knowledge from reason

Question 1

trademark argument

Answer 1

p1. i have the concept of god.
p2. my concept of God is infinite and perfect
p3. but i am a finite and imperfect being
p4. the cause of the effect must have as much reality as the effect
c1. so the cause of my concept of god must have had as much reality as what the concept is about.
c2. so the cause of my concept of god must be a perfect being
c3. so god exists

Question 2

innate ideas-leibniz

Answer 2

P1. the senses only reveal instances of general truths
p2. the senses cannot reveal the necessity of a general truth
p3. our minds can see the necessity of a general truth
c1.our ability to see the necessity of a general truth is not derived from the senses, but is based on innate principles. (innate ideas which are revealed by reason)

Question 3

platos slave boy argument

Answer 3

P1. the slave boy has no prior knowledge of geometry
P2. socrates only asks questions; he does not teach the slave boy
P3. after questioning, the slave boy can grasp the eternal truth about geometry.
p4. this eternal truth was not derived from the boys prior experience, not from socrates
c1. the eternal truth must have existed innately in the boys mind

Question 4

No universal assent

Answer 4

P1. Any innate idea, x, if it exists, would be universally held
P2.Children and idiots do not have the idea x
p3. if an idea is held in the mind then you must be aware of it
c1. so x is not universally held
c2. therefore x is not innate.

Question 5

Leibniz in response to
Lockes argument(transparency of ideas)

Answer 5

P2. children and idiots might posses innate ideas but are not aware of them. To counter this Locke suggests that if we did have innate ideas such as god, then they muct be present in our minds, P3.