Philosophy Archives - Page 10 of 19

How is Cyrus’ subsequent rule consistent with his judgment in the story of the boys and the tunics? In what ways does Xenophon suggest that the subversion of the rule of law and private property might be practically unwise despite their deficiencies?

Xenophon’s Education of Cyrus

Explain the story of the boys and the tunics from Book 1 Chapter 3 of Xenophon’s Education of Cyrus. How does it reveal the limits of the rule of law and private property?

Compare its critique of the rule of law to the critique of the rule of law that is entailed in Pheidippides’ argument for the justice of father-beating in Aristophanes’ Clouds.

How is Cyrus’ subsequent rule consistent with his judgment in the story of the boys and the tunics? In what ways does Xenophon suggest that the subversion of the rule of law and private property might be practically unwise despite their deficiencies?

Huemer argues that we should never rely on what he terms “critical thinking” when it comes to forming beliefs about “publicly discussed issues.” Instead, we should either suspend judgment on the issue or just follow the lead of the experts and believe whatever it is that they believe. Explain and evaluate Huemer’s argument for this

Is Critical Thinking Epistemically Responsible?

Main Question:

Is Michael Huemer’s argument for his main successful? [Your statement should make clear your main position on this question.]

Huemer argues that we should never rely on what he terms “critical thinking”
when it comes to forming beliefs about “publicly discussed issues.” Instead, we
should either suspend judgment on the issue or just follow the lead of the experts and believe whatever it is that they believe. Explain and evaluate Huemer’s argument for this .

In the explanation portion of your paper, you should: (i) explain what
Huemer means by “critical thinking;” (ii) utilize some example of a
“publicly discussed issue” in explaining his position, and (iii) fully explain
Huemer’s main argument for his thesis, trying to make it seem as plausible
as you can.
In the evaluation portion of the paper, you should: (i) develop an
objection to Huemer’s argument (be sure to state explicitly what aspect of
his argument the objection targets); (ii) evaluate your objection to
Huemer’s argument (does it succeed? If so, consider what Huemer might
say in response. If not, fully explain why not); and (iii) restate your
overall position on Huemer’s argument.

How should Canada have prioritized its own vaccine needs against those of other countries? Is its current proposal to distribute 200 vaccine doses sufficient and timely, too little too late, or a failure to protect the interests of Canadians? What values are related to distributive justice are relevant to answering this question?

Health Ethics

Write a paper nine pages in length, double spaced, with a twelve point, times new roman font, and one inch margins. In the paper, consider ONE of the following cases:

1) Canada recently pledged a total of 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to a program distributing them to low and middle income countries. At the same time, Canada has been criticized for not following through or acting fast enough on its promises to distribute vaccines abroad.

How should Canada have prioritized its own vaccine needs against those of other countries? Is its current proposal to distribute 200 vaccine doses sufficient and timely, too little too late, or a failure to protect the interests of Canadians? What values are related to distributive justice are relevant to answering this question?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-promises-covid-vaccine-doses-1.6231465 (Links to an external site.)

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.6219522/rich-countries-only-shared-14-of-covid-19-vaccine-doses-promised-to-poorer-nations-report-1.6219969

Is the language used throughout the paper clear? (10%)

Is there a clear, concise thesis statement? (2.5%)

Does the student give a clear, complete, and accurate presentation of the facts and data relevant to the case? Does the student use at least five non-class resources and sufficient to support these facts? (10%)

Does the student give a clear and accurate presentation of ethical concepts from class? (15%)

Does the student apply the framework/principles to the case in a way that is illuminating of one’s ethical duty? (20%)

Does the student give the strongest available critique of his or her argument? (15%)

Is the student’s response to the critique charitable or fair to the critique? (10%)

Is the student’s response to the critique compelling? (15%)

Does the student give a concise conclusion to the paper? (2.5%)

For them the divine is basically the all-inclusive ground of all being, reality at it’s ultimate level, of which all things are but finite manifestations. Do you prefer one of these conceptions of the divine to the others? If so, Why?

Western Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) think of God as a Person. This means that they think God as an intellect, a will, and maybe even feelings. Eastern Religions (such as Taoism or the more philosophical branches of Hinduism) think of the divine as something far less person-like. For them the divine is basically the all-inclusive ground of all being, reality at it’s ultimate level, of which all things are but finite manifestations. Do you prefer one of these conceptions of the divine to the others? If so, Why?

What is the mission? Why did he choose to die rather than give it up? If the divine mission calls him to action here on earth, isn’t allowing himself to be executed a way of giving it up? Why or why not?

Ancient Philosophy

The Apology of Socrates, Socrates claims to have a divine mission. What is the mission? Why did he choose to die rather than give it up? If the divine mission calls him to action here on earth, isn’t allowing himself to be executed a way of giving it up? Why or why not?

Do not assume your reader knows anything about philosophy or classical studies.

Do not assume your reader knows anything about the text/author you are discussing.

Work hard to make your paper as clear as you can. (Imagine you are explaining the issue under consideration to a friend or to someone in a bar. What would you need to say to make sure everything was clear?)
What is important here is not as much beautiful writing as clear writing.

Briefly explain Descartes’s causal argument for the existence of God.Explain Pascal’s reasons for thinking that we cannot opt-out of wagering about God’s existence.

Course work

1. Briefly explain Descartes’s causal argument for the existence of God.

Descartes, Rene

Title: Rene Descartes (1596-1650); Author: Dr. Justing Skirry; Source: http://www.iep.utm.edu/descarte/

2. Explain Pascal’s reasons for thinking that we cannot opt-out of wagering
about God’s existence.

WORK CITED FROM THIS SOURCE:
Title: The Argument from Pascal’s Wager; Author: Dr. Peter Kreeft; Source:http://www.peterkreeft.com/topics/pascals-wager.htm
Or
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pascal-wager/

Answer the following questions in a clear and organized paragraph. Each paragraph should include a clear and precise thesis (1-2 sentences) that directly addresses the question prompt, at least 1 direct quote from the materials of the course, and at least 5-7 sentences or more that analyze the direct quotes and explain how the evidence supports your thesis.

What is a Cosmological Argument? And is it enough to prove the existence of God?

To be argumentative, and preferably use these sources:

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/intro_text/Chapter%203%20Religion/Cosmological.htm

https://scroll.in/article/885802/why-the-existence-of-god-cannot-be-proved-or-disproved-in-a-way-acceptable-to-everyone

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zpxpr82/revision/5

We know that the existence of God has been an ongoing debate for quite some time, many have tried to find the answers to our questions about the world, and its existence. The Cosmological Argument, which was one of the first cause arguments to exist in which argued the existence of God by debating God’s existence, for there must be a God. Everything has purpose and a cause. However with this argument also come questions, and flaws…but the real question is, is the cosmological argument enough to prove the existence of God? We will dive in and find out.

This class has explored the nature of social communication in general, and linguistic communication in particular, through the lens of dynamic pragmatics. What is pragmatics? What does it mean to provide a dynamic approach to pragmatics? Do dynamic approaches to pragmatics provide an illuminating way to understand the ways that humans communicate through the use of language? Why or why not?

Short Answers: Answer three or the following four questions in around 300 words (each question)

1. According to Q. Kukla, what is discursive injustice? What is an example of discursive injustice not mentioned by Kukla or in lecture?

2. According to E. Swanson, what is a common ground path for a discourse and what would it mean for there to be channels for such common ground paths?

3. I. Maitra develops an account of what she calls basic positional authority in a social group. According to Maitra, what is required in order for one agent to have basic positional authority over the other members of a group?

4. E. Camp focuses on the philosophical implications of insinuation. What is one of Camp’s examples of insinuation? What does Camp mean when she claims that insinuations can be speaker meant (e.g. communicated by speakers) without being common ground among the members of a conversation?

Long Answers: Answer two of the following three questions in around 600 words (each question)

5. H.P. Grice developed a pragmatic account of human language use which centered on what he called the cooperative principle. What, according to Grice, is the cooperative principle? Do cases of discursive injustice, conversational silencing, or insinuation provide a good objection to Grice’s claim about the role of the cooperative principle in human language use? How, if at all, should Grice’s claims about the role of the cooperative principle in human language use be revised?

6. In his paper, “Provincialism in Pragmatics” J. Armstrong argues that dynamic pragmatic models of communication apply to other social animals in addition to humans. In developing this claim, Armstrong focuses on the affiliative vocalizations of baboons. What does Armstrong mean when he claims that the affiliative vocalizations of baboons are context-sensitive devices of communication which both depend on the prior state of the social context and serve to update that social context in specific ways? Do you agree that affiliative vocalizations of baboons are context-sensitive in this way? Why or why not?

7. This class has explored the nature of social communication in general, and linguistic communication in particular, through the lens of dynamic pragmatics. What is pragmatics? What does it mean to provide a dynamic approach to pragmatics? Do dynamic approaches to pragmatics provide an illuminating way to understand the ways that humans communicate through the use of language? Why or why not?

In the last chapter of Rachels, Elements of Moral Philosophy, they present their own moral theory, Multiple-Strategies Utilitarianism. Explain what it is, what Rachels thinks it achieves that the other theories do not, and whether or not you think it succeeds.

In the last chapter of Rachels, Elements of Moral Philosophy, they present their own moral theory, Multiple-Strategies Utilitarianism. Explain what it is, what Rachels thinks it achieves that the other theories do not, and whether or not you think it succeeds.

Give philosophically adequate arguments. Give an accurate analysis of the arguments presented and to give well-constructed arguments. Lastly, give an accurate account of the theories and terms presented in the reading.

The chapter is provided in the files