Heusser Philosophy 100 SG 17

Study Topics and Directions for Exam 3

• Anything said in an announcement supersedes this guide.
• Exams will cover material from the readings, lecture, and discussion. Brief points I bring up about particular philosophers that are in lecture, but not the text, may be included in a few minor non-essay questions.
• There will be about 20 to 25 multiple-choice and true-false questions.
• There may be some direct quotations or paraphrases taken from our texts or required internet readings. You may be asked which philosopher has that particular view (i.e., Who wrote what?). No passages will be chosen that do not represent a significant philosophical issue.

Unit 13 Concepts: (Most are listed in the Magee Glossary and/or the Rauhut Index) Agnosticism, Anselm, Atheism, Cosmological Argument, Fideism, God, Infinite Regress (Series), New-Age Conception (of God), Pantheism, Principle of Sufficient Reason, Classical Theism, Universal

Unit 14 Concepts: Anthropomorphism, Aquinas, (Traditional) Creationism, Evolution, Intelligent Design Creationism, Ockham’s Razor (again), Ontological Argument, Paley, Pascal’s Wager

Unit 15 Concepts: Logical Problem of Evil, Theodicies

Unit 16 Concepts: Aesthetics, Applied Ethics, Descriptions, Divine Command Theory, Ethical Egoism, Ethics, Metaethics, Moral Intuitions vs. Principles, Nihilism, Normative Ethics, Objectivism (Absolutism or Moral Realism), Prescriptions, Psychological Egoism, Relativism (Ethical vs. Cultural), Skepticism, Subjectivism (Note that some refer to Ethical and Psychological Hedonism. Egoism and Hedonism are the same for our purposes)

Possible Essay Questions: I will announce more details.

1. Much of the theory of relativism (according to some) is based on the simple but common sense idea that “Different societies believe in different moral codes.”

For example: 1) The Eskimos believe Infanticide is OK, but Americans think it isn’t ok.

2) Therefore, Infanticide is neither right nor wrong objectively.

In what way can this argument be shown invalid?

2. Of St. Anselm’s and St. Aquinas’ arguments for the Existence of God, which requires an appeal to experience? For that argument what experiences must be appealed to (identify 2)? Name the experiences and explain how they support the idea that God exists. What is Hume’s main consideration against the a priori argument?

3. Describe the main points of Paley’s Argument from Design. Explain one objection to the argument. (You might utilize Hume’s idea of “Anthropomorphism”.)

4. Explain precisely what the Problem of Evil is and give and briefly explain 3 different solutions to the problem. Describe which fact (premise) the particular solution challenges. Explain one objection to one of the solutions.

5. Describe Pascal’s argument in his Wager. Explain one objection to the argument.