PHI 101 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
What assumption best interprets geographical, biological, and astronomical data? -
Answer- Non-uniformity, rapidly and radically
-Grand Canyon didn't form over millions of years, animals quickly frozen, things then not
happening now
Philosophical theism - Answer- It is clear that matter exists and is not eternal and that
soul exists and is not eternal
-only some is eternal in contrast with other positions
-if only some is eternal, then God the creator exists, what is eternal brought into
existence of created ex nihilo what is not eternal (creator is God)
Creation ex nihilo - Answer- Not being from non-being
-in creation, God is eternal and acts to bring creation into being (creation is not
uncaused event)
-creation is not change of God's being (theism is not pantheism)
—analogy for creation of matter: mental event causing physical event
—analogy for creation of spirit is procreation: life flows from parents and becomes other
than parents
God in philosophical theism - Answer- God the creator is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and
unchangeable in being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth
-historic theism is more or less conscious/consistent in understanding nature of God
What if no clear general revelation - Answer- 1. If no clear GR, then SR not possible
2. If no clear GR, then SR not necessary
3. If clear GR, then SR is necessary (after Problem of Evil)
4. Appeal to SR assumes clear GR
5. SR teaches about clear GR
Why philosophical theism is not fideism - Answer- Theism is grounded in clarity of GR
-fideism is belief without proof or understanding what is clear
-Truth is inseparable from meaning, so faith is inseparable from reason
Problem of evil - Answer- How can God be all good and all powerful, and there be evil in
the world
, Religion from misery? - Answer- Not that but a need for meaning
-if meaning of misery rises from religion, then religion cannot arise from experience
Hume's 5 solutions - Answer- 1. God's goodness is perfect but incomprehensible
-appeal to unknown, if God's goodness is unknowable them all religion (prayer and
praise) ends
2. We know in part now, we will know in the future when we see the whole picture
-appeal to future bets the question (to know anything requires us to know everything,
which is impossible for finite beings)
3. There is more good than evil in the world
-knowledge of amounts of suffering in comparison is impossible (why should there be
any suffering at all)
4. God's power is great but finite
-more to be expected from finite power, furthermore God cannot be creator and finite
5, No natural evil is necessary (animal pain, divine intervention; excesses of nature,
natural endowment). God is indifferent to good and evil
-God created moral sense of man with infinite, deliberate wisdom. God cannot be
creator and morally indifferent
5 reasons to support world full of human wickedness and misery - Answer- 1. Nature v
nature
2. Nature v man
3. Man v man
4. Man v woman
5. Man v self
Argument against deism - Answer- 1. If all powerful, could create without physical death
2. If all good, would create such a world
3. If could and would, He must
4. If He must, then He did
5. God created world without natural evil
Most basic concept - Answer- Existence
2 types of existence - Answer- -Temporal (with beginning)
-Eternal (without beginning)
What is eternal - Answer- Independent, self-existing, self-maintaining, self-explaining)
Can there be unique events in an eternal being/process? - Answer- -If infinite amount of
time, could not be explained why unique event didn't happened before it did
CORRECT ANSWERS
What assumption best interprets geographical, biological, and astronomical data? -
Answer- Non-uniformity, rapidly and radically
-Grand Canyon didn't form over millions of years, animals quickly frozen, things then not
happening now
Philosophical theism - Answer- It is clear that matter exists and is not eternal and that
soul exists and is not eternal
-only some is eternal in contrast with other positions
-if only some is eternal, then God the creator exists, what is eternal brought into
existence of created ex nihilo what is not eternal (creator is God)
Creation ex nihilo - Answer- Not being from non-being
-in creation, God is eternal and acts to bring creation into being (creation is not
uncaused event)
-creation is not change of God's being (theism is not pantheism)
—analogy for creation of matter: mental event causing physical event
—analogy for creation of spirit is procreation: life flows from parents and becomes other
than parents
God in philosophical theism - Answer- God the creator is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and
unchangeable in being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth
-historic theism is more or less conscious/consistent in understanding nature of God
What if no clear general revelation - Answer- 1. If no clear GR, then SR not possible
2. If no clear GR, then SR not necessary
3. If clear GR, then SR is necessary (after Problem of Evil)
4. Appeal to SR assumes clear GR
5. SR teaches about clear GR
Why philosophical theism is not fideism - Answer- Theism is grounded in clarity of GR
-fideism is belief without proof or understanding what is clear
-Truth is inseparable from meaning, so faith is inseparable from reason
Problem of evil - Answer- How can God be all good and all powerful, and there be evil in
the world
, Religion from misery? - Answer- Not that but a need for meaning
-if meaning of misery rises from religion, then religion cannot arise from experience
Hume's 5 solutions - Answer- 1. God's goodness is perfect but incomprehensible
-appeal to unknown, if God's goodness is unknowable them all religion (prayer and
praise) ends
2. We know in part now, we will know in the future when we see the whole picture
-appeal to future bets the question (to know anything requires us to know everything,
which is impossible for finite beings)
3. There is more good than evil in the world
-knowledge of amounts of suffering in comparison is impossible (why should there be
any suffering at all)
4. God's power is great but finite
-more to be expected from finite power, furthermore God cannot be creator and finite
5, No natural evil is necessary (animal pain, divine intervention; excesses of nature,
natural endowment). God is indifferent to good and evil
-God created moral sense of man with infinite, deliberate wisdom. God cannot be
creator and morally indifferent
5 reasons to support world full of human wickedness and misery - Answer- 1. Nature v
nature
2. Nature v man
3. Man v man
4. Man v woman
5. Man v self
Argument against deism - Answer- 1. If all powerful, could create without physical death
2. If all good, would create such a world
3. If could and would, He must
4. If He must, then He did
5. God created world without natural evil
Most basic concept - Answer- Existence
2 types of existence - Answer- -Temporal (with beginning)
-Eternal (without beginning)
What is eternal - Answer- Independent, self-existing, self-maintaining, self-explaining)
Can there be unique events in an eternal being/process? - Answer- -If infinite amount of
time, could not be explained why unique event didn't happened before it did
