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RS > Arguments Based On Observation And Reason > Flashcards

Arguments Based On Observation And Reason Flashcards

1
Q

What is an anthropic principle ?

A

The universe is here for humans and it has been adapted for that purpose

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2
Q

What is a posteriori ?

A

A statement which is knowable only after experience

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3
Q

What is a priori ?

A

A statement which is knowable without any reference to any experience

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4
Q

What is contingent ?

A

One thing depending on another thing

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5
Q

What is the cosmological argument ?

A

Trying to prove te existence of God by explaining that everything must have a cause except God

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6
Q

What is the design argument ?

A

Everything must have a designer
The designer of the universe is god

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7
Q

What is logical fallacy ?

A

An error in the reasoning used which means the argument is invalid

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8
Q

What is natural theology ?

A

Looking at nature to prove the existence fo God

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9
Q

What is necessary being /

A

Something that must exist
Not possible for it not to exist

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10
Q

What is Ockham razor ?

A

Te simplest solution is usually the right one

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11
Q

What is the principle of sufficient reason ?

A

Everything must have a reason

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12
Q

What is sceptic ?

A

Someone who doubts things they are told

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13
Q

what is the teleological argument ?

A

Trying t prove the existence of God by explaining that everything must have an end / final cause and that cause is God

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14
Q

What did aquinas think about the existence of God ?

A

He was not convinced that the existence of god was self - evident
However through logical tight , Gods existence can be demonstrated

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15
Q

What is the purpose of the summa theologica ?

A

Written for Christians rather than as a means of converting others

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16
Q

What aquinas first way ?

A

The proof from motion (first mover )

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17
Q

What is aquinas second way ?

A

The proof from efficient cause (frist maker )

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18
Q

What is aquina third way ?

A

The proof from contingency (the necessary being )

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19
Q

What is aquinas fourth way ?

A

The proof from degrees of perfection (the most perfect thing)

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20
Q

What is aquinas fifth way ?

A

The proof from design (the designer / creator )

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21
Q

Go into more detail about aquinas 5th way ?

A

Everything in the world follows natural laws and order
Even innate objects lacking intelligence are lacking natural order

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22
Q

What si the arrow analogy ?

A

Arrow hits the target eve though it does not have a mind of its own
Archer is the one with the mind
Things in the natural world follow natural laws even though they do not necessarily have a mind of their own (an effect )
Si nene with a mind fo their own caused the natural world to behave in this way (god )(a cause )

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23
Q

What si the parley watch argument ?

A

Someone was walking through a wood and saw a rock they did not think anything of it but then they saw a watch and thought how did it get here , it couldn’t have got there by chance and therefore must have a designer as it was a very complex design

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24
Q

What does the watch argument show about the world ?

A

Watch has a design so the world must too

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25
Q

Why does Hume criticise parley ?

A

It is logical fallacy to assume the designer is god
How do we know the designer is omnibenevolent , omniscient , and omnipotent

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26
Q

How does Darwin criticise paley ?

A

Evolution and natural selection so no designer
Impersonal process of natural selection

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27
Q

Wat is the earwig example ?

A

Even tiny insects have been designed with attention to detail
Not only evidence for an intelligent designer but also because of Gods care for all creation

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28
Q

Are teleological arguments a posteriori or a priori >

A

A posteriori

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29
Q

Name aquinas book ?

A

Summa theologica

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30
Q

What part of the human body does paley talk about ?

A

Eye

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31
Q

When did Hume write his theory ?

A

20 years before paley

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32
Q

What does Hume do through his character of philo ?

A

He points out problems with using analogies to compare our experiences with the design of the universe

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33
Q

What is the fallacy of composition ?

A

What can be observed about the parts cannot be assumed to be the same for the whole

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34
Q

What is humes example for the balancing scales with one pan hidden ?

A

We can only guess what is causing the weight on the hidden side
Much like observing the world , we cannot see or assume there is a designing mind or god behind it

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35
Q

What is the epicurean thesis ?

A

A finite number of particles , given eternal time may eventually fall into order by chance
Even though it may appear arranged and designed it was simply due to constant motion or trial and error

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36
Q

How does evolution challenge the teleological argument ?

A

If the species have survived due to adaptation to the environment , there is no need for a designer or god
If evolution is a random process , there is no overall purpose or planned design
Challenges the status of human kind because if we have evolved the same way as animals then how are we unique

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37
Q

How does evolution challenge the teleological argument ?

A

If species have survived due to adaptation to the environment , there is no need for a designer or god
If evolution is a random process , there is no overall purpose or plannned design
Challenges the status ad dignity of humankind because we have eveolved in the same way as animals

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38
Q

What was Dawkins book called ?

A

“The blind watchmaker “

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39
Q

Who’s theory does Dawkins support /

A

Darwin

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40
Q

What does Dawkins argue ?

A

Evolution is carried on through random but cumulative mutations in DNA which produce the variations in living organisms
The process is “blind”
No overall purpose , plan or telos
Therefore no need for a designer

41
Q

What book did aquinas write ?

A

Summa teleologica

42
Q

What does cosmos mean ?

A

Originally a Greek word meanin both “order” and “world “
Now we use ti to mean “all of creation “ - the universe

43
Q

What does aquinas’ cosmological argument use ?

A

Observational about the universe and the natural laws within it to establish that it must have had a beginning

44
Q

What is the argument from motion ?

A

Aquinas argued that nothing can move or change by itself , there cannot be an infinite regress of movers
So there must be an unmoved mover which itself cannot be moved or changed

45
Q

Which of aquinas ways is the regiment from motion ?

A

First

46
Q

Which of aquinas ways is the argument from cause ?

A

Second

47
Q

What is the argument from cause /

A

Everything in the universe is the result of a succession of causes
Nothing can be its own cause , there cannot be an infinite regression of causes
There must be a final cause which itself is un caused that began the chain of cause and effect
Thsi is god

48
Q

What is contingent existence ?

A

When something can exist or noto exist and it depends on something outside of itself for its existence

49
Q

What is necessary existence ?

A

Something that has permanent existence , does nto depend on anything else to exist

50
Q

Which of aquinas ways is the argument from contingency ?

A

3rd

51
Q

What is the argument from contingency ?

A

Everything in the universe is contingent
If somethings do not exist , its possible there was a time when nothing existed
But there is something now so how can something come from nothing
Must be a different type o bein g- a necessary being
Which is god

52
Q

What is hilberts hotel telling us ?

A

An infinite number of tings cannot exist
Beginingless series of events in time cannot exist
So there has to be a cause

53
Q

What did Leibniz believe ?

A

He avoided the problem of infinite regression
He thinks everything ha a sufficient reason

54
Q

What does the principle of sufficient reason state ?

A

In the case of anything , there is some reason for it
The world does not seem to contain within itself the reason for its own existence
Therefore god exists

55
Q

What is Leibniz’s analogy of the geometry book ?

A

No explanation for te series of books as a whole
Why was there a first book /
He argued that there needs to be a sfficient reason that explained the whole series

56
Q

What does Leibniz mean by a “sufficient reason”/

A

Everything has a reason behind it in order to exist

57
Q

Who was William lane Craig ?

A

American Christian Philosopher
Developed a modern version of the cosmological argument in his book , The Kalamazoo Cosmological Argument (1979)

58
Q

What is the Kalam Argument based on ?

A

The Muslims version of the cosmological argument , inspired by Aristotle and developed in the 9th century by Islamic philosophers

59
Q

What are the premises to the kalam cosmological argument ?

A

Whatever begins to exist has a cause
The universe began to exist
Therefore , the universe has a cause

60
Q

What is William lane Craig’s example of the library ?

A

How can the total books (infinite number of books), be the same as the number of red books or of the total books (still an infinite number )

61
Q

Why does William lane Craig need to reject the actual infinite in order for his argument to work ?

A

He wants to show that an infinite number of things is not possible , and therefore infinite regress cn also not be possible

62
Q

Why do some scientists argue that an infinite universe is possible /

A

With regard to modern physics , we might say there have been an infinite number of big beings and big crunches create a sort of cyclical universe

63
Q

What are inductive arguments ?

A

Reaching a conclusion from evidence drawn from or assumptions about observations of the natural world

64
Q

How does Hume criticise the cosmological argument ?

A

He asked how do we know the sun will rise tomorrow ?
There is a possibility that this may nto happen
So even though we have observed cause and effect in some parts of nature it does not mean we can extend that principle to everything in the universe

65
Q

What does J L Mackie believe ?

A

Argues that both infinite regress and a god is possible using the train example

66
Q

What is the train example ?

A

You can have an infinite number of train carriages but you still need an engine in charge
So we still need a prime mover in charge of the train

67
Q

How does Kant react to J L Mackie ?

A

He criticises it
You can’t use empirical evidence to prove the existence of god

68
Q

What does Russel believe ?

A

Just because things indie the universe need a cause doesn’t mean that the universe itself needs a cause
He gave the example that just because humans have a mother it doesn’t mean that humankind must have a mother
It could be a “brute fact” that the universe is there

69
Q

What does Swinburne believe ?

A

Appeals to the principle of Ockhams razor to claim that the simplest and most economic explanation is that God planned the world and the way it operates
When there are competing theories , the one with fewer or fewest hypothesis is most likely to be true

70
Q

What are the criticisms of Swinburne ?

A

Most likely doesn’t mean correct
Is god the most simple answer with the least hypothesis

71
Q

What does FR Tennant believe ?

A

World is so exactly right to create the precise environment for man to evolve that it must surely have been planned
If earth was just a fraction further from the sun it would not sustain life
The chance of our lives occurring in such a well adapted world as this one is so remote that it must have been planned rather than chance

72
Q

What are the criticisms of tenant ?

A

But what about other planets and baron parts of the universe
So many possible events and potentially infinite time
Why do uninhibited and uninhabitable galaxies exist

73
Q

What did John Stuart Mill believe ?

A

Pointed to the amount of evil in the world as a fundamental objection to design

74
Q

What is epistemically distance ?

A

The knowledge gap between god and humans

75
Q

What is an ontological argument ?

A

If god is the greatest thing then he must exist because a good that exists is a greater than a god that does not exist

76
Q

What is a predicate ?

A

The part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject

77
Q

How does Anselm define god ?

A

“That than which nothing greater can be conceived “

78
Q

What would anselm say to someone who doesn’t believe in God

A

They are contradicting themself because they already have the idea of god if they say there isnt one
And if you have the right idea of god … then he must exist

79
Q

What does anselm mean when he says god is ttwngcbc ?

A

God is the greatest being that can be throught of

80
Q

What does anselm use as his example ?

A

We can think of things in our mind but to exist in reality is greater
Example of a painter
He has the idea of the painting in is mind but the painting is greater once it has been painted because it now exists in reality as well as in the mind of the painter

81
Q

What is anselms first premise ?

A

God is TTWNGCBC

82
Q

What is anselms second premise ?

A

It is better to exist in reality than to exist just in the mind

83
Q

What is the conclusion of anselm ?

A

Therefore , God must exist

84
Q

What are the strengths of anselms argument ?

A

Deductive - conclusion is a PROOF
Logical
Uses a clear , simple definition of god

85
Q

What are the weaknesses of anselms argument ?

A

Proof itself isn’t actually possible

86
Q

What did Gaunilo believe ?

A

Also believed in god
Criticised anselms ontological argument,ent
He disagreed with its use of logic and reasoning

87
Q

What was gaunilos book called ?

A

“On behalf of the fool”

88
Q

Why did gaunilo call his book that ?

A

Anselms calls everyone a fool so gaunilo is speaking on behalf of the “fools” to prove anselm wrong

89
Q

What is plantingas argument ?

A

No “intrinsic maximum perfection “on the island
God is ttwngcbc so is already totally perfect
There is such a thign as being omniscient / omnipotent etc
But there is sch a thing as being omnicoconut / omni lagoon etc

90
Q

What deos Descartes believe ?

A

God is by definition prefect
An imperfect god would not be god
So if god is perfect , he must contain all perfections , including the perfection of existence
If he did not exist he would not be perfect
Therefore he must exist

91
Q

What are logical fallacies ?

A

Errors of logic

92
Q

What is an analytic statement ?

A

Statement that contains the truth needed to verify it within the statement itself it is true because of its meaning

93
Q

What is a synthetic statement ?

A

Statement that needs external evidence to verify whether it is true or false

94
Q

What is a determining predicate ?

A

Adds something to the description of a subject to object

95
Q

Why are ontological arguments invalid according to Kant ?

A

Existence is not a determining predicate .
Adding “he exists “ to the end of the description of god does not add anything to the description

96
Q

What is the silver coin example ?

A

He argues that 100 real silver coins do not have any extra coins tha 100 possible silver coins
So th concept of 100 silver coins is the same whether real or not

97
Q

In the Russel Copleston debate what side is Russel speaking for ?

A

The universe is a brute fact

98
Q

In the Russel Copleston debate what side is Copleston speaking for ?

A

God must exist because the universe requires a necessary being to explain it

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