Ultimate Questions : Thinking about Philosophy
by Rauhut, Nils Ch.Edition: 2nd
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2011-01-01
Publisher(s): Prentice Hall
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Summary
This inexpensive and brief text offers careful explanations of how problems are connected to our thinking about the universe, then uses vivid and engaging examples to further enhance this up-to-date examination of the main problems in contemporary philosophy. More than 100 "Food for Thought" exercises elicit reaction to philosophical problems, give readers a chance to test whether they have grasped important philosophical concepts, and offer opportunities for genuine conversations about philosophy.Readers interested in contemporary philosophy.
Table of Contents
| Preface | p. x |
| What Is Philosophy? | p. 1 |
| Making Sense of the World | p. 1 |
| The Relationship Between Science and Philosophy | p. 7 |
| The Main Branches of Philosophy | p. 11 |
| Philosophical Tools | p. 16 |
| Logical Consistency | p. 16 |
| Logical Possibility | p. 19 |
| Definitions | p. 21 |
| Counterexamples | p. 25 |
| The Basic Structure of Arguments | p. 26 |
| Putting Arguments into Standard Form | p. 28 |
| Deductive and Inductive Arguments | p. 30 |
| Evaluating Deductive Arguments: Validity and Soundness | p. 32 |
| Evaluating Deductive Arguments: Logical Form | p. 35 |
| Evaluating Inductive Arguments: Probability | p. 38 |
| What Do We Know? | p. 44 |
| What Is Knowledge? | p. 44 |
| Three Different Theories of Knowledge | p. 50 |
| Skepticism | p. 51 |
| The Case for Skepticism | p. 51 |
| Descartes' Quest for Certainty | p. 54 |
| Empiricism | p. 61 |
| The Case for Empiricism | p. 64 |
| Problems with Perception | p. 65 |
| The Problem of Induction | p. 70 |
| Rationalism | p. 73 |
| The Case for Rationalism | p. 77 |
| Problems for Rationalism | p. 79 |
| Final Remarks on Epistemology | p. 82 |
| The Problem of Free Will | p. 84 |
| Why Is There a Problem with Free Will? | p. 84 |
| The Case for Hard Determinism | p. 89 |
| Can Indeterminism Save Free Will? | p. 93 |
| Soft Determinism | p. 96 |
| Traditional Compatibilism | p. 97 |
| Deep Self-Compatibilism | p. 100 |
| A Fundamental Problem for Soft Determinism | p. 105 |
| Libertarianism | p. 106 |
| The Case for Libertarianism | p. 106 |
| Problems for Libertarianism | p. 108 |
| Final Remarks on the Problem of Free Will | p. 111 |
| The Problem of Personal Identity | p. 113 |
| Do We Always Remain the Same? | p. 113 |
| The Illusion Theory of Personal Identity | p. 118 |
| The Case for the Illusion Theory | p. 118 |
| Problems for the Illusion Theory | p. 120 |
| The Body Theory of Personal Identity | p. 122 |
| The Case for the Body Theory | p. 122 |
| Problems for the Body Theory | p. 124 |
| The Soul Theory of Personal Identity | p. 125 |
| The Case for the Soul Theory | p. 125 |
| Problems for the Soul Theory | p. 126 |
| The Memory Theory of Personal Identity | p. 127 |
| The Case for the Memory Theory | p. 127 |
| Problems for the Memory Theory | p. 129 |
| Final Remarks on Personal Identity | p. 135 |
| The Mind/Body Problem | p. 137 |
| What Is the Problem? | p. 137 |
| Possible Solutions to the Mind/Body Problem | p. 141 |
| Substance Dualism | p. 144 |
| Arguments for Substance Dualism | p. 144 |
| Near-Death Experiences | p. 144 |
| The Conceivability Argument | p. 147 |
| Intentionality | p. 150 |
| Arguments Against Substance Dualism | p. 150 |
| The Problem of Interaction | p. 150 |
| Do Dualists Commit a Category Mistake? | p. 153 |
| Varieties of Physicalism | p. 154 |
| Behaviorism | p. 155 |
| Logical Behaviorism | p. 156 |
| Arguments Against Logical Behaviorism | p. 158 |
| The Identity Theory | p. 159 |
| Arguments Against the Identity Theory | p. 161 |
| Functionalism | p. 162 |
| Functional Concepts and "Stuff" Concepts | p. 162 |
| Functionalism: Mind as Software | p. 163 |
| Functionalism and Artificial Intelligence: The Turing Test | p. 164 |
| Arguments Against Functionalism | p. 165 |
| The Chinese Room Argument | p. 165 |
| Problems with Qualia | p. 167 |
| Eliminative Materialism | p. 169 |
| Final Remarks on the Mind/Body Problem | p. 170 |
| Does God Exist? | p. 173 |
| God, Faith, and Reason | p. 173 |
| What Do We Mean by the Word "God"? | p. 174 |
| Arguments in Defense of Classical Theism | p. 178 |
| Arguments from Religious Experiences | p. 178 |
| Cosmological Argument | p. 182 |
| Design Arguments | p. 187 |
| The Ontological Argument | p. 195 |
| Pascal's Wager | p. 200 |
| What Is the Effect of These Arguments? | p. 204 |
| Arguments Against Classical Theism | p. 204 |
| The Logical Problem of Evil | p. 205 |
| The Evidential Problem of Evil | p. 207 |
| Final Remarks on the Problem of God's Existence | p. 211 |
| What Ought We to Do? | p. 214 |
| Moral Intuitions and Moral Principles | p. 214 |
| A Fundamental Challenge: Relativism | p. 216 |
| The Case for Subjective Relativism | p. 218 |
| Problems for Subjective Relativism | p. 219 |
| The Case for Cultural Relativism | p. 221 |
| Problems for Cultural Relativism | p. 223 |
| Final Remarks on Cultural Relativism | p. 226 |
| Some Important Ethical Theories | p. 227 |
| Divine Command Theory | p. 228 |
| The Case for the Divine Command Theory | p. 229 |
| Problems for the Divine Command Theory | p. 229 |
| Utilitarianism | p. 231 |
| The Basic Idea | p. 231 |
| Pleasure and Happiness | p. 234 |
| Problems for Utilitarianism | p. 237 |
| Duty-Based Theories | p. 240 |
| The Importance of a Good Will | p. 240 |
| Advantages of Kant's Ethics | p. 246 |
| Problems for Kant's Ethics | p. 247 |
| Virtue-Based Theories | p. 248 |
| The Importance of Moral Character | p. 248 |
| Advantages of Virtue Ethics | p. 252 |
| Problems for Virtue Ethics | p. 254 |
| Final Remarks on the Problem of Morality | p. 255 |
| Index | p. 257 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
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