Aristotle on the idea of purpose?

A

Existentialists believe that humans have to create their own purposes, whereas Aristotle belives that purpose is built into the structure of the universe.

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7
Q

Which of the thinkers believes in a priori knowledge?

A

Plato belives in a priori knowledge.

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8
Q

Which of the thinkers believes in a posteriori knowledge?

A

Aristotle belives in a posteriori knowledge.

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9
Q

What is the difference between dualism and materialism?

A

Dualism belives that there are two parts or aspects to human beings - mind/soul and the body; materialism believes that there is just one aspect, physical matter.

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10
Q

What are the difference between the body and soul according to Plato?

A

The soul is the real person: it is eternal, unchanging, non-physical and posesses knowledge. The body is not the real person; its physical needs are a nuisance. It is temporal, it changes, it is physical and only posesses opinions.

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11
Q

How does Aristotle’s use of the word ‘Form’ differ to Plato’s ?

A

Plato understands the Form as something that exists beyond this world and as being more important than this world. For Aristotle, Form is the shape of the individual objects within this world.

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12
Q

What are Descartes’ two arguments for the existence of the soul?

A

The argument from doubt and the argument from divisibility.

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13
Q

What is the Cogito?

A

The Cogito is short for cogito ergo sum (‘I think, therefore I am’) - Descartes’ proof of hiw own existence, Whilst thought is occuring there must be a thinker.

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14
Q

Why does Richard Dawkins reject the idea of the soul?

A

Dawkins believes that the soul was merely an ancient attempt to understand consciousness. It isb now an unnecessary idea as science provides a better explanation.

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15
Q

What is the problem of interaction?

A

The problem is that the mental and the physical seem to be incompatible substances and it is hard to see how they could interact in one person. It is like asking, ‘How does the ghost ride the bicycle’

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16
Q

What does Ryle mean by the idea of a category mistake?

A

A category mistake is where we make the mistake of treating one thing a sif it were another type of thing. Ryle suggests that dualists are thinking of the mind in the wrong way. It is not an extra thing. He illustrates this with his example of the visitor in the university.

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17
Q

Give a definition of a posteriori experience

A

Reasoning based on the use of evidence or experience.

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18
Q

Whose philosophy inspied Aquinas?

A

Aristotle.

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19
Q

According to Aquinas, humans need God to guide us to our purpose just like an —– needs and —— to quide it to its target.

A

Arrow,archer.

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20
Q

According to Paley, what object is not likely to be seen as designed if you come across it on a heath?

A

A rock or stone.

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21
Q

Why does Paley say it doesn’t matter if the watch is broken?

A

It still shows evidence of being designed, even if it is broken when seen.

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22
Q

In the correct order, what do Aquinas’ three ways argue from?

A

Motion (or change), causation (or cause and effect), contingency and necessity.

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23
Q

How does each of the three ways end?

A

This being is what we call God.

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24
Q

What does Hume say we know about shipbuilders that might make Paley’s argument less sucessful?

A

A shipbuilder does not usually work alone; he is also likely to have learned his trade through a process of trial and error; and just because he creates a great ship, it does not mean that he is a moral person in himself.

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25
What is the underlying principle of Darwin's Theory of Evolution?
Natural selection.
26
What is a logical fallacy?
An error in logic- bad thinking.
27
Give a definition of a priori reasoning
Reasoning based on analysis or logic
28
What does 'ontology' mean ?
The study of being
29
How does Anselm define God?
That than which nothing greater can be concieved- the greatest possible being
30
According to Anselm, what is greater than existing in ther mind alone?
Existing in both the mind and reality
31
What does Anselm say about God that makes him reject Gaunilo's criticisms?
God is a special case, a necessary being, unlike Gaunilo's island.
32
According to Kant, what can you reject in order not to need to discuss the predicate?
The existence of the subject of the sentence.
33
What was the currency that Kant used in his second objection?
Thaler.
34
To whom is Prologian adressed?
God.
35
Who suggested that ten leaky bucket do not hold water, so ten arguments for God's existence that are flawed do not prove his existence?
Antony Flew.
36
According to William James, what is the key test for the genuineness of a religious experience?
It should be judged by its effects, the 'fruit' it produces.
37
What are James' four characteristics of a religious experience?
They are ineffable, noetic, transcient and passive.
38
What is a conversion experience?
It is an experience where there is a sudden or gradual change in someone's belief system.
39
What did Starbuck consider about conversion experiences?
Starbuck shows that conversion experiences are similar to normal non-religious experiences where adolescents go through a process of finding their identity.
40
What is the principle of testimony and why do some thinkers criticise this principle?
The principle of testimony is Swinburne's suggestion that we should give people the benefit of the doubt and believe their claims to religious experiences unless there is a good reason not to. This can b criticised as religious experienes are very different to everyday experiences and we may have reason to question the reliability of individuals involved.
41
How do pyschologists such as Freud criticise religious experience?
Freud, along with Feuerbach, suggests that desire for religious experience is based on wishful thinking and that the experiences themselves are triggered by our subconscious.
42
What is the God helmet an how might it challenge religious experience?
The God helmet produces a magnetic field which causes something akin to a religious experience that is shared by a group of people. Some scientists have used this to argue that religious experiences are entirely natural and hence are nothing to do with God.
43
Define corporate religious experience and give an example of such an experience
A corporate religious experience is a religious experience is a religious experience that is shared by a group of people. The events at Fatima, Medjugorje and the Tororonto Blessing are examples of such experiences.
44
Sort these exaomples of evils into moral evil and natural evil : tornadoes, theft, genocide, tsunamis, poverty and pollution.
Natural: tornadoes, tsunamis, poverty, pollution. Moral: theft, genocide. For some of these natural evils, consider if they can have been caused by moral evil: pollution by human activity, poverty by corrupt governments and so on.
45
What is meant by the word 'theodicy'?
An attempt to justify the righteousness of God in the face of evil and suffering.
46
Why is evil logically a problem for the religious believer?
Logically it seems that God cannot be all-powerful and all-loving if evil also exists- the three do not seem to go together logically.
47
What does the word 'privation' mean and how does it link to Augustine's theodicy?
A lack of something - Augustine says that evil is a lack of good, rather than a substance in itself.
48
How did a loss of harmony enter the world and what type of evil has it led to?
Harmony was lost at the Fall and the disharmony in the world has led to natural evil.
49
Why has Ausgutine's theodicy been described in modern times as soul-deciding?
Augustine's theodicy describes the process of humans making choices (deciding) to move away from the punishment of sin.
50
According to Hick, humans are created in God's image but must develop into what?
God's likeness
51
What did Hick mean by saying the world is a vale of soul-making?
The world is a place where the conditions are such that we can 'make' our souls into better souls - the likeness of God. Suferring is our one such condition.
52
What might a Christian say is the ultimate example of suffering?
Jesus on the cross.
53
Who might say that God could make 3+3=11 ?
Descartes
54
Which two philosophers say that God can only do what is logically possible for a perfect God to do?
Aquinas and Swinburne
55
Which approach to omnipotence is perhaps most in line with the Bible's presentation of God?
The idea that omnipotent means almight: self-imposed limitation.
56
According to Boethius, what must we understand in order to understand knowledge and eternity?
The nature of the knower
57
According to Anselm, what are the four dimensions that should be considered alongside each other ?
Space (three dimensions: length, breadth, height) and time.
58
What is Swinburne's main evidence for saying that God is primarly portrayed as everlasting?
It fits with the portrayal of God in the Bible.
59
Who spoke of God as: (a) a grand chess master; (b) a very close friend?
(a) Geach; (b) schleiermacher.
60
What two types of necessity does Boethius talk about?
Simple and conditional
61
Who said that for us the furture is changing, but for God it is not ?
Anselm
62
What is the hebrew equivalent of the Greek agape?
hesed.
63
What are the two sides to the Euthyphro dilemma?
Either God defines goodness - everything God does is good by definition - or else God is subject to an independent standard of goodness.
64
What does univocal mean ?
This is where words have the same meanings in different contexts.
65
What does equivocal mean ?
This is where words have different meanings in different contexts.
66
Why do some thinkers argue that only the apophatic way should be used to speak of God?
They argue that God is beyond description. Words are inadequate to describe him. The only way of speaking correctly and respectfully of God is by describing what he is not.
67
Which of the ideas of analogy makes use of the causal link between God and humans? Is it analogy of attribution or analogy of proportion?
Analogy of attribution
68
Hick develops Aquinas' idea of analogy of___.
Proportion
69
Why do some thinkers belive that analogy avoids both agnosticism and anthropomorphism?
It is not univocal so does not reduce God to our level (avoids anthropomorphism), but is not equivocal so does allow some statements about God (avoids agnosticism).
70
According to Tillich, what is the difference between a sign and a symbol?
A sign points at something, whereas a symbol participates in that to which it points.
71
In what ways does symbolic language function like works of art?
Art,like symbolic language.communicates on a deep emotional level.
72
Define what is meant by cognitive and non-cognitive statements.
Cognitive statements are statements that are able to be true or false. Non-cognitive statements are statements that are not subject to truth and falsity.
73
How does Ayers verification differ from that of the Vienna Circle?
Ayer gives a broader criterion in suggesting that statements are meaningful if there is a way to verify them in principle, whereas the Vienna Circle suggested that statements need verifying directly to be meaningful.
74
What is eschatalogical verification?
Eschatalogical verification is Hick's idea that religious statements are verifiable after death, and thus are meaningful.
75
Flew argues that religious statements are not _____.
Genuine assertations.
76
What is meant by the term 'blik' ?
This is Hare's term for a basic unfalsifiable belief.
77
Does Mitchell agree with Flew or Hare? (Careful!!!!)
Mitchell partly agrees with both thinkers. He agrees with Flew that religious statements are subject to some empirical testing. He also accepts Hare's point that religious believers have a faith commitment that may mean beliefs cannot be falsified.
78
What does Wittgenstein mean by the phrase 'letting the fly out of the fly bottle'?
Philosophers cause themselves unnecessary problems by failing to pay attention to language. The aim of philosophy is to focus on language in order to avoid these problems.
79
Wittgenstein believes that religious statements are meaningful/ meaningless and are cognitive/ non-cognitive. Cross out the incorrect terms.
Wittgenstein believes that religious statements are meaningful and are cognitive.
80
What are the key differences between Aquinas and Wittgenstein's views of langauge?
Aquinas has a cognitive view of language, whereas Wittgenstein has a non-cognitive view. Aquinas believes religious concepts have an objective meaning, whereas Wittgenstein believes meaning is relative to the group using the statement.
81
What is rationalism?
The view that the primary source of knowledge is reason,in the strictest sense, a priori reason.
82
What is empiricism?
The idea that observations via our senses lead us to an understanding of the world.
83
What is reason?
Using logical thought in order to reach conclusions.
84
What is a priori?
Knowledge which is not dependent on experience,can be known 'prior' to experience, e.g triangles have three sides.
85
What is a posteriori?
Knowledge which is dependent on sense experience, can only be known after sense experience.
86
What are forms?
The name Plato gives to ideal concepts that exist in reality.
87
What are particulars?
The name Plato gives to the objects in the empirical world which are merely imperfect copies of the Form.
88
What is the material cause?
What a substance is made of
89
What is the formal cause?
What form or structure does something have, what is it that makes it that type of thing?
90
What is the efficient cause?
What brought something about or what made it.
91
What is the final cause?
The purpose or reason for something
92
What is meant by telos?
Literally 'end' or purpose.The idea that evrything has a purpose or aim.
93
What does immuteable mean ?
The idea that God does not change.
94
What does impassive mean?
The idea that God does not experience feelings or emotions.
95
What does Deism mean?
The idea that God causesor creates the world but is then separate and uninvolved.
96
What does theism mean?
The idea that God both creates and continues to be involved in the world.
97
What is substance dualism?
The idea that there are two aspects to human beings,the physical and the mental. The mental may be indentified with the soul.
98
What is materialism?
The idea that human beings are made up of physical matter alone.
99
What is Liebniz law?
If two objects are identical they have o have exactly the same properties. So if object A and object B don't both have a certain property then they must be different.
100
What is a category mistake?
A problem in philosophy where something is thought and talked about in the wrong way; it belongs to a different category of thing.
101
What is Ockham's razor?
The philosophical principle that you should not multiply entities beyond necessity; that it is best to take the simplest explanation.
102
What is a posteriori reasoning?
Reasoning that uses observation or experience to reach conclusions.
103
What does teleological mean?
To do with something's purpose or goal or end point.
104
What is an analogy?
A comparison between two things in order for us to understand the less familiar thing.
105
What is a contingent being?
Something that relies on something else for its existence; it is possible that it does or does not exist.
106
What is a necessary being?
Something that does not rely on anything else for its existence.
107
What is a logical fallacy?
An error in logic.
108
What does ontological mean?
The study of being.
109
What is a priori reasoning?
Reasoning that uses analytical deduction

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