Questions and Answers
What is the basic form of Collins’ fine-tuning argument?
The universe is fine-tuned for the existence of intelligent life, which is best explained by theism
Is the teleological argument an a priori argument or an a posteriori argument?
A posteriori
According to Collins, does the fact that we exist show that our existence is not surprising given atheism?
No, our existence is surprising given atheism
What does Al Ghazali’s cosmological argument suggest about the universe?
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Which premise of the argument for the conclusion that the universe began to exist is supported by Hilbert’s Hotel thought experiment?
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What is Samuel Clarke’s PSR principle?
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According to Clarke’s PSR principle, what sort of being doesn’t exist?
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What are David Hume’s main objections to Clarke’s cosmological argument?
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Why does Paley think that one infers the existence of a designer when one finds a watch in the wilderness?
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Is the teleological argument (as developed by Cicero, Aquinas, Paley, and Collins) an a priori argument or an a posteriori argument?
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What are some of Philo’s/Hume’s principle objections to teleological arguments?
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According to Collins, does the fact that we exist show that our existence is not surprising given atheism?
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Suppose that fine-tuning is good evidence in favor of theism. Is that compatible with the falsity of theism?
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What kind of argument is Anselm’s ontological argument, a priori or a posteriori?
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According to C. S. Lewis, we are forced to believe… what?
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What sort of argument does Pascal offer for belief in God?
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What is the 'many gods' objection to Pascal’s wager?
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What is one way that Pascal could respond to the 'many gods' objection to his argument?
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True or false: Pascal maintains that if you wager for God and lose, you will be no worse off than if you had wagered against God.
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Why does Pascal insist that 'you must bet' either on the existence of God or the non-existence of God?
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According to Clifford, why is the second shipowner blameworthy?
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What is Clifford’s fundamental principle governing rational belief?
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According to James, what does it mean for an option to be 'live'?
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Why are the commandments 'Believe truth.' and 'Shun error.' distinct according to James?
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What are some of the main criticisms Kelly James Clark directs against Classical Foundationalism?
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According to Kelly James Clark, when is peer disagreement relevant to whether belief in p is rational?
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True or False: According to Al Ghazali’s cosmological argument, the universe is ‘subject to origination’—that is, it began to exist.
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Hilbert’s Hotel is a thought experiment that can be used to support which premise of the argument for the conclusion that the universe began to exist?
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What is Samuel Clarke’s PSR principle?
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What sort of being doesn’t exist according to Clarke’s PSR principle?
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What are David Hume’s main objections to Clarke’s cosmological argument?
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What is an actual infinite according to the argument for the conclusion that the universe began to exist?
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What is the basic form of Collins’ fine-tuning argument?
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What kind of argument does Pascal offer for belief in God?
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What is the 'many gods' objection to Pascal’s wager?
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According to Pascal, if you wager for God and lose, what does he maintain?
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Why does Pascal insist that 'you must bet' either on the existence of God or the non-existence of God?
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Why is the second shipowner blameworthy according to Clifford?
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What is Clifford’s fundamental principle governing rational belief?
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According to James, when is it rational to believe a proposition in the absence of evidence?
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Why does James hold that 'Believe truth.' and 'Shun error.' are two distinct commandments?
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Study Notes
Fine-Tuning Argument
- The basic form of Collins' fine-tuning argument is that the fine-tuning of the universe is evidence for theism.
- Collins argues that the fact that we exist does not show that our existence is not surprising given atheism.
Teleological Argument
- The teleological argument is an a posteriori argument.
- According to Cicero, Aquinas, Paley, and Collins, the teleological argument suggests that the existence of a designer can be inferred from the existence of a complex entity, such as a watch.
Cosmological Argument
- Al Ghazali's cosmological argument suggests that the universe began to exist.
- Hilbert's Hotel thought experiment supports the premise that the universe began to exist.
- According to Samuel Clarke's PSR principle, every being that exists must have a sufficient reason or explanation for its existence.
- David Hume's main objections to Clarke's cosmological argument are that it is based on a flawed understanding of causality and that it cannot establish the existence of a single, all-powerful deity.
Pascal's Wager
- Pascal's wager is an argument for belief in God based on the idea that the potential benefits of believing in God outweigh the potential costs, even if the probability of God's existence is low.
- The 'many gods' objection to Pascal's wager is that it is arbitrary to assume that only one deity exists.
- One way Pascal could respond to the 'many gods' objection is to argue that the benefits of believing in one deity outweigh the benefits of believing in multiple deities.
- Pascal maintains that if you wager for God and lose, you will be no worse off than if you had wagered against God.
- Pascal insists that 'you must bet' either on the existence of God or the non-existence of God because the stakes are so high.
Epistemology
- According to Clifford, the second shipowner is blameworthy because he has neglected his duty to seek out evidence and has instead made a blind leap of faith.
- Clifford's fundamental principle governing rational belief is that it is wrong to believe anything without sufficient evidence.
- According to James, an option is 'live' if it is a real possibility that is relevant to our current situation.
- James holds that the commandments 'Believe truth.' and 'Shun error.' are two distinct commandments because they reflect different values and goals.
- Kelly James Clark criticizes Classical Foundationalism for being overly rigid and dogmatic.
- According to Kelly James Clark, peer disagreement is relevant to whether belief in p is rational if the disagreement is between people who have carefully considered the evidence and have come to different conclusions.
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