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Philosphy (Metaphysics) > Philosophy Test #1 > Flashcards

Philosophy Test #1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Deductive Argument:

A
  • -If the Premise is true, the conclusion must be true.
  • -All Deductive Arguments are VALID
  • -If you accept the premises then you must accept the conclusion.
  • -cannot use deductive arguments to predict future or learn something new
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2
Q

What is the Mind/Body Problem

A
  • –>We are physical beings & our world, to the best of our knowledge, is largely (perhaps entirely) physical.
  • –>Minds seem remarkably different from all other physical things in the world.
  • –>But the mind also seems intimately connected to the physical.
  • –>What is the relationship between the mental and the physical?
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3
Q

What is Dualism?

A
  • Mind and Body are two Substances-mental and physical
  • Very influential view. Rene Descartes probably most famous philosophical advocate.
  • The universe is made up of two fundamentally different kinds of substances, mental things and physical things.
  • My Brain made me ME do it. Note the assumption here. I am one thing. My body is something else.
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4
Q

What are the ‘language, reason and conscious’ arguments for dualism?

A
    1. Minds can X
    1. No physical object can X.
  • _______________________________
    1. Minds are not physical objects
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5
Q

Cogito Ergo Sum (I think, therefore, I am):

A
    1. I am such that my existence cannot be doubted
    1. I can rationally doubt the existence of my body
    1. I am not identical with my body (from 1,2)
    1. The thinking thing that I am, my mind, is not identical with my body (from 3)
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6
Q

What is Abduction?

A
  • -type of inductive argument that infers the best explanation
  • For example:
  • 1) Phenomena P
  • 2)Hypothesis H explains P
  • 3) No other hypothesis explains P as well as H
  • 4) Therefore it’s probable that H is true
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7
Q

What is Reflective Equilibrium?

A
  • -search for conceptual consistency
  • -my beliefs about the world must be capable of being true or they are irrational.
  • -ie. science commits you to dualism
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8
Q

What is an Inductive Argument?

A
  • premises establish a probability (rather than a certainty) that its conclusion is true
  • -therefore inductive arguments are Invalid
  • -Science relies on induction
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9
Q

The “Ghost in the Machine”

A
  • the mind (or soul) is the ghost in the machine (the body).
  • Descartes :body is a chemical/mechanical machine that operates causally (not casually) like the rest of the universe, but that there is also “the mind”, or the immaterial soul, that is somehow connected to the body and can influence its actions
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10
Q

Arguments Against Dualism (two)

A
  • 1) Mind/body interaction (Interactionist) problem

* 2) Inconsistent with Physicalism

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11
Q

Interactionist Problem (Argument Against Dualism)

A

• How does a non-physical thing interact with a physical thing?
How does a physical thing interact with a physical thing?
• How can we know anything about this when all our knowledge is about the physical world?
• If dualism is correct, then our minds are a very weird thing, one of the weirdest things in the universe, and they look outside the realm of scientific inquiry.

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12
Q

Physicalism (Argument Against Dualism)

A
  • -All things that exist are entities recognized by physical sciences or systems aggregated out of such entities.
  • -contemporary successor to materialism as several things in physics (eg. Fields) might not be best conceptualized as material things.
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13
Q

What is Idealism?

A

• Time is merely a subjective matter; nothing corresponds to it

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14
Q

What is Realism?

A

• Time is a real thing, part of the fundamental fabric of reality

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15
Q

What is Relationism?

A

• Time is a way of relating events to one another, so time itself isn’t real, but the relations it describes are real

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16
Q

What is Heraclitus view on time:

A

• we live in a world of constant change; nothing is constant
• our awareness is always changing; what we experience is always undergoing change
• You can never step in the same river twice
o the same river is not the same river as the water making up this river has flowed away and been replaced

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17
Q

Eleatics View on Time (Idealists)

A
  • the past does not exist.
  • denied the reality of change; all we have is illusion of change (Idealists)
  • did not believe that motion was possible
  • existence of time depended on reality of change; denied reality of time
  • ZENO and Parmenides
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18
Q

John Locke’s View on Time

A

• Locke was a realist about time, he took both space and time to be real entities.
• Locke was an Empiricist:
o He felt that knowledge came from experience and reflection upon experience.
• Locke attempted to explain how we get time from experience alone even though we cannot directly observe it.

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19
Q

How did John Locke defend his view of time (realist/empiricist):

A

• Through succession and Duration of Ideas
o Observation of what passes in our mind, reveals a train of ideas, which constantly succeed one another in our understanding, as long as we are awake.
o Succession: If we reflect on several of these appearances of ideas at once.
o Duaration: reflecting on the distance between the appearance of any two ideas in our mind.

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20
Q

What is Kantian Idealism:

A

• Science/our knowledge of reality depends upon key concepts like space, cause, time, substance.
o These are not properties of the world; these are experiences of reality itself.
o These concepts are merely ideas made up by us-they are not experience.
• We don’t experience time/space as much as we experience objects temporally and spatially
• Time is not derived from experience; experience presupposes time.

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21
Q

How is Kantian Idealism different?

A

• Almost a mix of idealism and realism
o Ordering our own experiences in time is a necessary condition of any coherent thought,
o Ordering experiences is a way to get started with ordering our experiences (by thinking in terms of their relation to things going on around us).
o WE arrange the experience temporally and spatially in order to experience.
• Start with innate ideas how things are out there (things happen in order, in time, in space, things cause other things, etc.)
o we impose these categories on our subjective perceptions to make sense of them

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22
Q

Aristotle’s view on Time?

A

• Time is just the measure of motion
• Motion means change of any sort, including qualitative change.
o In order to define the uniformity of time, that is, the notion of equal intervals of time
o Local motion = change of place; actualization of potentiality
• Aristotle was guided by astronomical practice
o He identified uniform motion with the rate of motion of the fixed stars, a choice for which he found a dynamical justification in his celestial physics.
• The celestial realm, beginning with the orbit of the moon, consists of an interlocking network of celestial spheres composed of a fifth element (aether), which by its nature is disposed to circular motion about the center of the of universe (i.e., the center of the earth). If the motion of this substance is taken to be the measure of time, the celestial spheres necessarily rotate uniformly; however, planets and stars do not move in uniform.

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23
Q

What are Zeno’s Three Paradoxes:

A
  • 1)Achilles and Tortoise
  • The Dichotomy
  • The Arrrow
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24
Q

Zeno’s Paradox-Achilles and Tortoise

A
  • can divide a moment of time in half. Time is incoherenet.
  • time is an illusion because the concept of change, motion (and time) are incoherent.
  • Achilles is not able to beat the tortoise because the tortoise will keep setting the bar farther ahead; by the time Achilles catches up the turtle will have kept moving and set the bar further.
  • Motion is impossible.
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25
Zeno’s Paradox-The Dichotomy
• Atalanta will never reach the store because she must cover an infinite distance to reach he store (we can always divide the distance she needs to travel in half) •
26
Zeno’s Paradox-The Arrow
An arrow flying in the air cannot really be in motion since an object must change the position in which it occupies to be in motion • At every instant of time there is no motion occurring. If everything is motionless at every instant, and time is entirely composed of instants, then motion is impossible. • At any given instant, the arrow only occupies a space equal to its own size, and when something occupies only a space equal to its own size, it is at rest.
27
The Point of Zeno’s Paradoxes
* Movement and change are ruled out by logic. * Our experiences deceive us. We think we observe change& motion but reason shows us that this is impossible. * We live in an unchanging, unmoving reality.
28
What is Aristotle’s view on Time?
* Firm believer in change-relationist * Time is not identical to motion nor is it identical to change. * Time is a relationship (not a process) * Time is a measurement (but is not real); it is used to measure processes in nature just as numbers do.
29
What is Aristotle’s Reply to Zeno?
• Zeno’s paradoxes are generated by conflating time and what time measures. • Physical and mathematical reality work differently. o Time is a mathematical quantity, not a part of physical reality. • Zeno’s paradoxes assume that the time it takes to get from one place to another is actually composed of an infinite number of finite lengths of time.
30
How does Parmenides defend Idealism?
* To think of the world temporally is to believe in a logical contradiction. * Change is when something becomes something else, and implied by this idea is that some object that undergoes change goes from being future, to being present, to being past. * the present is different from the future/past in that the present is real right now where as the future and past are not. * the past & future cannot exist, because, if they did, they would be real right now, not at some past or future date & then they would be present * To talk of change is to treat the past/future as both real/non-real * If the past is real (exists) then you could time travel to the past.
31
What ‘Enduring?’
* The belief that a person has parts of them that resides in the past, present and future. * Object that persists across time and undergoes change by changing its properties.
32
What is ‘Perduring?’
* View is that an individual has distinct temporal parts throughout its existence * Theory of persistence and identity
33
Newtonian Physics
motion). • This is a world view in which there are universal laws of nature, that are quantifiable, invariable, and universal. • The universe, on Newton’s approach, is mechanistic & deterministic. • ***If you know the initial conditions and the relevant laws of nature, you’ll know exactly how things will play out. *** • Time is merely a measure of cycles of change within the world.
34
What was innovative about Newtonian Physics?
• Newton defined the true motion of a body to be its motion through absolute space • Those who, before or shortly after Newton, rejected the reality of space o did not necessarily deny that there is a fact of the matter as to the state of true motion of any given body o It was thought that the concept of true motion could be analyzed in terms of the specifics of the relative motions or the causes thereof.
35
Why was light a Problem for Newtonian Physics?
• Light seems best understood as a wave, the spend of light is finite, & the speed of light is constant. • Newtonian physics predicts this should not be the case: o In Newtonian Physics: Light should travel more slowly if we are moving in the same direction of it & faster if we are traveling towards its source. • This threatens Newton’s notion of absolute space (the aether of your text).
36
How did Einstein modify Newtonian Physics?
* Based on two principles: * 1) The laws of physics appear the same to all observers * 2) The speed of light 293,338 km/ps is constant * From this, Einstein infers that there are NO FIXED FRAMES OF REFERENCE in the universe (No Aether). Everything is moving relative to everything else (theory of relativity).
37
Theory of Relativity:
• Everything is moving relative to everything else.
38
Some implications of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and Time:
• Time is relative. It does not pass at the same rate for everyone (ie. Twin Paradox) • Time Dilution: A fast moving observer measures time passing more slowly that a slower moving or stationary observer would • Fast moving objects appear shorter along their direction of motion. • E=mc2 entails that a fast moving object has increased mass. • This is why nothing can travel faster the light as the mass of an object becomes infinite as it reaches light speed. o This would require an object to have infinite mass to travel faster than light, which is impossible.
39
What is Minkowski’s space-time?
• Even though time is relative to the observer, not all is chaos o We can measure the location of an event of space time by measuring its position in 4D space time. • So, in a certain sense, all events have a spatiotemporal location. These events do not move or change. • This is the view under which TIME is the 4th dimension.
40
What is a scientific realist?
• Claim that scientific theories are literally true of • Claim that scientific theories are literally true of reality.
41
What is a scientific Instrumentalist?
• Theories are useful ways of thinking about reality
42
What is wrong with Locke’s Proposal to Time?
* At best Locke’s proposal is incomplete. * Locke has observations of events. He has no observations, no experiences of a succession of ideas. * Reflecting on the whole set of ideas has to involve the reproduction, in memory, of past ideas or experiences * But doing this cannot give rise to the idea of succession. We’d already have to be thinking of the parts of the memory (the thought) as of occurring at different times-otherwise they would not be a memory of a succession, as opposed to say bunch of overlaid mental contents. * Locke does not explain how it is possible to recognize a succession of ideas or experiences as a succession without grasping, on some level, the idea of temporal succession. * Reflecting on our experience cannot be where our temporal ideas come from nor can it provide us with evidence for the reality of time.
43
What is A-series of time?
-Instances that have properties like Past, Present, Future. Properties that take place in only one instant.
44
What is B series of time?
- Events do not come and go;they exhibit temporal relations. - Relation between events does not change over time; if an event is at any time simultaneous with, earlier than or later than another then it is at all times. - Static theory of time (time order exists)
45
What is the dynamic theory of time?
-change involving passing of time does not exist
46
What is presentism?
- The view that the only time that is real right now is the PRESENT. - Position in time is real, change is real, but the past & future are not, NOW, real.
47
What is Presentism?
- The view that the only time that is real right now is the PRESENT. - Position in time is real, change is real, but the past & future are not, NOW, real. - Time passes. In the sense that the always existing NOW moves from PAST to FUTURE, and past moments cease to exist as NOW moves on. And future events do not exist ever. Only the NOW. - There is no future or past that the present has changed into/is changing into
48
What is Eternalism?
- All events exist timelessly in an eternal, unchanging order. - All Times are Equally real always. - Events are ordered in space-time. They have a location. - Time does not pass. B series is all we need.
49
What view of personal identity fits best with the presentist view?
- I exist right NOW, wholly. I have future or past parts. All my parts exist at a moment in time & are not connected to some future or past me (there is no future or past, right now) - All my parts exist right now. In the future, there will be a new whole person. I am both identical to that future person and not identical to that future person. - This is the view of self that we seem to get on the Dynamic Theory of Time.
50
What view of personal identity fits best with the eternalist view?
- Humans are never wholly present at any moment in time. - Humans are extended in space-time, four dimensional space-time worms, with only a space-time slice (a part) existing timelessly at any space-time point.
51
What is the phenomenological objection to the static theory of time?
- Humans EXPERIENCE time passing!!! - So, A series time must be real. - Time must pass.
52
How might someone respond to the phenomenological objection to the static theory of time?
- Time passing is psychological projection; we need time in order to make sense of our perceptions of reality - Even though reality does not change, our perception of reality does. We cannot contemplate a changeless world. - TIME PASSING IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION - The absence of any absolute now is perfectly consistent with my having beliefs, at any moment, as to what is currently happening and as to what lies in the past or future. In fact, we need such beliefs to function.
53
What is a logical possibility?
- Does the concept imply a logical contradiction? | - For example, a round square.
54
What is a physical possibility?
- Is the concept consistent with the known laws of physics? - Event can occur if it does not violate natural laws. - For example a round square - time travel seems to be illogical but physically possible.
55
What is a practical possibility?
- What we can actually do with our current resources. | - What is feasible.
56
What is the grandfather paradox?
- If time-travel was possible, you could travel back in time to before you were born, kill your grandfather as a young boy, and thus prevent your birth. - It’s logically impossible for you to prevent your birth, so time-travel must be impossible.
57
What is the Static Theory of Time solution to Grandfather Paradox?
-Static Theory of time is true. You can’t change the past because the past ‘already happened’
58
What is the Dynamic Theory of Time solution to the Grandfather paradox?
-Dynamic theory of time cannot resolve the issue this way.
59
How is 'CAN' related to the grandfather paradox?
- Yes: He is an excellent shot; there is no chaperone to stop him; the laws of logic will not magically stay his hand; he hates Grandfather and will not hesitate to pull the trigger; etc. - No: To kill Grandfather would be to change the past, and no-one can do that (not to mention the fact that if Grandfather died, then Tim would not have been born). -Tim can kill Grandfather and Tim cannot kill Grandfather. Time travel thus leads to a contradiction: so it is impossible.
60
What is the Presentism problem pose for time travel?
-If Presentism is true, then time travel seems logically impossible because there is no past or future for anyone to travel to.
61
What is the problem of Backward & Retrocausality when it comes to time travel?
- that backward causation is impossible. - if there can be no backward causation, then it is not possible - past would have to include such backward casuation, or else it would not really be a story about time travel.
62
What is the backward occupancy problem when it comes to time travel?
- The backward occupancy problem (you cannot have two solid objects occupying the same space at the same time). - If you traveled back in time, your time machine would be two objects in the same space at the same time. - That is physically impossible, so impossible.
63
What is the problem of popping in and out of time when it comes to time travel?
- Can the human occupant of the machine really be the same person after experiencing a complete discontinuity of existence in space & time? Where did they go? What are they talking about? - Isn’t the machine merely destroying and then recreating the person/machine in the past or future? - This would create ‘backward causation’ (a huge problem) and it would pose problems about identity. Likewise, would not be transportation in time.
64
In what sense are we all time travelers?
- We travel from the past into the future at a certain rate. - IE. Time change when traveling on an airplane - And the Einstein twin case, where a twin speeds up so much that it ages slower than the stable twin is an example of time-travel into the future.

Philosphy (Metaphysics) (1 decks)

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