LH 3, DR 13 (p.336-357)
1. What was the main teaching of skepticism? ("Scepticism" in Br. spelling)
2. How did Pyrrho say you could become free from all worry? Does Warburton think this would work for most of us?
3. How does modern skepticism differ from its ancient predecessor?
4. Why does Gottlieb think Pyrrho must not have been as radically skeptical as legend has it?
5. What did David Hume say about too much skepticism?
6. What did "throwing in the sponge" mean, in Sextus Emiricus's story?
2. How did Pyrrho say you could become free from all worry? Does Warburton think this would work for most of us?
3. How does modern skepticism differ from its ancient predecessor?
4. Why does Gottlieb think Pyrrho must not have been as radically skeptical as legend has it?
5. What did David Hume say about too much skepticism?
6. What did "throwing in the sponge" mean, in Sextus Emiricus's story?
FL 23-24
7. What was the "takeaway" for '60s academics who turned away from reason and rationalism?
8. How did UCLA psychologist Charles Tart get tenure?
9. Tom Wolfe said the Jesus People of the '60s were what?
10. What bestselling "nonfiction" book by Hal Lindsey predicted the looming apocalypse?
11. Even though his basic religious beliefs were not much different from Pat Robertson's and Jerry Falwell's, _____ seemed moderate by comparison.
DQ
DQ
- Is it possible to go through life questioning and doubting everything, committing always to nothing, and holding no firm opinions? Is it desirable or useful to try doing so?
- Whose view on the reliability of the senses do you find more persuasive, Pyrrho's or Epicurus's (see DR 309-10)
- In what ways are you skeptical? In what ways are you not?
- Comment: "Even determinists and fatalists look both ways before crossing the street."
- What do you think of "the Empiricist approach to medicine"? (350) Does anyone still practice it?
Quiz Mar 15 DR 14, FL 25-26
DR 358-390
1. What happened in AD 529, and why is it a convenient milestone for philosophy?
2. What did medieval Christians "know" that Aristotle said wasn't so?
3. What's the one question almost everyone has heard about medieval philosophy? What's the obvious answer?
4. What was "the strangest document in the history of philosophy" and how did it catch the spirit of its time?
5. What was Plotinus's philosophy called, and what was its goal?
6. What did Proclus see as the job of philosophy?
FL
7. What happened after the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) adopted its founding document in 1962?
8. Who were our first gun rights absolutists?
9. When did Kurt Andersen realize fantasy would now rule pop culture?
10. What pharmacological development, "available everywhere by 1965," made sex less "real"?
DQ
- Do you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
- Do you pray? Why? Is Augustine's request for chastity postponed the sort of thing you pray for? What do you pray for, and what do you think the purpose of prayer is? Is it like submitting your Xmas wish-list, or something else?
- How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
- In light of what Philosophy tells Boethius about happiness coming from within, would you say you tend to be happy for the right reasons? Should you be happy (for instance) when your favorite team wins?
- Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"? What about mass murder (Las Vegas, for instance... or cancer... or child abuse...)?
- Is God and goodness the same, for you?
- Can you have free will if a god knows everything you're going to do? How is divine foreknowledge not "predestination"? How would it not turn us into "pre-programmed machines" without free will?
- How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
- Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?
- What other properties should a god have, besides being an "uncaused cause"?
- Is it more explanatory, or in some other way more satisfying, to call a 1st cause "God" rather than "Nothing" or "the Universe" or "the Big Bang"... ?
- How should philosophy and religion relate to one another? Can they peacefully coexist?
- How do you interpret the Eucharist? Do you agree with Aristotle? (364)
- Gottlieb says the "real problem with medieval learning" was that professors "allowed themselves to be tyrannized by books." What do you think this means? What's the correct way to treat books?
- If angels did not have bodies, how could they be in contact with anything? (370) How could Caspar the Friendly ghost move through a wall AND catch a ball? (Dan Dennett: "Dennett was convinced that Descartes’ dualism — the idea that an immaterial mind interacts with a material body — was a “cul-de-sac”. To illustrate the dualist delusion, he makes an improbable reference to the cartoon character, Casper the Friendly Ghost, who could both walk through walls and catch a baseball with his ghostly hand. “There was a latent contradiction built into the very idea of Casper the Friendly Ghost and basically that’s what’s wrong with dualism. Nobody’s ever solved that problem remotely satisfactorily.”)
- Do you equally value spiritual salvation and tranquility, or do you consider one more important than the other? Can you achieve both?
- Are you, or anyone you know, in agreement with Plotinus about being "almost ashamed of being in the body"? Why would anyone have such an attitude? How can they get over it?
- What do you see as the job of philosophy?
#8
ReplyDeleteAlternative Quiz Questions: LH 3
1. Pyrrho neatly summarized hid philosophy in the form of three
questions that anyone who wants to be happy should ask. What
are the three questions?
2. Philosophers challenge ________. (fill in the blank)
#8
Delete1. "What are things really like?", "What attitude should we adopt to them?", and "What will happen to someone who does adopt that attitude?"
2. dogma.
#8
ReplyDeleteDQ's March 13th
1. It is definitely possible to go through life questioning everything. It isn't desirable though because you won't have time to enjoy the things in life if you are only questioning those things.
2. I find Epicurus' view more persuasive.
3. I skeptical towards things being real or if they are just fantasy.
4. You always want to know if it is the right thing to do or not no matter what it is.
5. People still want to find the underlying cause of illness in order to find out if it can be stopped at the source before it happens.
#8
ReplyDeleteAlternate Quiz Questions
FL 23-24
1. what was Paul Feyerabend's best-known book?
2. What was the term useful idiot was for?
3. What Pentecostalist started producing and airing prime-time shows in the 60's?
4.Who founded the Christian Broadcasting Network?
5. What was the biggest American denomination around 1965?
#8
DeleteAlternative Quiz response
1. Killing Time
2.
3. Oral Roberts
4. Pat Robertson
5. Southern Baptist
#8
ReplyDelete-Is it possible to go through life questioning and doubting everything, committing always to nothing, and holding no firm opinions? Is it desirable or useful to try doing so?
I don't think it's useful to doubt everything and commit to nothing. I think a person who does that would later reflect on their life when it's too late and realize they should've just enjoyed it instead.
-Whose view on the reliability of the senses do you find more persuasive, Pyrrho's or Epicurus's (see DR 309-10)
Although I appreciate Pyrrho's free spirit, Epicurus' is more persuasive.
-In what ways are you skeptical? In what ways are you not?
I can be skeptical when it comes to things the government may claim, or about things I deem to be impossible. It's just hard sometimes not to doubt.
-Comment: "Even determinists and fatalists look both ways before crossing the street."
Further adding to the quote above, even people who are set to do something still make sure they have a clear path and know what they're doing.
-What do you think of "the Empiricist approach to medicine"? (350) Does anyone still practice it?
I think it's a terrible way to approach medicine or people who needed medical attention. I think if this approach was used today, we wouldn't have our current advancements in medicine.
#8
ReplyDeleteGreat website that explains how philosophy ties into medicine.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/medicine/#SH2a
#8
ReplyDeleteCool video that discusses the empiricist approach to medicine.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/breakthroughs-in-medicine-and-chemistry.html
#8
ReplyDeleteAlternate discussion question:
Is it better to live a long life doubting many things or live a more full life with uncertainty of a future?
#8
DeleteYour question reminds me of a skit by Gabriel Iglesias
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r11YaT3NjYs
the message starts at 0:33, but I'd start at the beginning for context, and then I'd watch 10 more of his videos because he's funny and I have poor impulse control.
YouTube binging aside, I'd have to agree with Gabriel's core philosophy, and choose the latter. Realistically, none of us really know how long we're going to live. Even if I spent every day eating the healthiest of meals and working out the healthiest of exercises, tomorrow I could be hit by an airplane, or fall down an open manhole, or get killed by something realistic. My point is we can't guess our real expiration date with 100% accuracy, and even though I would like to take better care of myself and be healthy, and doubt things which may not seem true, I think it's more important to live every day in the present, and be truly happy.
#3
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to go through life questioning and doubting everything, committing always to nothing, and holding no firm opinions? Is it desirable or useful to try doing so?
I think it is quite possible to go through life doubting everything and committing to nothing, however it is not desirable in my opinion. I say this because I think in order to develop your whole self you have to find atleast something to believe in or commit to. Holding your own opinion on things and having things to believe in make you who you are. What's life without knowing your true self or having something to believe in?
In what ways are you skeptical? In what ways are you not?
I am skeptical to believe things when I hear them for the first time. I seem to doubt things until I know the whole truth about the subject or until I dig a little deeper into it. However, I'm not very skeptical when it comes to hearing things from authority. I may be somewhat skeptical at first, but most of the time because they have authority over me I will most likely believe them.
#3
ReplyDelete1. No, it (probably) isn't possible or desierable to live life questioning and doubting everything, but to practice this philosophy can be helpful in discovering the truth in things one might not have seen otherwise
3. I am skeptical about many things in the world, especially those that I haven't personally encountered, but not limited to those things. I try to go about everything in life with at least a slight skepticism
4. this comment sort of proves my point. Even those who claim to be the highest supporters of determinism and fatalism choose to rely on some bit of reason and personal senses in life or death situations
#8
ReplyDelete1 It's possible to consistently doubt everything and commit to nothing. The results of this behavior would be terrible, for both the individual and the people in the general environment. At this moment I could doubt that I'm even awake, or simply not commit to going to school. Doubting my consciousness wouldn't help anyone else, and it would make me feel irrelevant to my environment, and not even a little encouraged to do anything at all. Not committing to go to school would also prevent me from going, as I wouldn't feel the need to do so. That would be a waste of tuition money, and a seat that could've been given to a student who was excited for education. By doubting everything and committing to nothing, not only would I deprive myself of the opportunities already available, but I'd prevent others from reaching their potential as well, simply by being a waste of space. That is a lot to risk on the off-chance that my perceived reality is false.
2 Without a doubt I side with Epicurus. Both Epicurus and Pyrrho understand that the senses can lie to use, which is true. Pyrrho takes it to such extremes that he allegedly could not trust anything that he sensed, while Epicurus understand that some of what the senses inform us on can be true as well. Epicurus has a much more realistic way of looking at things, which I find more persuasive.
3 I'm a pragmatic skeptic. For the most part, I don't question my existence, purpose, or perceived reality. I'm skeptical of things like the supernatural, or big promises made by strangers, or politicians. I often hear of morality being discussed as a black and white subject, which I couldn't disagree with more. In fact, I think the common perception of morality is so skewed that common misdemeanors are less negatively impactful than common rude behaviors. For example, it's an overall bad decision to steal a $10 CD. Now if I walked into a record store, and the owner, for whatever reason, insulted me because of my political viewpoint, I would view the overall value of the CD as much less than before. For the record, I'm not saying crimes should be legalized, or that people aren't allowed to express their opinions. I'm not even saying it's ok to react poorly to unfortunate circumstances. All I'm saying is that depending on the circumstance, I probably wouldn't judge as harshly as others might.
4 This is a really cool quote, I like it a lot. From my interpretation, it seems like the author is in support of free will, and an interactive environment. Here the author seems to be calling out the beliefs of those who oppose free will by referencing one of Pyrrho's legacies. The author seems to be saying, "even those who believe in undeniable destinies seem to be skeptic of the lack of free will".
5 I think the Empiricist approach to medicine was more applicable during the historical stages of the science. Doctor's didn't know a lot back then as they do, and historically a lot of their practices were completely off-base and lead a large number of casualties. Even in modern times, there are a lot of conflicting theories in science, including medicine. The difference is our modern knowledge is so rich, doctors can prescribe complex medications with the knowledge they already have, without knowing each chemical reaction a given pill might go through when being ingested. I believe there may be many cases, especially in the alternative medicine field, where doctors are more Empiricist than your average family doctor.
#8
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Response
Is it possible to go through life questioning and doubting everything, committing always to nothing, and holding no firm opinions? Is it desirable or useful to try doing so?
- I believe its possible to question and doubt everything but i dont think one could survive without having to commit to anything. The only reason that i can find useful in being an extreme skeptic is to throw off traditional beliefs and to make people prove what they think they know is true.
#8
ReplyDeleteAlternative Quiz Question
FL 23-24
Which drug acted as a gateway to speaking tongues?
#8 500+ word essay for makeup runs on 3/13. Going to do it over discussion question one and branch out from that topic.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to go through life questioning and doubting everything? Yes, it most certainly is. I do not think there is anything wrong with having questions and doubts about any and everything, but with that being said, I do not think that is an ideal way of living. People need to believe in some things without any doubts because things of certainty become the model of comparison in your life. We like to compare new things in our life with things we are content and satisfied with to see if we want to keep these new things in our life. The obvious example here is with people. You want people in your life you can count on because they become who you compare the new people you meet to. Having these models of comparison allows us to filter out the bad and keep the good things in our lives, but if we are always doubting these models, then how will we be able to properly filter our lives. Some things should be questioned because not everything is how it appears on the surface. Questioning topics or even people is something we all do. It allows you to find out more details and a bigger truth that you might not have already known. Questioning and doubting every single thing in your life though can not be healthy. It can not bring happiness to yourself having so much uncertainty and unanswered questions in your life. Doubting in everything, would also mean self doubt which is not desirable at all. Doubting yourself can cause issues personally in your life when doing thing such as taking tests, meeting new people, applying for a job, etc. Self doubt it clearly not desirable, and I would imagine doubting everything else is equally as undesirable. Now, on to the commitment part of the question. Always committing to nothing is not desirable either. There is a reason why people set goals and commit to achieving them. It is rewarding when you commit yourself to doing something and follow through with it. People like having structure in there life, and without committing to anything, what kind of structure could you possibly have in your life? Being unable to commit, also would play a major part in your personal life. What person would want to have a significant other that does not commit to them completely. Not being able to commit to a workplace would also be an issue as people do not want to hire someone who they know is only going to be temporary. That makes being noncommittal undesirable. Now, lets look at holding no firm opinions, this is one that I think is the most reasonable because if you do not have firm opinions, you are open to hear out other people's ideas. Being able to listen to others voice their opinions and either disagree with them or agree with them is something that most of us as humans could do better. Open mindedness is a high quality characteristic to have because it lets you be more understanding of people in general. While, I do think you should have firm opinions on some subjects, I do believe that holding no firm opinions is the most realistic and doable trait from the question, thus making it the most desirable or useful as well.
#8
ReplyDeleteDo you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
I don't believe in the possibility of eternal damnation. The reason I don't is because I'm an atheist. I don't believe that we really know what happens in the afterlife, although personally I believe the most likely scenario is eternal nothingness, just like how we were before being born. Even if there was a Heaven and Hell, I think it would be unrealistic for people to live in those stages for infinity. Why would these great Beings make a place where people are eternally punished or rewarded for things they had done in such a small span of time while living? I think if there was a Heaven or Hell, people would move on to the next stage after being there for a while.
How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
I would probably be very miserable. With nothing to do, I would go between mentally laying out an escape plan, and reminiscing on my memories, family, and friends. I would probably also spend a lot of time regretting past actions, and thinking of ways I could rectify them, which I would say is an irrational decision when facing death. You'd think you would want to enjoy your last moments alive, but negative situations usually bring out my pessimism.
Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"? What about mass murder (Las Vegas, for instance... or cancer... or child abuse...)?
I think that most things are not terrible, even if they feel like it, but certainly tragedies and trauma are terrible, even if it didn't happen to anyone you know. To say that these things aren't terrible if you have the right perspective is admit ion that your perspective excludes damage, or elimination, of people's lives. I'd be curious to think what that person might think if he/she, or his/her loved ones, were involved in something that is "not terrible".
Is God and goodness the same, for you?
To me, both concepts are definitely abstract, but I don't think they represent the same qualities. The definition of God I can agree with most would be the energy found in all living things, and the connection between them. Goodness would be something that is positive, uplifting or helpful. These definitions might overlap, but they're still different entities.
Can you have free will if a god knows everything you're going to do? How is divine foreknowledge not "predestination"? How would it not turn us into "pre-programmed machines" without free will?
If we consider God to be an omnipotent power to created everything and knows everything that's going to happen, it either means, A) the destiny of our universe is written in stone, B) God knows the consequences of everything that could happen, but not how they would play out, or C) God actively controls things when God sees fit. Option A means no one has free will. Option B implies we have free will and can do what we want, but God already vaguely knows how our actions would affect our environment. Option C is fun, because that means we could have free will, unless God doesn't want us to. Simply stating that God knows what we're going to do doesn't retract our free will, it just means God's aware of our decisions before we are, but it doesn't mean his knowledge would affect our decisions. Divine foreknowledge is still just knowledge, and it doesn't go into details on how much knowledge is available on something that hasn't happened yet. It could be that God only knows the end result of a series of events, or God knows what decision will be made to a certain trigger, or it could be everything or anything in between. Even if God knew everything I'm going to do the rest of my life, I'm still going to make the decisions I want to make, which is the definition of free will.
#8
ReplyDelete-Do you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
Yes, I do believe that. God made us all and allowed us to have free will. He gave us so much as well as so many chances for us to make good choices, so if we, after being given all these things, still can't do good, then I think we do deserve to be punished.
-Do you pray? Why? Is Augustine's request for chastity postponed the sort of thing you pray for? What do you pray for, and what do you think the purpose of prayer is? Is it like submitting your Xmas wish-list, or something else?
I do pray. I think prayers are heard as well as responded to in a manner that God sees fit. We may not get exactly what we ask for because God knows what's best for us and gives us something even better.
-How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
I feel as though I would definitely need to be repenting and confessing, as well as fasting and praying.
-In light of what Philosophy tells Boethius about happiness coming from within, would you say you tend to be happy for the right reasons? Should you be happy (for instance) when your favorite team wins?
I think that happiness is a choice. Why not be happy at all times? I think people should look at things from a positive perspective even if it all seems to be going down in flames.
-Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"? What about mass murder (Las Vegas, for instance... or cancer... or child abuse?)
I definitely think there's a bright side to every situation. Mass murders may result in the deaths of many people, but bring families together. Cancer may take away a life, but bring that person closer to God as well as help them live life to the fullest. Child abuse may harm a child, but the child may turn to God for help as well as bring them closer to someone else. There's always a bright side.
-How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
God made us all, yes, but He also gave us free will. We have the will, the option, to choose between good and bad. He is judging us according to the bad actions we committed and didn't confess about. God is merciful, not cruel, so He gives us the opportunity to repent and confess our sins, and if we choose not to do so, He can fairly judge us on account of that.
-How should philosophy and religion relate to one another? Can they peacefully coexist?
I think they can peacefully coexist. People always question religion, something most philosophers do also. However, I'm sure that philosophers may ask a question and have that question answered, so why can't philosophers ask questions about religion and have those questions answered? Philosophy is seeking knowledge, so why not seek knowledge of religion?
-How do you interpret the Eucharist? Do you agree with Aristotle? (364)
I interpret the Eucharist as truly being the body and blood of Christ.
-What do you see as the job of philosophy?
Philosophy's job is to seek knowledge.
#3
ReplyDeleteDo you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
-I do believe in this because of my religion. I think everyone has a different opinion or belief on this particular subject from what they have been taught through their religion or from their parents. If someone has done wrong by God and hasn't attempted to repent their actions that were wrong then I believe they will spend the eternity in hell.
Do you pray? Why?
-I do pray. I pray for things like forgiveness, health, strength, wisdom, and also continue to be thankful for all that I have. Praying is not something for Christmas lists. It's a place to talk to God.
How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
-Awaiting execution I would continuously be praying and repenting my sins. Knowing that death is near I would also reflect on my past and evaluate my life and come to a sense of what I actually accomplished throughout my life.
In light of what Philosophy tells Boethius about happiness coming from within, would you say you tend to be happy for the right reasons?
-I think your favorite team winning is definitely something one should be happy about. Happiness comes from many different places and everyone is happy for a different reason. However, if you are happy then it must have been something good that made you feel that way. Therefore, I think I would be happy for the right reasons if it was something good that made me feel that way.
Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"?
-I don't agree that nothing is terrible within itself, because in no way is child abuse ever okay. There is no way to think about that concept and it be thought of as not terrible. Cancer is also in no way a good thing, unless we are talking about how it brought people closer to God and made them realize different things about life. However, Cancer is still not a concept that people look at and think that it is a great thing. Along with mass murder, no one should look at that and think that it isn't terrible. Multiple people were killed without reason. There is no way that that is right. However, there is a reason for all of these things, if God let them happen then there must be a logical reason. People still shouldn't look at any of those concepts and think that they are good for any reason.
Is God and goodness the same, for you?
-I was taught early on that God is goodness therefore to me it is the same.
Can you have free will if a god knows everything you're going to do? How is divine foreknowledge not "predestination"?
-You do have free will even though God knows what you're going to do. We as humans don't know what we are going to do therefore we should be able to make our own decisions without feeling like we are pre-programmed machines.
How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
-By us making wrong choices we are able to learn different things about ourselves and others about what is right and wrong. As long as we learn from things we have done wrong I don't believe God would be judging you from learning from things that he has put in front of you. He has given you the option to learn and make your own decisions with being faced by different obstacles.
How should philosophy and religion relate to one another?
- I sometimes feel as though philosophy and religion contradict each other. Philosophy is always looking at things from a totally different perspective than how religion looks at life and interprets it.
What do you see as the job of philosophy?
-I see philosophy as seeking the knowledge behind everything and trying to logically figure out things and have a definite reason behind everything rather than believing in things that you haven't actually seen with your own eyes, or heard with your own ears.
#3
ReplyDeleteDQ
1. Do you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
I do if you do not the except lord as your savior. I believe in God and that is why I believe that.
2. Do you pray? Why? Is Augustine's request for chastity postponed the sort of thing you pray for? What do you pray for, and what do you think the purpose of prayer is? Is it like submitting your Xmas wish-list, or something else?
I do pray because I know my God can do anything. I pray for health for the people I care for and I pray that these devastating things that are happening around our world will hopefully end soon.
3. How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
I would spend it asking for forgiveness.
4. Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"? What about mass murder (Las Vegas, for instance... or cancer... or child abuse...)?
No, I believe there lots of terrible things going on in this world no matter the perspective.
5. Is God and goodness the same, for you?
I think people can do goodness but we ultimately learned by doing the good things from God.
6. Can you have free will if a god knows everything you're going to do? How is divine foreknowledge not "predestination"? How would it not turn us into "pre-programmed machines" without free will?
I believe everyone has free will because just because he knows the outcome does not mean he chose the outcome.
7. How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
God still gave us the capability to think on our own he is not a mind controller.
8. Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?
I think no one living on Earth fully understands God I think that is something we learn about later like in Heaven.
9. Is it more explanatory, or in some other way more satisfying, to call a 1st cause "God" rather than "Nothing" or "the Universe" or "the Big Bang"... ?
I know that there is proven history that Jesus walked the Earth so saying that he was never real would be false.
10. How should philosophy and religion relate to one another? Can they peacefully coexist?
I think that you can think of religion and speak about on a deeper level and to me that is philosophy.
#8
ReplyDeleteDQ's
March 15th
1. I think it is possible to spend eternity in hell if you chose to live a life where you believe in God but then chose to hate him. Or you spend your life making sure everyone else's lives are miserable.
3. I really don't know how'd I'd spend my last days in prison awaiting execution. I hope I never have the chance to do something like await execution.
4. I have moments when I'm happy for someone when they did something good or when I do something that benefits me and shows that my effort paid or is paying off.
5. No, there are a lot of terrible things in this world that are happening and no one knows about it.
6. We have to learn to do good things from God.
7. I definitely is put on a certain path but you make the decisions yourself as you go down it.
8. We make our own decisions and God can choose his response to that decision.
9. Having a concept of God is knowing that he is there and is awaiting you at his side, but no one on this planet knows exactly what God is like.
10. God should be a guide for those that are lost and should be a light in the darkness.
14. I think it means that they let books dictate their lives. Books should be used to further knowledge and intelligence and allow the mind to be creative.
18. I see the job of philosophy as a way to explain unexplainable things.
#3
ReplyDeleteDo you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
I believe that there certainly is a real tangible Hell, and it is an actual place reserved for those who do not accept Jesus Christ into their hearts as Lord and savior of their life.
Do you pray? Why? Is Augustine's request for chastity postponed the sort of thing you pray for? What do you pray for, and what do you think the purpose of prayer is? Is it like submitting your Xmas wish-list, or something else?
I believe in the power of prayer. It is a direct connection between God and man. I see it personally as much more of a means to thank him for what he’s already done. Not a materialistic ‘gimme’ session where you beg for God’s blessings constantly. The Bible gives a very clear blueprint for prayer through the example in Matthew 6:9-13…
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
(The prayer outline begins with a earnest acknowledgment of God and his holiness.)
10
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
(This next part focuses on a kingdom mindset. Simply giving acknowledgment of the fact that you want his will to be done in your life.)
11
Give us today our daily bread.
(This part focuses on the satisfying of rudimentary needs, knowing that God is faithful and ultimately he will provide, even if you cannot. But the caveat is that you have to be faithful as well. This part is often misconstrued as a plea to God for ‘extra bread’, it’s true that God wants to bless you for doing his work, but not so much with material things and more with kingdom rewards.
12
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
(This part comes with the promise that you already have forgiven others. In another verse it likens a lack of forgiveness in your heart to a disparity. It says that you can’t be forgiven unless you learn to forgive.)
13
And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
(Finishing it off is a plea to God for deliverance from difficult situations involving sin, and the devil’s attempts for your heart. After all, Jesus was tempted and how did he combat the temptation? Scriptural Knowledge, again Jesus presents us with the prime example of how to battle temptation. This is just a plea to God to keep you from those situations and to keep your mind invested in him.
Notice how Jesus said ‘this is how you should pray’ not this is what you should pray constantly every time you pray. But it gives a clear blueprint reflecting what a prayer should look like. Jesus didn’t have to pray, but he still did as an example. So yes I do pray. Because God has done so much for me in my life, that the least I can do is spend time with him during my day in prayer. People misconstrue prayer as a formal letter to the Almighty, but that simply isn’t true. If he’s our father in heaven, talk to him like a loving Dad.
#3
ReplyDeleteHow would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
In reflection and time with God, because after all, I’ll be meeting him afterward.
In light of what Philosophy tells Boethius about happiness coming from within, would you say you tend to be happy for the right reasons? Should you be happy (for instance) when your favorite team wins?
I tend to be happy regardless of reason. It takes an awful lot of wrong things in succession to bring down my mood, And there is nothing wrong with taking pride in a team winning if you identify with them.
Do you agree that "nothing is terrible in itself-it all depends on how you think about it"? What about mass murder (Las Vegas, for instance... or cancer... or child abuse...)?
I disagree wholeheartedly with the statement. There are clear morals defined in our makeup and reinforced by the Ten Commandments.
Is God and goodness the same, for you?
I misunderstand the question, are you asking if goodness is God? Or if God is good? The Bible is pretty clear about God being good. Goodness, the concept in itself is not God, due to it merely being a concept.
Can you have free will if a god knows everything you're going to do? How is divine foreknowledge not "predestination"? How would it not turn us into "pre-programmed machines" without free will?
Yes of course, the mere knowledge of knowing that something is going to happen and the influencing of that happening are to different things. Take a secular example, Marty Mcfly goes back in the past and knows what has to happen to create a certain future so he puts in intervention when he needs to to make the right outcome on a small scale for his future. Not relating Marty Mcfly to God, but this concept is a deep one of time, so I used a relevant example on a much smaller scale. Divine foreknowledge is the Calvinist ideal of ‘predestination’.
How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
Because he is God and is just.
Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?
It is difficult for one to even grasp the concept of God.
What other properties should a god have, besides being an "uncaused cause”?
GOD is perfect, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega.
#8
ReplyDeleteDiscussion response
Do you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
- No, I do not believe in a hell.
#3
ReplyDelete1) Yes. It is a part of my religion
2) Yes. It is a direct conversation with God. It is to reveal the will of God, not for submitting Xmas list.
3) I would hope I would spend it honorably.
4) I would say I get happy for the right reasons. A favorite team winning provides pleasure.
5) The thing itself is terrible, but the situation depends on how you think about it. Cancer for instance is awful, its carved a path through my hometown. There were times when the person saw the bright side of it.
6) Yes
7) You do have freewill. God wants a perfect future where we all worship him and all is well, but he gave us freewill knowing all the bad that will occur. The reason being is that choosing him after all the bad means so much more than being forced to do so
8) He gave us freewill to resist wong choices. He never gives a person to much to handle.
9) We can never fully grasp the concept of God, therefore and idea of God is the closest we will have.
10) God is omnipotent.
11) Yes
12) Yes and yes. For example philosophy is the love of wisdom. Christianity is a chase for wisdom from God
14) They only used books instead of experience. As a foundation for knowledge. The first step towards Action and Nature for experience.
15) Phasing through things is an ability that can be turned on and off. Look at the Flash.
16) I think Salvation is more important. Salvation brings on tranquility
#8
ReplyDelete"How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?"
I would write down all my knowledge I've acquired of the world, pertaining to living properly and my understanding of the universe. Anything that could positively influence the youth of the world. Also write to anyone significant in my life and tell them what they did for my spirit.
#8
ReplyDelete"Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?"
Having an idea of god is like the extent of knowledge that children have. Understanding the concept is knowing the ins and outs of what God is capable of and what God represents to the people.
#8
ReplyDeleteDiscussion Response
Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?
- No, I think everyone can have an idea of god, but with so many different religions,opinions, beliefs, and stories over so many years I would say it’s impossible for anyone to be able to grasp a full concept of god and everything it means and entails.
#8
ReplyDelete"Are you, or anyone you know, in agreement with Plotinus about being "almost ashamed of being in the body"? Why would anyone have such an attitude? How can they get over it?" No, this sounds like the opinion of someone who isn't content with their state of existence. Whether they wish to be on another plane of existence or to have an impeccable body I think through some coaching of what life means for us I believe one is capable of overcoming this view.
#8
ReplyDelete"Is God and goodness the same, for you?"
No, I think the idea of God (in christianity at least) is a bad influence. Followers typically slave themselves to the word of God, and distance anyone who does not follow (example: gays, athiests, etc.) they don't truly live for themselves they live for the mercy of their "Lord and Savior". Living in fear of a divine creator that can strike permanent judgement on you is sinister in my opinion.
#8
ReplyDelete"If angels did not have bodies, how could they be in contact with anything? (370) How could Caspar the Friendly ghost move through a wall AND catch a ball?"
Well if I were to approach this from a scientific perspective I would hypothesize that Casper might have the ability to willingly change the density of his material form at will. This would clear up the contradiction of him passing through things and touching things.
#8
ReplyDelete"How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices? "
This is one of the prime questions that people such as myself have asked and has resulted in distancing myself from the belief in such an entity. We have free will but yet sin is so easily enacted it's hard to avoid it.
1.) Do you (like Augustine) "believe in the possibility of spending eternity in hell"? Why?
ReplyDelete- I believe that there is a hell, and the only way to go there is by not believing in God.
2.) Do you pray? Why? Is Augustine's request for chastity postponed the sort of thing you pray for? What do you pray for, and what do you think the purpose of prayer is? Is it like submitting your Xmas wish-list, or something else?
- I do pray. When I pray, I usually ask God for forgiveness, as well as to make me stronger in my faith and keep me on the right path. I see prayer more as time to heal your soul.
3.) How would you spend your last days in prison, awaiting execution?
- Praying to God for forgiveness.
4.) In light of what Philosophy tells Boethius about happiness coming from within, would you say you tend to be happy for the right reasons? Should you be happy (for instance) when your favorite team wins?
- Happiness can show itself in people in different ways . I believe that if you are happy it is because something good has happened.
5.) Is God and goodness the same, for you?
- I believe my definition of goodness definitely stems from God, However, my view isn’t quite the same. I believe God has more qualities than just goodness. Goodness to me is to do right thing.
#3
ReplyDelete#8
ReplyDeleteAlternative Quiz
DR 358-39
1. What was the key textbook of theology from the late 1100s until
about 4 centuries later?
2. By the year 1000, medicine, physics, astronomy, biology, and
indeed all branches of theoretical knowledge, except what, had
virtually collapsed?
3.Theologians in the 12th century had developed what technique, in
which the differing opinions of distinguished authors on some
question were compared with one another and analyzed?
4. Which famous philosopher of the 13th century earned the
nickname Subtilis?
FL 25-26
5. Who kidnapped the media heiress Patty Hearst?
6. By 1970, What percentage of households had televisions?
7. For the moments during the sham battles when a sham soldier
most acutely feels its the real thing, rein-actors call it a
__?__
#8
ReplyDeleteAlternative quiz questions:
DR
1. Who wrote 'Elements of Theology?'
2. Who was said to be performing 'unspeakable acts?'
3. Who wrote 'Philosophy from Oracles?'
4. What did Plotinus do, hoping to gain some enlightenment before he settled down to teach in Rome?
Brandon Hafeli
Delete#8
ReplyDeleteMarch 15 DQ
• How can the god who created you with the specific nature, inclinations, and preferences you possess then fairly judge you for making the wrong choices?
- God would know the choices I’ve made, and the choices I haven’t made yet. But perhaps God would be focused on how easily I make a wrong or right decision, and the reasons I had for why I made them.
• Is "having an idea of God" the same as grasping the concept of God, in all that it means and entails?
- There’s many different belief systems, the most common of which contain a description of a God. However, there’s many other different belief systems that have different perspectives of God, or don’t contain a God at all. Since none of these belief systems have more proof than the other’s over whose belief system is really true, I would say there is no true concept of God, and that all people can hope for is having an idea of God.
• What other properties should a god have, besides being an "uncaused cause"?
- If a God is able to exist before anything else, I would assume the God would also be immortal, all knowing, and all powerful. Essentially a God should be able to do whatever the God wants.
• Is it more explanatory, or in some other way more satisfying, to call a 1st cause "God" rather than "Nothing" or "the Universe" or "the Big Bang"... ?
- I think it’s more satisfying to use God as a reason for the 1st cause, because we don’t have a real reason to explain it. However, I wouldn’t say using God as a reason is explanatory, because there’s no proof of the explanation to be a fact.
• How should philosophy and religion relate to one another? Can they peacefully coexist?
- I think philosophy and religion have overlaps, but I don’t think people treat them the same way. They both have different branches of thought, and members that argue with each other using teachings within their respective fields. The central part of philosophy is argument and critical thinking, but religion seems more focused on learning the teachings of written passages and taking them for granted. I don’t think religion and philosophy could coexist for the most part, because a philosopher would be focused on the legitimacy of a religious belief, while a Believer would be focused on why the teachings are useful.
• Gottlieb says the "real problem with medieval learning" was that professors "allowed themselves to be tyrannized by books." What do you think this means? What's the correct way to treat books?
- I think Gottlieb means that professors took books way too seriously, as in word for word, instead of thinking critically about the message and whether or not the information is correct. I think the best way to treat books is to read carefully, consider all possibilities of interpretation, and then judge based on what you think is right.
• Do you equally value spiritual salvation and tranquility, or do you consider one more important than the other? Can you achieve both?
- For a religious person, I would think that salvation would in turn bring on tranquility. Personally, I think tranquility would be more efficient to achieve, because as a human, mistakes are made, and the chance of sin is always around the corner. If I were religious, I would probably need salvation repeatedly.
• What do you see as the job of philosophy?
- The point of philosophy is to use logic to ponder, explore, and make sense of the world around us. The art of philosophy is to use the concepts of things we already know to better understand things that we don’t.
#8
ReplyDelete3. I am skeptical about most new things that come into my life regardless of what they are until I can confirm that I want said thing in my life. This keeps my expectations tempered.
3. I would spend my last days awaiting execution reflecting life I am sure. Wondering where it all went wrong or where I changed for the worse.
2. Yes, I do pray, and it depends on where you are in life on what you pray about. It is not wrong to pray for success or anything, but you can not expect to pray about something and not put any effort in on your end and expect it to happen.
6. God and goodness are not synonymous, but are connected.
8. God is free to be judgmental, but he is forgiving no matter what. He gives us free-will to make our choices, but that does not mean we always make the right choices, nor does that mean he expects us to make the right choices every single time.
11. No, not really, both are just different explanations of the possibilities of how the universe was created. God is not just simply "the maker of everything," there is more to it than that.
12. Religion and philosophy can coexist because there is no reason you can not dig deeper into religion if you are religious as well as there is no reason you can't dig deeper into a religion even if you do not agree with the beliefs within the religion.
18. The job of philosophy is simply just to get people thinking more deeply on any given subject and being able to get more out of something than what is on the surface.