[The concept of philosophy. The areas and fields of philosophy, if covered/

• Basic technical concepts:
  • necessary being (fact)
  • contingent being (fact)
  • eternal being
  • material being
  • immaterial being
  • substance
  • event
  • prudential reason
  • evidence (epistemic reason)
• The analysis of the concept of God:
  • God as a supreme being; the concept of perfection;
  • God's perfections (omniscience, Omnibenevolence, omnipotence);
  • why is it necessary to define God before considering any argument for God's existence.
• Some popular arguments for the existence of God. What do they reveal about the importance of having a clear concept of God?
  • Arguments from Love and natural Energy
  • Argument about evolution and natural processes
  • Argument about omnipotence and impossibility.
• Pascal's Wager: the distinction between prudential and epistemic justifications; do they always come together. Examples of various beliefs that have (or luck) prudential and/or evidential justification.
• The argument from Scripture (the question-begging interpretation of this argument; Inductive generalization interpretations of the argument from scripture)
• Traditional Cosmological Arguments: he First Cause Argument; the difference between substances and events, eternal and contingent substances.
• Paley's argument from design. The difference between design and creation. Objections to this argument.
• The problem of evil. Argument from evil against the existence of God. Possible replies to this argument. Argument from pointless evil.
• You will be allowed to use one sheet of paper with whatever notes you'll have on it.

   

TEST -- SPRING 2002 (due, Tu March 04)
Please type your answers (I think you need at few pages to fully develop your answer and address all aspects of a question). Answer question #1 and one additional question.

Question 1: (Must be answered)

Explain the difference between prudential reasons (justification) and evidential/epistemic reasons (justification). Use convincing examples to illustrate this difference.

Question 2: (Answer this question or question #3)

According to Pascal's Wager everyone has a good reason to believe that God exists. Explain how Pascal argues for this claim. Then state, explain and discuss the following objections to Pascal's Wager:

1. Pascal does not give any evidence (epistemic reasons/support) for believing that God exists.
2. Because (by definition) God is all good, Pascal is mistaken about payoffs of believing and not-believing that God exists.
3. Because it's possible that God does not exist but, instead, there is a powerful and all-evil being Pascal is mistaken about payoffs of believing and not-believing that God exists.

Question 3: (Answer this question or question #2)

What is the Argument from Design for the existence of God. Explain in your own words. Subsequently, state, explain, and discuss at least two different objections to this argument. Relate these objections to the definition of God assumed in traditional western theology. In particular, discuss the difference between the concept of creation ex nihilo and the concept of design.

 

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