Philosophy Week 1, 2, 5, 6,7,9,11 and 12 Flashcards
What week is this content? Argumentation. What is an argument and its properties.
This is week 1 content, an argument is a series of statements which are formed with premises that are assigned to address a conclusion (other statements)
Why do philosophers use argumentation to explain something?
Arguments are almost a way to reason with the idea provided by the philosopher that ultimately is like evidence of whether they can get someone to reason with their reasoning.
What are the 3 types of argumentations?
Inductive, deductive and abductive.
Explain Inductive Argumentation.
It is the type of argumentation that moves from the particular to the general ( in -to- out)
Explain deductive Argumentation.
It is the type of argumentation that moves from the general to the particular. (out- to- in)
Explain Abductive Argumentation.
It is a form of argumentation where the truth is not deduced by a given structure but is decided upon the most likely answer to be the truth. It is the best explanation that can be concluded by an already-understood argument.
- It is often used for the argumentations of design where the best conclusion one gets to is through concluding that “it was God who has created that matter” this is an example of abductive argument.
What are the 2 inductive interferences?
- From some to all, this might be coming from observation such as you see something so many times that now you think all of them are the same structure or colour.
- From local to universal, finding something in the local areas that impacts the entire world like a chemical you found local that impacts the universe.
Structure of a Deductive argument.
P1: All humans are mortal.
P2: Socrates is a human.
therefore,
C: Socraties is mortal.
What is a sound argument?
It is an argument that is valid, meaning the premises of the argument are assumed to be true and thus the premises are correct. (Ultimately accepting the conclusion as right)
What is an unsound argument that is valid?
An argument may be unsound when one of the premises is wrong, however, the conclusion may add up to be correct thus it makes a valid argument with a false premise (unsound).
An example can be:
- P1: all women have blue eyes.
- P2: Tom Cruz is a woman.
therefore:
- C: Tom Cruz has blue eyes.
According to the premises, the conclusion should be correct making it valid however, the second premise is incorrect as Tom Cruz is not a woman however since he has blue eyes the conclusion is correct and valid. but it is unsound.
What does ontological means, or the study of ontology?
Ontology is a branch of metaphysics that inquires about the existence of God. however, one can say that it is the study of determining g what is real and what exists. In this context, you could say the inquiry in which one questions the entity’s status of being. (reality and existence)
What does an ontological proof mean?
it is the proof of God’s reality through the inquiry of what God is. Essentially, God’s status as a being is discussed and incorporated into what makes him exist and that he is real.
The Ontological argument of Anselm.
- suggests that God is that of which we cannot think anything greater.
- later suggests that God exists as an idea in our mind, however, if God only existed in one’s mind, that would complicate things as then there would be something greater existing in reality. therefore, he would suggest that God is not only an idea/concept but is a reality since if he weren’t then he wouldn’t be the greatest.
- He concludes that God exists in reality.
- he also says Goes exist necessarily and without a reason, God is not contingent. (God inevitably existed and does not require a condition or right circumstances to exist, because namely, he is God)
- Anslem would go to measures to call those who don’t understand God’s existence a fool (incapable of reason or do not understand the concept) as they do not believe God’s existence is the greatest nor believe that God is real.
- “The fool’s words are hollow” - he means that fool’s words are of no deeper meaning or are empty.
- Thus Anselm is suggesting that through his ontological proof, he put importance on the terms and the status of what God is, like God’s description of what he must be to prove his point of argumentation.
- he also uses to support his argument through his beliefs of identifying people as fools as a term to discuss how they have empty words because they are fools.
- his argumentation style is almost convincing however he does not seek any other proof besides the identification of a God. This makes one believe if he considers other people’s opinions on the matter and how they identify God to themselves. he does have solid evidence that God exists in reality but in his words and his terms of What God must be off on his status description.
- the problem with his argument si that fact that he is talking of deviance as a logical wrongdoing but forgets to consider logic is totally different for each person.
The Cosmological argument of Aquinas.
According to Aquinas, there are 5 ways in which God’s existence could be proved. (cause and motion exist so is God,design)
- The efficient cause, everything needs to be done by something or in other words something must have been the cause of such outcomes. The inquiry behind an outcome is called the efficient cause.
- Nothing can be its efficient cause, nothing is self-causing.
- If you take out the cause then nothing is to be done.
- Inefficient causes it is not possible to go on to infinity
- efficient causation should be caused by something thus there must be the first efficient cause, thus no INFINITY.
- there must have been the first efficient cause which everyone names as GOD.
- There must be an unmoved mover, an uncaused causer.
- Aquinas says things are ordered in the world there is nothing that comes to happen on its own, thus everything around the world has a mover the one who causes it which is God. (look around yourself he suggests)
- God is the thing that is the beginning of what has caused everything to begin.
- Where did the purpose of nature come from? if everything is doing what they were meant to do.(this brings the question God)
- The First Way: Motion.
The Second Way: Efficient Cause.
The Third Way: Possibility and Necessity.
The Fourth Way: Gradation.
The Fifth Way: Design.
What is cosmology in this regard and what is the purpose of the study?
Cosmology is the study of the universe in which the structure of how the world became the way it did is inquired. However, in this regard, Cosmology is used to understand God’s existence through the cause-and-effect theory in which the world is developed come to be.
