Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

RS > Arguments using observation and reason essay > Flashcards

Arguments using observation and reason essay Flashcards

1
Q

what is essay 1 ?

A

assess the cosmological argument

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is the intro essay 1 ?

A

A Posteriori argument

Cosmological - trying to prove the existence of God by explaining that everything must have a cause except God

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what scholars is it essay 1 ?

A

Aquinas, bertrand russell, hume, william lane craig, hilbert

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

point para 1 essay 1

A

Aquinas first way

argument from motion - there cannot be an infinite regress of movers. Therefore there must be an unmoved mover . he calls this god

Motion means the change from potentiality to actuality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

counter para 1 essay 1

A

David Hume - Book: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779)- infinite regress could be possible , just because its hard to understand doesnt mean it is impossible

Aquinas is only assuming the universe has a beginning

J.L.Mackie - train example - you can have an inifinite number of train carriages but still needs an engine in charge - like a pm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

counter counter para 1 essay 1

A

Hilberts Hotel

intended to show that actual infinites cannot exist in this universe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

point para 2 essay 1 ?

A

Second way - argument from cause

everything within the universe is the result of a succession of causes

an infinitely long chain of causes is not possible therefore there must be an uncaused causer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

counter para 2 essay 1

A

Bertrand Russel

if all things have a cuase , then does this mot mean God must also have a cause

causes are regilarly observed in localised areas of space and time , but this doesnt mean the same for a larger scale - wrong to assume when there is no scientific evidence

maybe the case that infinites exist in nature in ways that humans aren’t aware of

ALSO- BIG BANG

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

countercounter para 2 essay 1

A

William Lane Craig - kalam cosmolgical argument

All things that begin to exist has a cause. The universe began to exits so therefore has a cause

also - was something needed to start the big bang ?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is essay 2 ?

A

Assess the ontological argument

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is the intro essay 2 ?

A

A priori argument

Ontological - God is the greatest thing he must exist because a God that exists is greater than a God that does not exist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is the scholars essay 2 ?

A

Anselm, Descartes, Gaunilo , Kant, Hume

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is ur view essay 2 ?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

point para 1 essay 1 ?

A

Anselm’s ontological argument - Chap 2 of his work Proslogian (1078), he states 2 premises and a conclusion about existence of God

these were P1: TTWNGCBC P2:It is better to exist in reality to exist in the mind

Conc: Therefore, God must exist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

counter para 1 essay 1

A

Gaunilo - in his book “on behalf of the fool”- he gives the example of the island

It may be a perfect island which we are thinking of but that doesnt mean it exists - we need empirical evidence in order to know that God exists

“If someone wishes to persuade me that this island really exists beyond all doubt, I should either think he was joking or should i find it hard to judge who was the bigger fool- I , for believing him or he for thinking he had proved the existence of the island with any certanty”- check quote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

countercounter para 1 essay 2 ?

A

Anselm - his argument only applies to God - not island

also everyones perfect island is different however god is the same

17
Q

countercountercounter para 1 essay 2 ?

A

Gaunilo - accuses anselm of poor reasoning because simply imagining something into existence - just because we understand something in our minds , it doesn not follow that “something” must really exist.

18
Q

point para 2 essay 2 ?

A

ant - God needs synthetic verification- need external evidence

You have to look for evidence of existence - all statements about things existing are synthetic and need external evidnce

19
Q

counter para 2 essay 2

A

He defines God as a supremely perfect being , which has all perfections inlcuding existence. Existence is a predicate because it is part of the essence of God

e.g. a triangle , to be a traingle, must have three sides and all angles equivalent to 180 degrees. without this essence or predicate it is not a triangle, in the same way, existence cannot be seperated from the essence of God

20
Q

countercounter para 2 essay 2 ?

A

Kant - existence is not a proper determining predicate. It does not add anything to the description or our understanding of it. So Descartes is wrong to assume that existence is a predicate

21
Q

what is essay 3 ?

A

Assess the teleological argument

22
Q

what is intro essay 3 ?

A

Teleolgocial - trying to prove the existnec of God by explaining that everyhting must have an end /final cause and that cause is god.

23
Q

what scholars essay 3 ?

A

Aquinas, paley, FR Tennant, Hume, Darwin, John Stuart Mill.

24
Q

point para 1 essay 3 ?

A

William Paley - watch analogy

Book: Natural Theology (1802)

World has similar properties of functional order and complexity to a watch , easy coheretn analogy

Also ear wig example- even tiny insects have been designed with attention to detail - shwos Gods care for all of his creation

25
Q

counter para 1 essay 3 ?

A

Hume criticises this - Book: Concerning Natural Religion (check correct name)(1779)- 20 years before paley but still a criticism

fallacy of composition - assumes the whole world exhibits design from just analysing various parts of it.

26
Q

counter counter para 1 essay 3

A

weak argument cos anthropic principles

FR TENNANT - if the earth was 1 cm closer to the sun it would not be able to sustain life so cant be a coincidence

27
Q

point para 2 essay 3 ?

A

Aquinas 5th way

arow analogy - arrow cannot direct itself to the target but needs the archer to make it happen

Archer - directing intelligence (God)

quote - “Soem intelligent beings exist by whom all natural things are directed to their end , and this being we call God.

Natural bodies has an end purpose, and behave in an orderly and regular way however, because they lack the intelligence (God ) must be directing them towards their end.

28
Q

counter para 2 essay 3 ?

A

Some may say that everything actually just happened by chance - DARWIN + DAWKINS - EVOLUTION - impersonal process of natural selection

natural selection - wasteful process - seems cruel for creatures that are not adapted to their habitats to die out and therefore why would a designer do that - all knowing designer ??

ALSO - John Stuart Mill- “Nature wills at random and inflicts tortures in apparent wantoness”

amount of suffering doesnt make sensse

29
Q

counter counter para 2 essay 3 ?

A

Paley - broken watch - even though it may not fulfil its purpose completely we can still tell it was designed might just be a faulty designer

RS (52 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions