480 Answered Questions for the topic philosophy

03/19/19

Does compatibilism imply that a chess program has free will?
I am puzzled by compatibilism and am trying to understand what it means using a test example. Given that a typical chess program generates several choices, evaluates them with a goal of winning and... more
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Philosophy Logic Proof Theology

03/19/19

Does a negative claimant have a burden of proof?
I have often heard it said that the burden of proof is on the positive claimant but not on the one making a negative claim. A person claiming, "God exists" has a burden of proof but not a person... more
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Philosophy Logic Modal Logic

03/18/19

What is modal logic for?
I understand "pure" logic as a structural description of what a valid proof is but I have never understood the reasons for using modal logic. What's an example typical of how modal logic is used?
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03/18/19

Why does Dawkins think it is wrong to posit that a paragon of 100% morals could theoretically exist?
Let’s move on down Aquinas’s list. 4\\. The Argument from Degree >>We notice that things in the world differ. There are degrees of, say, goodness or perfection. But we judge these degrees... more
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Philosophy Determinism

03/18/19

How should you respond to criminal behavior if you believe in hard determinism?
There are several ideas on hard determinism, but the core seems to be that in an interconnected existence, there can be no "actions" (free will), but only "reactions" (determinism). An action of... more
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Philosophy Logic

03/18/19

Are different values of nothing equivalent?
Are different values of nothing equivalent? Is 'no tigers' the same as 'no zebras'?
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03/18/19

What fallacy in Pascal's Wager allows replacing God with the devil?
I wanted to know the name of the fallacy or fallacies the Pascal's Wager in the sense that it can be applied to motivate one's belief in many things. A similar argument to the original Wager can be... more
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03/18/19

How to get started with philosophy without getting overwhelmed quickly?
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find how to get started with philosophy but I can’t. It seems that getting started with computer programming is nothing in comparison - with computer programming... more
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Philosophy Logic Pascal Theology

03/18/19

Does Pascal's Wager contain any logical flaws or fallacies?
Blaise Pascal's famous wager was that even if the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a rational person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has... more
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Philosophy Ethics Theology

03/18/19

Does the idea of being created imply the necessity for obedience to a creator?
If a scientist created intelligent life (biological, AI software, etc.), would that scientist have the right to dictate to that life a moral framework? Does the act of creation give implicit rights... more
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Philosophy Biology

03/16/19

What is the bioethical issue?
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Philosophy Anthropology Sociology

03/15/19

What is actor-network theory?
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03/14/19

What is the difference between a statement and a proposition?
I'm doing a MOOC on mathematical philosophy and the lecturer drew a distinction between a proposition and a statement. This is very puzzling to me. My background is in math and I regard those two... more
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Philosophy Logic Truth

03/14/19

What is the difference (if any) between "not true" and "false"?
A fairly simple question I hope someone can help me with.
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Philosophy Logic Fallacies

03/14/19

Is circular reasoning always a fallacy?
Suppose the following dialogue: >... >"I accept only one notion of land property. Namely, 'I am doing my stuff here, therefore I am here". >"But this means," he responded, "you can break... more
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Philosophy Truth

03/14/19

Why do some people care so much about "empirical truth"?
Whenever you discuss philosophy, inevitably you will come across a type of person who holds empirical truth above all else, and will blatantly ridicule any discussion which has its onset in a... more
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Philosophy Logic Terminology Truth

03/14/19

How can we reason about "if P then Q" or "P only if Q" statements in propositional logic?
When you have a propositional sentence of the form ***P* ⊃ *Q*** — which we might read as "if *P*, then *Q*" — how can you tell when it is true, or false, based on the truth-values of *P* and *Q*... more
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Philosophy Logic Difference Truth

03/14/19

What is the difference between Fact and Truth?
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03/13/19

Is it a fallacy to say that a sane person cannot apply rational thought to the motivations of the insane?
A common argument in today's news is that: 1. Someone commits a heinous crime by shooting a bunch of people. 2. Anyone who commits a heinous crime must be insane. 3. Sane people cannot apply... more
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Philosophy Logic Validity Soundness

03/13/19

Can an argument be valid even though one of its premises is false?
Is it possible for an argument to be valid by virtue of its logical form, but contain a false premise? In other words, can a premise be false even though the argument itself is logically valid?
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03/13/19

Could 'cogito ergo sum' possibly be false?
I've heard it postulated by some people that *"we can't truly know anything"*. While that does seem to apply to the vast majority of things, I can't see how *'cogito ergo sum'* can possibly be... more
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Philosophy

03/04/19

If Tyler gets an A on the final, he’ll pass the course, and I’m sure he’ll get an A on the final. So, Tyler will pass the course. Is this a argument or not? Why not?

I am really confused with the IF sentences. Cant tell if they are arguments or not, if so proper or not?
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Philosophy Psychology

03/04/19

Descartes believed that knowledge is innate
Descartes believed that knowledge is innate. Is this statement true or false?
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Philosophy Religion

02/14/19

Which of the following religions believe in the Holy Trinity?
1)  Christianity 2)  Islam 3)  Judaism 4)  all of the above
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Philosophy Critical Thinking

02/13/19

Critical Thinking - Changing headlines
If a headline were to say, "New Pill Controls Birth Twice a Month," it would be unintentionally funny. Which one rewriting of it says only what was most probably intended? a. New Pill Works Twice a... more
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