PHL 354 Final Exam

Lawrence Krauss, excerpt from A Universe from Nothing

Quantum vacuum state

What is fundamental in quantum field theory

Krauss’ understanding of ‘nothing’

Krauss on how vs. why questions

Krauss on why we don’t need an uncaused cause to explain the universe’s existence

How Krauss’ objections affect the Cosmological Argument

Moody Ch. 3, “A Necessary Being”

Sophie’s Ontological Argument

The most perfect conceivable being

Problems with the notion of ‘perfection’

Redefinition in terms of imperfections

Existence is not a property

Non-existent things having properties

The ontological argument proves too much

Anselm & Gaunilo on the Ontological Argument

That than which a greater cannot be conceived (a concept we all have)

Existing in reality vs. existing in the understanding

How the argument uses the reductio ad absurdum rule

Gaunilo’s perfect mountain example

First response: deny coherence of perfect mountain concept

Second response: bite the bullet

Divine exemplars

The Design Argument (Moody Ch. 4 & Dawkins)

Inductive Version (from the Moody text)

Deductive Version (from Dawkins)

Dawkins on complex vs. simple things

Dawkins’ objection to the Design Argument

Dawkins’ use of (the theory of evolution by) Natural Selection

Shortcomings of explanatory scope of Natural Selection

The Fine-Tuning Argument (Moody Ch. 4 & Collins)

Four types of fine-tuning

Collins’ radio dial and dart board analogies

Collins’ fine-tuning design argument

The Atheistic Single Universe Hypothesis

The Many Universe (or Multiverse) Hypothesis

The prime principle of confirmation

The Fine-tuning Argument against the Atheistic Single Universe Hypothesis

The Many Universe Generator

Theistic Response to the Many Universe Hypothesis

The Problem of Evil (Moody Ch. 5 & Dostoevsky)

Moral vs. Natural Evil

The Logical Argument from Evil (as a deductive argument and as an inconsistent set of propositions)

Theodicy vs. defense

The Free Will Defense

Divine omnipotence and its limits

The three main characters of The Brothers Karamazov and what they symbolize

Ivan on the suffering of children

Ivan’s rebellion

Miracles (Moody Ch. 6, Hume, & Lewis)

Hume’s definition of a miracle

Hume’s argument against miracles

Uniform experience

Hume’s arguments against accepting miracles on the basis of testimony

C. S. Lewis’ definition of a miracle

The account of miracles from the Moody text (David)

C. S. Lewis on the three different accounts of the laws of nature

Causal Closure of the natural order

The law of the conservation of matter/energy (different interpretations)

The Guadalupe miracle 

Chapter 7: God of the gaps

Naturalism, metaphysical versus methodological

Gaps in the naturalistic worldview: consciousness, the moral law, human mental powers, language

Why each phenomenon could be considered a gap, and the naturalistic response in each case

Chapter 8: Religious experience

Belief in God as illusion or wish fulfillment (Freud, Marx)

Disbelief in God as manifestation of cosmic authority problem (Nagel)

The genetic fallacy, and causes vs. reasons for holding a belief

Examples of religious experience

Problems with using religious experience as evidence (unreliability of altered mental states, differing interpretations), and responses to those problems

Pascal’s Wager

Why Pascal thinks the wager is necessary

Epistemic vs. prudential reasons for holding a belief

Decision problem (in decision theory)

Expected utility

Expected utilities for wager for and against God

Decision theoretic principle of rationality applied to the Wager

Involuntariness of belief objection and response

Many gods objection and response

Logic

Argument

Proposition

Premises

Conclusion 

Deductive Arguments vs. Inductive Arguments

Validity and soundness

Strength/weakness of inductive arguments

Consistency, inconsistency, and entailment

Contradiction vs. Inconsistency