Midterm 3

Question 1

Knowledge: Deductive and inductive

Answer 1

Deductive:
Certainty but not now.
Inductive:
Now, but no certainty

Question 2

Knowledge: Rationalism and Empiricism

Answer 2

Rationalism:
Based on reason, Primacy given to reason
Empiricism:
Based on observation. Primacy given to reason

Question 3

Argument for: Something cannot be both actually hot and potentially hot

Answer 3

It is certain, and obvious to the senses, that in this world some things are moved. But everything that is moved is moved by another.

Question 4

First way to prove there is a God (Aquinas)

Answer 4

Moved motions (possible explanation): The mover was itself moved. But you cannot go back forever.

Finite matter + infinite combinations=repeats

Incorrect argument: every motion has a mover.

Question 5

Second way to prove there is a God

Answer 5

Caused and Uncaused: Caused effects there needs to be a first.

Notion of an efficient cause:
We find that among sensible things there is an ordering of efficient causes, and yet we do not find–nor is it possible to find–anything that is an efficient cause of its own self. For if something were an efficient cause of itself then it would be prior to itself.

Sustaining Cause: if the sustaining cause isn’t in effect than the effects themselves cannot go on to have further causes

Question 6

Third way to prove there’s a God

Answer 6

Taken from the possible and the necessary and goes like this: Certain of the things we find in the world are able to exist and able not to exist for some things are found to be generated and corrupted, and as result they are able to exist and able not to exist

Contingent things are possible to exist and possible not to exist. A necessary thing would be able to exist, an impossible thing is not able to exist

Question 7

Fourth way to prove there’s a god

Answer 7

More and less are part of diverse things since they approach in diverse ways which is maximal. There is something that is maximally true, maximally good, etc. so it is a maximal being. Things that are maximally true are maximally beings. The maximal in a given genus is a cause of all the things belonging to that genus. Therefore, there is something that is a cause for all beings, their goodness, and each of their perfections. This cause is God.

Question 8

Fifth way to prove there’s a God

Answer 8

Things lacking cognition, namely, natural bodies, act for the reason of an end. This is clear because they always or very frequently act in the same way in order to bring about what’s best. It is clear that it’s not by chance but a result of a tendency to attain the end. Things lacking cognition lean toward an end if they are directed by something that has cognition and intellective understanding. (An arrow directed by an archer). There is something with intellective understanding by which all natural things are going to end. This thing with an intellective understanding is God.

Question 9

First Meditation: Goals as a knower

Answer 9

To have no false beliefs. Have no beliefs

To believe all true beliefs. Just believe everything

Question 10

Reasons to doubt my beliefs (First Meditation):

Answer 10

1. The senses can deceive–better not to trust
   - Objective, can’t doubt (all) the sense under proper conditions,
2. Good senses
3. Multiple senses confirming,
4. I might be dreaming.
   - But cannot be wrong about the simplest basic elements or “simple reasoning” which make up our dreams
5. There might be an evil genius

Question 11

Radical Doubt

Answer 11

Belief systems include falsities,
To get rid of falsities start over.
Can’t check every belief
Undermine beliefs by undermining foundations.
(Overall strategy: to find undoubtable beliefs to serve as new foundation).

Question 12

The cogito argument

Answer 12

I think therefore I am
I walk therefore I am

Someone has suggested it should be “something thinks” instead of “I think” because it already insinuates you exist

Question 13

Dualism

Answer 13

There are two kinds of substance:

• minds
• matter

Presuppositionless starting point, either Descartes doubts too little or he doubts too much

Question 14

What is Descartes

Answer 14

A substance dualist

Question 15

Monism

Answer 15

There is only one kind of substance

2 kinds of monism: materialism and idealism

Question 16

Panpsychism

Answer 16

The view that everything has a mind

Question 17

Empiricism

Answer 17

Our best (most trustworthy) knowledge is from experience

Question 18

Occam’s Razor

Answer 18

Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity

Question 19

Secondary qualities

Answer 19

2 arguments: One based on pain and pleasure and one based on relativism. The list of secondary qualities include: temperature, smell, tastes, sounds, and colours

Question 20

Primary qualities

Answer 20

1 argument based on relativism: the list of primary qualities include size, shape, motion, and weight

Question 21

Sense data

Answer 21

J. Locke: tabula raza

Berkeley: we assemble sensations (sense data) into objects