End Of Year Exam

Question 1

Define natural evil/suffering and give 1 example.

Answer 1

Things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with evil or humans eg, natural disasters.

Question 2

Define moral evil and give 2 examples.

Answer 2

The actions of humans that cause suffering in the world eg. Climate change/people hurting animals.

Question 3

What is the design argument trying to show?

Answer 3

It is trying to show that because the world is so complex and intricate, it cannot have happened by chance (or created by god)
It must have been planned by an intelligent being.

Question 4

What is 1 criticism/flaw with the design argument? (Designer)

Answer 4

1. If it is true that everything is complex and purposeful must have a designer, then it must be true that the designer of the universe must have had a designer, and the designer of the designer must have had a designer, etc…

Question 5

Define a priori and give an example.

Answer 5

Knowledge that can be gained PRIOR TO or independently of existence/experience.
(Mathematical and logical)
e.g. a triangle is a shape.

Question 6

Define a prosteriori and give an example.

Answer 6

Knowledge that can only be gained from experience
(Any other knowledge except mathematical and logical)
e.g snow is white

Question 7

What is an argument?

Answer 7

An argument is a reason or a set of reasons in support of a conclusion.

Question 8

What is not an argument? (4 things)

Answer 8

• Assertion or claim
• Explanation
• List and rant
• Rant

Question 9

What is an assertion or claim?

Answer 9

No reasons to back up a statement.

Question 10

What is an explanation?

Answer 10

Factual accounts of something.

Question 11

What is a list?

Answer 11

Series of related statements that INTEND to give information.

Question 12

What is a rant?

Answer 12

Series of opinionated statements that do not work together in a structured way.

Question 13

What is another criticism of the design argument? (Prove it was designed)

Answer 13

The argument doesn’t PROVE that the universe was designed, it just points out that it is possible, and that it is less crazy to believe in a designer than to believe that a complex universe happened by chance.

Question 14

What are the 2 main types of argument?

Answer 14

• Deductive
• Inductive.

Question 15

What is a deductive argument?

Answer 15

If the premises are true then the conclusion MUST be true.

Question 16

What is an inductive argument?

Answer 16

The truth of the premises can never guarantee the truth of the conclusion.

Question 17

How do the 2 main types of argument differ?

Answer 17

There are good and bad inductive arguments.
This is judged on the extent to which the premises SUPPORT the conclusion (no amount of evidence will ever CONFIRM the conlusion like in a deductive argument)

Question 18

What is metaphysics and give one example?

Answer 18

The study of existence and reality eg, believing in Father Christmas/God exists/conspiracy theories.

Question 19

Is there such thing as ‘the self’? If so, what is it? (4 possibilities)

Answer 19

• Something spiritual
  e.g a non physical soul.
• Something physical e.g the body and/or brain.
• Something psychological e.g memories, personality, ‘mind’
• Nothing, there is no enduring self.

Question 20

What is epistemology and give an example?

Answer 20

The study of knowledge
e.g (what can we know, and how can we know it?)

Question 21

What is ethics?

Answer 21

The study of right and wrong.

Question 22

What is logic and give an example.

Answer 22

The study of reasoning and the rules that govern it
e.g what makes an argument good or bad?

Question 23

What is Anselm’s (Ontological) Argument? (3 steps)

Answer 23

1. God is the greatest conceivable being (GCB)
2. It is greater to exists in the mind and in reality rather than in the mind alone.
3. Therefore, the GCB must exist in the mind and in reality.

Question 24

What is Thomas Aquinas’ Argument (criticisms of the Ontological Argument by Anselm) (3 steps)

Answer 24

1. Humans have a limited intellect so it is impossible for us to fully understand or define God.
2. Anselm cannot claim that God is the GCB.
3. Therefore attacking (his) premise 1.

Question 25

What is the Paradox of the Stone? (5 steps)

Answer 25

1. If God is able to create a rock that is so heavy that he can’t lift it, God is not omnipotent.
2. If God is unable to create a rock that he cannot lift, then God is not omnipotent.
3. Either way, God is not omnipotent.
4. If God exists, then he is omnipotent.
5. Therefore, God does not exist.

Question 26

What is the problem of Omniscience and Free Will? (3 steps)

Answer 26

1. If God knows everything then he know what actions I will do in the future, and it is necessary that I will perform these actions.
2. If it is necessary that u perform these actions in the future, then it is impossible for me to do otherwise.
3. If I cannot do otherwise when I act, then I cannot act freely or have Free Will.

Question 27

What is the problem of Evil and Suffering?

Answer 27

1. If God is omnipotent, he must have the power to stop evil and suffering.
2. If God is omniscient, he must know that evil and suffering exists in the world.
3. If God is omnibenevolent, he must want to stop evil and suffering.
4. Evil exists.
5. Therefore, either God doesn’t have the power to stop evil, he is unaware of it, he doesn’t care, or HE DOESN’T EXIST.

Question 28

What is 1 response to the problem if Evil? (Irenaeus)

Answer 28

1. Philosopher Irenaeus said that if people never experienced evil, they would n have the opportunity to choose right from wrong. We would be like robots. We need evil to know what is good.

Question 29

What is another response to the problem of Evil? (Satan)

Answer 29

2. Evil comes from Satan. He is the force of evil. God and Satan are involved in a cosmic battle, however Hod will be victorious at the end of time.