PPT-Knowledge rationalism Michael Lacewing

enquiriesalevelphilosophycouk Analytic and synthetic propositions An analytic proposition is true or false in virtue of the meanings of the words Squares have four sides Not all analytic propositions are obvious . Rationalism. Rationalism. – . the belief that human beings can arrive at truth by using . reason. , rather than by relying on the authority of the past, on religious faith, or intuition.. REASON! . Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing . Innate concepts. Some of our concepts are innate. ‘Innate’: some concepts are somehow part of the structure of the mind rather than being gained through experience.. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Am I a brain in a vat?. Knowledge is not belief (even true belief). Are my reasons for my beliefs sufficient for knowledge?. Maybe all my experiences are fed to me by a supercomputer. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Stealing. Steal: . to take someone else’s property with no intention of returning it and without their permission (or without the legal right to do so. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. (c) Michael Lacewing. Hedonist act utilitarianism. Actions . are morally right or wrong depending on their consequences and nothing else. An act is right if it maximises what is good.. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Utilitarianism. A. ct . utilitarianism:. . an action is right if it . maximises. happiness, and wrong if it does not. . I. f . telling a lie creates more happiness than telling the truth (or keeping silent), then telling a lie is morally right. Argument. Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. Anselm’s argument. God is a being ‘greater . than which cannot be conceived. ’. If you could think of something that is greater than God, surely this something would . Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing . The origin of knowledge. Does all our knowledge come from experience, as empiricists claim?. Descartes thinks not. He uses deductive reasoning: if the premises and true, the conclusion must be true. Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Deontology. Morality is a matter of duty.. Whether something is right or wrong doesn’t depend on its consequences. Actions are right or wrong in themselves.. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Metaethics. What is morality, philosophical speaking?. Can ethical claims be objectively true or false?. Are moral properties part of reality?. Cognitivism: moral judgments, e.g. ‘Murder is wrong’. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Metaethics. What is morality, philosophical speaking?. Can ethical claims be objectively true or false?. Are moral properties part of reality?. Cognitivism: moral judgments, e.g. ‘Murder is wrong’. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Substance and properties. A substance is an entity, a thing, that does not depend on another entity for its continued existence. . It has ‘ontological independence’. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. (c) Michael Lacewing. N. on. -. cognitivism and anti-realism. What are we doing when we. make moral judgments?. Non. -cognitivism: moral judgments. Do not aim to describe the world. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Is pleasure good?. Aristotle: . pleasure is good, and. . eudaimonia . involves pleasure. Obj. : . The temperate person avoids pleasure.. Not . true..