Final Study Guide

Question 1

What is Functionalism?

Answer 1

Whatever functions as a mind is or has a mind.

Question 2

What is the difference between the strong AI thesis and the weak AI thesis?

Answer 2

The strong AI thesis states that computers can have literal mental states like us. The weak AI thesis says that computers can only simulate mental states.

Question 3

What is the mind-body problem?

Answer 3

The examination of the relationship between mind and matter through dualism, physicalism, and idealism.

Question 4

What is idealism?

Answer 4

The view that existence of reality depends on reality being perceived. “to be is to be perceived.”

Question 5

What is philosophical behaviorism?

Answer 5

A theory of mind that mental concepts can be explained in terms of behavioral concepts.

Question 6

What is a category mistake?

Answer 6

A semantic or ontological error in which things belonging to a particular category are presented as if they belong to a different category.

Question 7

What is Wittgenstein trying to show with his beetle-in-the-box thought experiment?

Answer 7

When we talk of having a mind (or a beetle), we are using a term that we have learned through conversation and public discourse. Therefor, the word we have learned can only ever mean “whatever is in your box” – i.e. your mind

Question 8

What is Kant’s criticism of the ontological argument?

Answer 8

Existence is not a predicate, a property that a thing can either possess or lack.

Question 9

What is Gaunilo’s criticism of the ontological argument?

Answer 9

The concept of the perfect God is incoherent; there can be no such thing.

Question 10

What is modal logic?

Answer 10

The study of the deductive behavior of the expressions ‘it is necessary that’ and ‘it is possible that’.

Question 11

What is the key objection to the teleological argument?

Answer 11

If god created the universe because only an intelligent being can create design, then what intelligent being designed god ?

Question 12

What is irreducible complexity?

Answer 12

A new form of creationism. A system you need all the part for it to function. “All or Nothing”

Question 13

What is the difference between Young Earth and Old Earth Creationism?

Answer 13

Old Earth creationists are more compatible with mainstream science and they believe that god created the earth to look old. While on the other hand young earth creationists believe that god created everything within a relatively short time period, such as that the earth is 2000 yrs old.

Question 14

What is Theistic Evolution?

Answer 14

A type of old earth creationism that has views that regard the teachings about god as compatible with modern scientific understanding about biological evolution.

Question 15

What is the difference between natural and moral evil?

Answer 15

Natural evil are things that happen that we cannot control such as hurricanes, tornadoes, famine, and plague. Moral evil are things people do to one another, like killing someone.

Question 16

What is the problem of evil?

Answer 16

The problem of evil is the contrast with the existence of a all powerful, all knowing, perfectly good god against all the evil and suffering in the world.

Question 17

What is a theodicy?

Answer 17

The attempt to justify God’s permitting of evil.

Question 18

What is ethical subjectivism?

Answer 18

The idea that what might be morally correct to one person, may not be the same for someone else.

Question 19

What is ethical nihilism?

Answer 19

The belief that all ethical beliefs are false.

Question 20

What is emotivism?

Answer 20

The belief that all ethical beliefs express emotions.

Question 21

What is the posterity problem?

Answer 21

The question if it would be wrong if everyone agreed to complete sterilization, causing the ultimate extinction of the human race.

Question 22

What is the divine command theory?

Answer 22

The theory that states that anything good is what God will or commands.

Question 23

What is the difference between psychological egoism and ethical egoism?

Answer 23

The difference is the psychological egoism is that the determining motive for every voluntary action is a desire for ones own welfare and ethical egoism is that every individual should seek their own self interest

Question 24

What is altruism?

Answer 24

The act of doing things that are the best interest of others rather than one’s self.

Question 25

What is the key difference between Bentham’s and Mill’s utilitarianism?

Answer 25

Bentham focused on the quantity of pleasure while Mill focused on the quality of pleasure.

Question 26

What is Kant’s categorical imperative?

Answer 26

The idea that everyone should follow a universal moral law without looking at the outcome of the situation. Just follow the rules to get to a specific goal.

Question 27

What is the main difference with virtue ethics compared to other theories?

Answer 27

The main difference between virtue ethics and all the other theories is that by following these ethics, you are not only following a code of ethics that benefits you by building a character, you are also benefiting everyone around you as well.

Question 28

Explain the problem of evil. How does the greater good defense attempt to solve this problem? Is the solution successful?

Answer 28

The problem of evil is to explain that if there is an all loving, all knowing, and all powerful god, then evil should not exist but in reality it does so a deity such as god is highly unlikely. The greater good defense is that god allows evil exists to achieve a greater good, that evil and suffering are needed for soul making, as well as if god took away all evil then he would be taking away humanity’s free will. One example of this is the atrocities of Nazi Germany and Hiroshima, which because that type of terrible suffering happened, we now know to never let such things happen again, that for the greater good of human kind we had to have those experiences and events occur. Basically it is saying that those types of tragedies natural or moral are needed to evoke human virtues such as generosity, courage, compassion, and fellowship. The solution is unsuccessful in proving that even with evil such an entity exists, because of the fact that supposedly the entity made us, so why would such an entity make the human race so capable of such horrendous acts? For the greater good? If god made humans all good, we would still have free will, we just wouldn’t be subjected to the more evil side of human nature. So this argument is unsuccessful.

Question 29

Explain the debate between creationists and evolutionary theorists. What are the key arguments and objections on both sides of the issue?

Answer 29

The debate between the creationists and evolutionary theorists is whether living organisms originate from specific acts of divine creation from god, or life started as simpler forms which developed over millions of years into the species we have today. Key arguments from creationists is the irreducible complexity that how can such unique and complex biological systems are absolutely too complex to have evolved naturally from simpler, or less complete predecessors. Another example is the mouse traps, and without all the pieces in a mouse trap, it wouldn’t work at all. Objections to the irreducible complexity are the fossil record, although incomplete it shows that biological organisms can evolve and have evolved from less complete predecessors. Key arguments from evolutionist are that species evolved from natural selection over time and species branch through common descent. Objections to this argument are that evolutionary theory is a religion, instead of a science. There are missing links in the fossil record, that the branches linking the evolution of species are incomplete. The second law of thermodynamics proves that evolution cannot be true because order cannot be formed from disorder. The 100 monkey typing example is that 100 monkey over a period of millions of years cannot write a play word for word like Shakespeare’s hamlet.

Question 30

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of moral objectivism and moral relativism. Which theory presents a better case and why?

Answer 30

The strength of moral objectivism is that it does not limit morality to a set standard, that everyone’s view of morality depends on the person or culture; while on the other hand a weakness of moral objectivism is that what someone views as morally right could be morally wrong in a majority consensus. The strengths of moral relativism is that there are certain morals to follow and those morals are set there for a reason, a weakness of moral relativism is that what if that set moral fact causes immoral actions. The theory that presents a better case is moral objectivism because in certain situations, some set morals can lead to wrong decisions and actions taken while moral objectivism allows for flexibility. One example of why moral objectivism presents a better case is if someone was about to be killed, then according to moral relativism “a person should never kill” then the person in danger would die, but following moral objectivism, in order to survive then the person in danger should be allowed to kill his or her attacker in order to live.

Question 31

How would a 1) relativism, 2) egoist, and 3) utilitarian justify the following statement: Cheating on a test is wrong.

Answer 31

A relativist would say that saying “cheating on a test is wrong” is just a matter of opinion, that what is wrong for you is not wrong for me. A egoists would say that if cheating on the test gives you a better grade and lets you pass the class then it is in your own self-interest to cheat, and therefore it is not wrong. A utilitarian would say that cheating would not only disappoint your teacher, it would cause an unfair advantage among the other students therefore it is wrong because it does not produce the greatest amount of happiness among the students and classroom.

Question 32

Explain two of the arguments for dualism. How might a critic respond to these arguments?

Answer 32

Dualism has many arguments encompassing a set of views about the relationship between mind and matter. Two of these arguments are the argument from reason and the subjective argument. The argument from reason postulates that if, as naturalism entails, all of our thoughts are the effect of a physical cause, then we have no reason for assuming that they are also the consequent of a reasonable ground. However, knowledge is apprehended by reasoning from ground to consequent. Therefore, if naturalism were true, there would be no way of knowing it (or anything else), except by a fluke. An important fact is that minds perceive intramental states differently from sensory phenomena, and this cognitive difference results in mental and physical phenomena having seemingly disparate properties. The subjective argument holds that these properties are irreconcilable under a physical mind. Mental events have a certain subjective quality to them, whereas physical seem not to. A critic might respond by giving objections to these arguments. A critic would explain how these arguments do not adequately give the right idea of dualism.

Question 33

Explain Searle’s Chinese Room thought experiment. What is Searle trying to prove? How might a critic respond to Searle?

Answer 33

• The man lacks the consciousness experience of knowing Chinese.
• The system reply: the system as a whole knows Chinese.
• The robot reply: having the right causal with the world.
• The brain simulator reply: The brain is structure to have the mental state of knowing Chinese.

Question 34

Briefly explain the cosmological argument. Explain the most compelling objections?

Answer 34

The cosmological argument is an argument for the existence of a First Cause to the universe, and by extension is often used as an argument for the existence of an “unconditioned” or “supreme” being, usually then identified as God. There are three basic variants of the argument, each with subtle yet important distinctions. The main argument being that whatever begins to exist has a cause; the universe began to exist; therefore, the universe had a cause. According to the argument, the existence of the Universe requires an explanation, and the creation of the Universe by a First Cause, generally assumed to be God, is that explanation. The claim that “the universe began to exist” is in need of additional support, as many philosophers in history have posited an infinite universe. Even if one accepts the cosmological argument as a proof of a First Cause, an objection against the theist implication of the proposition is that it does not necessarily identify that First Cause with a god.

Question 35

Briefly explain the ontological argument. Explain the most compelling objections.

Answer 35

The ontological argument involves arguments about the state of being or existing. More specifically, ontological arguments tend to start with an a priori theory about the organisation of the universe. If that organisational structure is true, the argument will provide reasons why God must exist. God is the greatest, most perfect being; a being who exists is greater than one that does not exist; therefore, God must exist. The analogy of a perfect island, suggesting that the ontological argument could be used to prove the existence of anything. This was the first of many parodies, all of which attempted to show that the argument has absurd consequences.