More PTE stuff Flashcards
Define moral evil
Evil caused by human actions/choices
Define natural evil
Evil from natural events beyond human control
Define hard determinism
No free will- all actions the product of previous choices
Define soft determinism
We have some free will but are always influenced by external events
Define virtue ethics
Developing good character through adopting higher pleasures
Define hedonism
Happiness is maximizing pleasure and avoiding any pain
Explain the free will defence
It is more loving for God to create us fully free and allow the possibility of evil
Explain the soul making defence
Evil has to exist so that humans can develop their souls and become good, moral people.
Explain existentialism
A rejection of God, religion and any external constraints. We create our own essence by making choices
Explain genetic determinism
Our lives are determined by our DNA. We are programmed by our genes to act in certain ways
Explain the experience machine thought experiment
Nozick-we can imagine being plugged into a machine that perfectly mimics an ideal life
Explain the difference between higher and lower pleasures
Higher pleasures- uniquely human and self improving
Lower pleasures -short term and can be accessed without intelligence
State 2 attributes of God related to why he would stop suffering
Omnipotent-all powerful Omnibenevolent- all loving
State 2 examples of natural evil
Genetic diseases Cancer Earthquakes Floods hurricanes
State 2 of the 3 poisons in Buddhism
Ignorance Hatred Greed
State 2 impacts of the warrior gene.
Makes us more impulsive Less empathetic More violent/ aggressive
State 2 parts of the hedonic calculus
Intensity, duration, extent, certainty, remoteness, purity, remoteness, richness
State 2 examples of higher pleasures
Reading, music, worship/religion, philosophy, nature, art…
Explain the holocaust and antisemitism
The attempted extermination of the Jewish people by the nazi’s in WW2. antisemitism-hatred and mistreatment of the Jewish people
Explain the book of Job and its meaning for suffering
Job endured great suffering from Satan despite being good, he keeps his faith and God shows him the whole of creation to see how bad can be part of a greater good
What is the humanist view of freedom?
We are free to create our own lives but must act with responsibility towards others
Explain the Islamic view of predestination
Allah knows all that will happen, so while we are free, our actions are also known by Allah
Explain the Christian path to happiness
Happiness is only possible when we follow God and accept his forgiveness
Explain the Buddhist path to happiness
We must overcome desire and attachment, including to ourselves. The middle way and following the eightfold path
Explain with examples, the diaspora
Examples: hostile powers taking over homes, negative rumours, persecution.
Explain the Fall from Genesis
God created the world perfect, but people sinned. God stopped them from eating from the tree of life and banished them from the garden, but made a promise to defeat the serpent.
Explain the theory of behaviourism using an example
People’s behaviour can be “conditioned” or determined by their environment. For example, the social credit system in China rewards people for certain things and punishes them for others.
Explain 2 parts of Freud’s unconscious mind
The super-ego (an internal set of rules we learn from society)
The Id (our base impulses and desires)
Explain 2 merits of argument we are not fully free
Scientists have measured something called the readiness potential, which may show that simple decisions are made before we are aware
Certain genes can affect the way people behave
Explain 2 different happy hormones
Dopamine- to encourage us to reach our goals
Oxytocin- triggered by social interactions
Seratonin- regulates mood levels. Caused by exercise
Endorphins- caused by laughing
Explain how the covenant influences Jewish people today
They believe that God has promised them a place where they can live (the promised land)
Explain the Hindu view of suffering with reference to karma and reincarnation
Your actions affect what happened to you (karma). If you suffer, it means you have bad karma.
Explain why women can be less free in society
According to De Beauvoir, women are often forced by society to adopt a stereotypical gender role which limits their freedom.
Explain the libet experiment and why it matters
Your conscious brain makes decisions before your mind does. You decide things, but this always follows the necessary brain activity.
Explain the view that we can choose to be happy
Happiness is a mindset that can be controlled. This means that we can choose to be happy by reflecting on our mindset and seeking ways of boosting our happy hormones.
Explain why Nordic countries are so happy
Generous parental leave, childbirth is cheap, free healthcare, hygge (the art of creating a nice atmosphere), wealth isn’t important to happiness.
