Reference no: EM133176271

Part 1

1. Class 4

What is the cosmological argument as distinguished from the ontological and teleological arguments for the existence of God? Explain it in relation to logical positivism that stimulated the analytic philosophy of religion.

2. Class 13

What is Cartesian scepticism? Explain it briefly by referring to René Descartes' sceptical doubt towards the conclusion of cogito ergo sum in his Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First Philosophy.

3. Class 17

What is (1) the conclusion of John Searle's ‘Chinese Room' thought experiment, and (2) why the conclusion undermines ‘functionalism' (i.e. finding a causal relation or intrinsic reason why computers may have mental states for their programmed functions)? Explain the two points briefly.

4. Class 21

Explain briefly John Locke's argument for the identity of oneself or one's ‘finite spirit', according to ‘Of Identity and Diversity', ch. 27 of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.

5. Class 25

J.S. Mill, in his Utilitarianism, argues for (1) hedonism (pleasure-maximising) and (2) ‘the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle' (utility-maximising). But also he claims that (3) ‘it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.' Explain briefly why Mill's utilitarianism is all consistent from (1) to (3) as a dissatisfied Socrates?

Part 2

Classes 11-15

Critically evaluate Berkeley's argument about occasional causes in comparison with Malebranche's occasionalism.