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Wisdom Without Answers

Wisdom Without AnswersWhat Is Philosophy?

Dr. Clea F. Rees

ReesC17@cardiff.ac.uk

Centre for Lifelong LearningCardiff University

Yr Haf/Summer 2014

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Wisdom Without AnswersOutline

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Outline

A Brief Return to DeathYour Questions AnsweredEpicurean Epistemology

Terminology

Argumentation

Evaluation

Arguments for God’s Existence

Philosophical Questions

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A Brief Return to DeathYour Questions Answered

Questions re. Menoeceus and Epicurean MetaphysicsThese questions were asked last time and I said I would try to findanswers. I did this by asking Robin Attfield who knows a great dealabout ancient philosophy.Q1. Who was Menoeceus?

The recipient of a letter from Epicurus.I I realise we knew this already but nothing further appears to

be known. So, you are all now experts on Menoeceus. Atleast, nobody knows more about him than you do!

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A Brief Return to DeathYour Questions Answered

Questions re. Menoeceus and Epicurean Metaphysics

Q2. Is the loss of consciousness at death instantaneous?Yes.

I ‘Death is nothing to us’ is crucial to Epicurean philosophy.I The argument for this depends on the absence of

consciousness following death.

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A Brief Return to DeathYour Questions Answered

Questions re. Menoeceus and Epicurean Metaphysics

Q2. Is the loss of consciousness at death instantaneous?Robin suggests:

I If necessary, the Epicureans would modify their atomism toaccommodate this crucial element of their view.

I Their empiricism supports their view in this case.i.e. We have no evidence of consciousness following death.

(If they showed any signs of it, we would not consider themdead. . . .)

I In light of their empiricism, this absence of evidence commitsthe Epicureans to the view that the dead are not conscious.

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Wisdom Without AnswersA Brief Return to Death

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A Brief Return to DeathEpicurean Epistemology

Reason

Experience

FoundationRationalism Empiricism

Knowledge

Foundationalism

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Wisdom Without AnswersTerminology

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Terminology

Question 2:

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Wisdom Without AnswersArgumentation

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Argumentation

Questions 1 & 3:

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Wisdom Without AnswersEvaluation

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Evaluation

Question 4:

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Wisdom Without AnswersArguments for God’s Existence

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Arguments for God’s Existence

I Ontological argumentsArguments based on reason alone e.g. the very idea of Godnecessitates God’s existence.

I Cosmological argumentsI Teleological arguments i.e. Arguments from design

Arguments based on experience (as well as reason) whichdeduce the existence of a creator or designer from specificfeatures of the observed world.

I Moral argumentsI Pragmatic arguments

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The Ontological Argument (A Representative Version)

1. By definition, we can conceive no being more perfect thanGod.

2. Suppose that God does not exist. (Assumption for reductio)3. We can conceive a being just like God except that the being

exists.4. Other things being equal, a being who exists is more perfect

than one who does not.——

5. We can conceive a being more perfect than God. (2, 3 & 4)——

6. The supposition in (2) must be mistaken. (1, 2–5)——

7. God exists. (2, 6)

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The SuperPegasus Objection

Source: Clementoni, Pegasus

(http://www.puzzlehouse.com/)

1. By definition, SuperPegasus is justlike Pegasus except thatSuperPegasus exists.

2. Assume (for a reductio) thatSuperPegasus does not exist.——

3. SuperPegasus both exists and doesnot exist. (1 & 2)——

4. The supposition in (2) must bemistaken. (1, 2–3)——

5. SuperPegasus exists. (2, 4)

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The SuperPegasus ObjectionI The SuperPegasus objection suggests that there is something

wrong with the ontological argument. But it does not tell uswhat is wrong with it.

I If this is all that can be said, we are stuck. On the one hand,we have an apparently compelling argument for God’sexistence. On the other, we have an apparently compellingobjection which shows roughly that the argument ‘proves toomuch’.

I This argument does give us some hints as to how thereasoning fails. So it is better than an objection consistingmerely of an independent argument for the non-existence ofGod.

I But it would be better if we could figure out the specificmistake which the argument makes.

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Wisdom Without AnswersArguments for God’s Existence

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A Simple Argument from Design1. The universe has certain features F (e.g. the human eye, wings

for flight, the values of physical constants).2. A watch has features G which are relevantly similar to F.3. The best explanation for G is the (past or present) existence

of an intelligent designer of the watch.——

4. The best explanation for F is the (past or present) existence ofan intelligent designer of the universe. (1, 2 & 3)

5. No designer could create something with F unless omnipotent,omnibenevolent, omniscient, eternal and immutable.

6. A being is God iff the being is omnipotent, omnibenevolent,omniscient, eternal and immutable.——

7. God exists. (1, 4, 5 & 6)

AnalogyArgument by Analogy

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A Simple Argument from Design1. The universe has certain features F (e.g. the human eye, wings

for flight, the values of physical constants).2. A watch has features G which are relevantly similar to F.3. The best explanation for G is the (past or present) existence

of an intelligent designer of the watch.——

4. The best explanation for F is the (past or present) existence ofan intelligent designer of the universe. (1, 2 & 3)

5. No designer could create something with F unless omnipotent,omnibenevolent, omniscient, eternal and immutable.

6. A being is God iff the being is omnipotent, omnibenevolent,omniscient, eternal and immutable.——

7. God exists. (1, 4, 5 & 6)

Analogy

Argument by Analogy

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Wisdom Without AnswersArguments for God’s Existence

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A Simple Argument from Design1. The universe has certain features F (e.g. the human eye, wings

for flight, the values of physical constants).2. A watch has features G which are relevantly similar to F.3. The best explanation for G is the (past or present) existence

of an intelligent designer of the watch.——

4. The best explanation for F is the (past or present) existence ofan intelligent designer of the universe. (1, 2 & 3)

5. No designer could create something with F unless omnipotent,omnibenevolent, omniscient, eternal and immutable.

6. A being is God iff the being is omnipotent, omnibenevolent,omniscient, eternal and immutable.——

7. God exists. (1, 4, 5 & 6)

Analogy

Argument by Analogy

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Wisdom Without AnswersArguments for God’s Existence

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Objection: Alternative Explanations

I Hume objected to teleological arguments for two reasons:1. The universe, he thought, might have grown organically.2. The features of the universe which are supposed to constitute

evidence of a designer establish at most the existence of animperfect one.

I Evolution offers a more sophisticated version of (1).I These two objections work by offering alternative

explanations for the features F of the universe.i.e. They argue that there is a better explanation for F.

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Philosophical Questions

Question 5: