PHI 110 MIDTERM EXAM
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is determinism? - Answer- Determinism is the philosophical view that all events
are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories
throughout the history of philosophy have sprung from diverse and sometimes
overlapping motives and considerations.
What is the argument for hard determinism? - Answer- 1) If determinism is true, then no
one acts freely.
2) Determinism is true.
3) No one acts freely.
What is Jackson's knowledge argument for property dualism? - Answer- Jackson
believed in the explanatory completeness of physiology, that all behavior is caused by
physical forces of some kind. And the thought experiment seems to prove the existence
of qualia, a non-physical part of the mind.
Jackson believes there is more to the world than just the physical.
Qualia argument - nothing you could tell of a physical sort captures the smell of a rose,
for instance.
What is epiphenomenalism? - Answer- Epiphenomenalism is a position on the mind-
body problem which holds that physical and biochemical events within the human body
are causal with respect to mental events.
What is a problem for the (standard) free will defense against the problem of evil? -
Answer- Free will is something of surpassingly important moral value.
God cannot prevent suffering caused by free will, because to do so he would have to
ensure that we choose one way rather than another, and that would be the same thing
as revoking our free will. One objection is that free will cannot be a good reason for
permitting the vast amounts of suffering in this world.
What is Stump's solution to the problem of evil? - Answer- Stump's solution to the
problem of evil was that Adam's fall led to the entrance of natural evil into the world and
this was the cause of all problems.
, Stump believed that you needed to be saved by God in order to solve the problem of
evil.
What Christian assumptions does Stump make to support her solution? - Answer-
Stump believed the story of Adam and Eve and how Adam's fall was what caused evil.
Stump also believes in the existence of heaven and hell.
What does the meditator first become certain about in the Meditations? How can the
meditator be certain about this in the face of the evil demon doubt? - Answer- Descartes
believes in dualism and that mind and body are separate because of the Ancillary
argument and the main argument.
How has Elisabeth's concern been developed (i.e., if people don't press her concern
today just the way that she did, what is a more contemporary version of her objection?)?
- Answer- Descartes believes to have a causal impact you also have to have physical
contact.
Descartes violated the well-known conservation laws.
What is Descartes' ontological argument for God's existence? - Answer- God has all
perfections. 2. Existence is a perfection. 3. God exists.
what is the logical argument from suffering according to Antony? - Answer- 1. No
morally good being would allow suffering if he or she were able to prevent it. (No
tolerance)
2. An omnipotent being would always be able to prevent suffering.
3. Therefore, if there were a morally good, omnipotent being, there would be no
suffering.
4. There is suffering.
5. Therefore, there is no being who is both morally good and omnipotent.
Why does Antony think the logical argument fails? - Answer- The Logical Argument
from suffering failed because the atheist cannot show that the existence of suffering
proves that there is no God, but perhaps the atheist can show that the existence of
suffering provides very good evidence that there is no God. A theist will point out that
even in the realm of the human, we are never in position to say for sure that someone
acted without good reason. They point out that we cannot tell from the superficial
appearance of a situation what the moral facts are. Example = medic plunging knife into
someone's throat who is choking
What is the evidential argument from suffering? - Answer- 1. No morally good being
would fail to prevent suffering if he or she were able to prevent it, unless he or she had
a good reason to permit it. (No Tolerance Unless)
2. An omnipotent being would always be able to prevent suffering.
2.5. Probably, there is no good reason that a morally good, omnipotent being could
have for failing to prevent suffering. (No Good Reason)
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What is determinism? - Answer- Determinism is the philosophical view that all events
are determined completely by previously existing causes. Deterministic theories
throughout the history of philosophy have sprung from diverse and sometimes
overlapping motives and considerations.
What is the argument for hard determinism? - Answer- 1) If determinism is true, then no
one acts freely.
2) Determinism is true.
3) No one acts freely.
What is Jackson's knowledge argument for property dualism? - Answer- Jackson
believed in the explanatory completeness of physiology, that all behavior is caused by
physical forces of some kind. And the thought experiment seems to prove the existence
of qualia, a non-physical part of the mind.
Jackson believes there is more to the world than just the physical.
Qualia argument - nothing you could tell of a physical sort captures the smell of a rose,
for instance.
What is epiphenomenalism? - Answer- Epiphenomenalism is a position on the mind-
body problem which holds that physical and biochemical events within the human body
are causal with respect to mental events.
What is a problem for the (standard) free will defense against the problem of evil? -
Answer- Free will is something of surpassingly important moral value.
God cannot prevent suffering caused by free will, because to do so he would have to
ensure that we choose one way rather than another, and that would be the same thing
as revoking our free will. One objection is that free will cannot be a good reason for
permitting the vast amounts of suffering in this world.
What is Stump's solution to the problem of evil? - Answer- Stump's solution to the
problem of evil was that Adam's fall led to the entrance of natural evil into the world and
this was the cause of all problems.
, Stump believed that you needed to be saved by God in order to solve the problem of
evil.
What Christian assumptions does Stump make to support her solution? - Answer-
Stump believed the story of Adam and Eve and how Adam's fall was what caused evil.
Stump also believes in the existence of heaven and hell.
What does the meditator first become certain about in the Meditations? How can the
meditator be certain about this in the face of the evil demon doubt? - Answer- Descartes
believes in dualism and that mind and body are separate because of the Ancillary
argument and the main argument.
How has Elisabeth's concern been developed (i.e., if people don't press her concern
today just the way that she did, what is a more contemporary version of her objection?)?
- Answer- Descartes believes to have a causal impact you also have to have physical
contact.
Descartes violated the well-known conservation laws.
What is Descartes' ontological argument for God's existence? - Answer- God has all
perfections. 2. Existence is a perfection. 3. God exists.
what is the logical argument from suffering according to Antony? - Answer- 1. No
morally good being would allow suffering if he or she were able to prevent it. (No
tolerance)
2. An omnipotent being would always be able to prevent suffering.
3. Therefore, if there were a morally good, omnipotent being, there would be no
suffering.
4. There is suffering.
5. Therefore, there is no being who is both morally good and omnipotent.
Why does Antony think the logical argument fails? - Answer- The Logical Argument
from suffering failed because the atheist cannot show that the existence of suffering
proves that there is no God, but perhaps the atheist can show that the existence of
suffering provides very good evidence that there is no God. A theist will point out that
even in the realm of the human, we are never in position to say for sure that someone
acted without good reason. They point out that we cannot tell from the superficial
appearance of a situation what the moral facts are. Example = medic plunging knife into
someone's throat who is choking
What is the evidential argument from suffering? - Answer- 1. No morally good being
would fail to prevent suffering if he or she were able to prevent it, unless he or she had
a good reason to permit it. (No Tolerance Unless)
2. An omnipotent being would always be able to prevent suffering.
2.5. Probably, there is no good reason that a morally good, omnipotent being could
have for failing to prevent suffering. (No Good Reason)
