week 7

Question 1

How does Glennan describe human agency in relation to causality?

Answer 1

As a type of causality that includes reasons and purposes, not just mechanics.

Question 2

Which of Aristotle’s four causes is often overlooked in modern science?

Answer 2

Final cause

Question 3

How did Darwin’s theory of evolution challenge the design argument?

Answer 3

By demonstrating that complexity in organisms results from natural selection rather than intentional design.

Question 4

What is the key difference between proximate and ultimate causes in biology?

Answer 4

Proximate causes explain immediate biological mechanisms, while ultimate causes explain evolutionary history.

Question 5

In the context of human actions, what does soft determinism (compatibilism) argue?

Answer 5

That humans can act freely even if their actions are causally determined.

Question 6

What two key components define agency, according to Glennan?

Answer 6

Control and autonomy

Question 7

Which of the following is a key challenge in reconciling human free will with scientific causality?

Answer 7

Explaining how actions based on reasons fit into a world governed by deterministic laws.