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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:44:51 GMT
Week 1 Essay Questions
1. Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
Socrates was sentenced to death for two reasons: for corrupting the minds of the Athenian youth and for not believing in the gods recognized by the State. Meletus, a young man who accused Socrates of these charges, believed that Socrates is "a poet or maker of gods, and that [he] invents new gods and denies that existence of old ones" (Lane 6). Meletus claimed that Socrates intended to lure the Athenian youth into living by his teachings and that this act of his was rather impious. However, Socrates handled the accusation well and thought of Meletus as a wise young man for pointing out Socrates' flaws. Socrates believed that Meletus would be the only one in the State to have the cultivation of virtue and "if he goes on as he has begun, he will be a very great public benefactor" (Lane 6).
Socrates was to drink a poisonous hemlock as his punishment and took it without objecting. As a philosopher, Socrates believed that philosophy separated the mind from bodily things. Hence, philosophers should not be afraid of death since death meant to leave one's body and other bodily and worldly things that gave it pleasure. He also believed that the soul is immortal since "contraries cannot exist in the same thing at the same time" (Lane 3). Therefore, he concluded that the soul contained what was contrary to death which led to the claim that the soul is immortal. Even with the sentence to death, Socrates remained loyal to the States and abode to it.
Source: Plato. How Socrates Died: A Selection from Plato's Dialogues.Trans. Henry Cary. MSAC Philosophy Group. Retrieved Jun 25, 2015. From http//:www.neuralsurfer.com
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
The conflict between science and religion exists around the historic debate of what is natural and supernatural. It all goes back to the question of what matter really is. In science, every argument and every claim is supported by proof and constantly updates with new discoveries which then erases the pre-assumption on a particular subject. In religion, the devotee is taught not to doubt the accuracy of any spiritual matter and therefore, any reassessment is unlikely to be achieved. Science advocates argue that “any endeavor to be justifiably regarded as scientific [must] be willing to be corrected, to be changed, [and] to be wrong” (Lane 14). When there is an unsolved puzzle, science advocates relentlessly strive to find a solution to it in which we can use the subject of self-awareness as an example. Scientists need to have an explanation to why things work and how does one come to be. One scientist, Gerald Edelman, was fascinated by how an assemble of neurons can produce a self-reflective awareness. And the unclear source of spirits and how they work confuse the scientists. They attempt to uncover the flaws and the sources of religion’s supernatural phenomenon and turn the untouched spiritual principles into a scientific puzzle. As Michael Shermer, founder of Skeptic Magazine, states that “a union between science and religion is [not] possible for a logical reason, but by this logic…science cannot contradict religion” (Lane 31). The conflict between religion and science remains unsolved due to science’s attempt of turning spirituality into one of its own.
Source: Lane, David Christopher, and Andrea Diem-Lane. The Great Mystery: Matter vs. Spirit. Walnut: MSAC Philosophy Group, 2014. Print.
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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:46:20 GMT
Week 2 Essay Questions
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
Philosophy, I believe, is the basis of physics or science in general. Philosophers who were curious of how things come to be and how they work, keep digging deeper into every matter until they break it down to the littlest element it contains. For this reason, understanding physics and the general rules of the universe will fully answer the questions philosophy provides. To really understand the world we live in, one must go back to the tiniest matter and study it. “If [one] could understand the very small, [he] could also unlock the secrets of the very large, since at the beginning of time everything came from the tiniest of seeds” (Lane 54). Physics play a vital role in answering most of life’s mysteries. The Quantum Theory assists in figuring out what is real and what is not. However, the Quantum Theory is made up of probabilities instead of determinate discoveries. Due to the different dimensions an experiment can be tested under, the result will always vary. This is so, because there may be gazillion other dimensions or worlds that have not been discovered yet. Just like the Schrodinger’s cat, the existence or the state of one matter is inconsistent because of what is unseen and what is seen. Physics assists one to expand his worldly and cranial limits in order to excel in answering philosophy’s toughest questions.
Source: Quantum Weirdness, Is the Universe Really Made of Tiny Rubber Bands?: A Kid's Exploration in String Theory
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide 3 examples of it.
The eliminative materialism is a way to tackle the mysterious questions we have on the what, why, and how of our nature. Every scientific conclusion arose from centuries-old mythic religious comprehension of our consciousness. Throughout the time, curious human beings continue to explore the reason behind a subject which eliminates old assumptions and replaces them with new terminologies. When a problem or a question arises, there are attempts made to explain it mathematically and if not successful, then the field of physics will attempt to explain it, then chemistry, biology, on to psychology, then sociology. And if none of the fields can explain it thoroughly and precisely, then it is safe to say that God did it. An example of eliminative materialism is eliminating the concept of Thor, the thunder god, and introducing the new concept of electrical magnetic current. Another example is the theory of tiny ghosts circulated in our beings pulling our muscles when in actuality; our Central Nervous System is in play. One other example is replacing the thought that the cause of diseases is from experience with the concept of viruses and bacteria. Eliminative materialism has caused humans to change the way they think of every subject and matter.
Source: Eliminative Materialism Pt. I, II, III.
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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:47:08 GMT
Week 3 Essay Questions
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The evolution does not play a role in only the ever changing form of human beings, but also in the human brain. In order to preserve themselves and produce offspring that will also be successful in avoiding annihilation, human beings constantly alter the way they think and behave. The Natural Selection is summarized into the acronym VISITED: variation, inheritance, selection, including, time, equals, and design. As human beings produce offspring, they also develop new designs which vary from one another in order to proceed to adapt to nature. Understanding the way human form and brain evolve is important in understanding the way humans have come to behave. Even though consciousness is the weakest link in the human body, it is “a body’s way of giving itself a better chance when confronted with the reality of Chance itself” (Lane 21). Human’s consciousness help develop new probabilities when dealing with nature in order to survive and avoid being an eliminated species.
Source: Evolution Explained in 4 Minutes, DNA of Consciousness
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
I think the evolutionary theory cannot answer the mysteries of why human being is the lead actor in this play we call Life and Nature. Math, physics, biology, chemistry, and other fields utilized to explain and crack the mysteries of life do not have an answer to that question. In this case, it is safe to say that God can explain it. In the film, “Darwin’s DNA: Science versus Religion”, science is known to constantly put subjects under tests to find their flaws by falsifying every truth though to be known of them. Science is a field where everyone cannot argue with the conclusion of a test or experiment, because it is proven to be true and to be the only solution that can exist by a collection of data. Nonetheless, due to the impossible to solve mystery of why humans? And why are humans created like they are?, only religion can explain. However, due to the varying opinions and theories, there are many “different religions in the world with different truths”.
Source: Darwin's DNA: Science versus Religion
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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:47:32 GMT
Week 4 Essay Questions
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is explained by how the brain projects illusions in our mind as a way of adaptation and survival. Everything that we think is controlled and generated by our consciousness and that is why we can only experience through awareness. All of our memories are modulated by our brain. The brain that generates most probabilities of how to handle scenarios we encounter in everyday lives will be likely to survive and assists us to “in source varying options of how to respond to a disparate array of problem before out sourcing them” (Lane 107). It is evident that “any reproducing DNA that can develop a virtual simulator within itself has a huge advantage over a genetic strand that cannot” (Brain Burns). The brain tricks us into thinking falsely about some subjects. There are two known types of detection device in our brain, which are Type I error (false positive) and Type II error (false negative). Our conscious mind provides us with “all this trickery [to] serve one underlying purpose: keeping our organism intact long enough to recapitulate itself” (Lane 115).
Source: Is the Universe an App?, Brain Burns: Consciousness as Virtual Theatre,
2. Howe does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
Patricia Churchland views human brain as three pound of meat. However, this three pound of meat plays the puppeteer of the human body. The human body is nothing more than just meat, but with the brain, it is able to do things with its arms and legs. But in order to survive, one needs more than that. He needs strategies and awareness. This is where our consciousness and self-reflective awareness come to play. In order to survive, we must develop “a statistically deep understanding of what varying options portend” (Brain Burn). The brain provides us tricks for us to live another day, which we call the Cerebral Mirage. The Cerebral Mirage “gave a false sense of knowledge and certainty” (Diem-Lane 9). As we act accordingly, we allow ourselves to make wise decisions and to avoid danger. This is another act of adaptation for “the brain tricks us into believing something to be real when it is not, provided that such trickery provides with a survival advantage” (Diem-Lane 38).
Source: Brain Burn: Consciousness as Virtual Theatre, Cerebral Mirage
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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:47:49 GMT
Week 5 Essay Questions
1. Do you think artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future?
There should be a limit to what computers or artificial intelligence should be able to do. However, if it does pass its limits, then artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future. Technology should be utilized to expand human’s knowledge and improve or train our brain’s capabilities. It should also be utilized to make our life more efficient. However, today’s generation is a complete slave to the technology world. We are a slave of entertainment which is able to give us self-satisfaction. In the film, “The Coming Singularity”, Ray Kurzweil explains that the information technology is growing exponentially. This may be a danger to our privacy as people nowadays over share the details of their everyday lives. Also, today’s technology holds no privacy for our assets and may put it in danger “by hacking, by hidden digital cameras, by innumerable information data banks” (Lane 7). This is extremely terrifying that computers may be able to have more abilities than humans do. If this continues, artificial intelligence might take over the world.
Source: Digital Philosophy, The Coming Singularity
2. How has technology impacted your life?
Technology has made my life so much easier than I can imagine. If it was not for technology and this online course, I would have to drive everyday to Mt. Sac considering the increasing price of gas. Also, I am able to keep in touch with my family overseas and friends who have gone to other states for school. Technology has made it easier for me to save money with all of the free PDF versions of the books required for this class. The advancement of technology has provided easy entertainment as well as the efficiency of making restaurant reservations online, shopping online, and dealing with banking online. In fact, the little aspects of our life are based on technology. From young teens to retired people, technology has definitely improved their lives. The teens cannot leave their house without their phones and technology has helped the older generation with impairments and disabilities. The advancement of technology has definitely cultivated the culture of our generation.
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Post by h.elvira on Aug 1, 2015 6:59:44 GMT
Week 6 Essay Questions
1. Why is Faqir Chand's experience important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles?
Faqir Chand’s experience of being attacked by the army and fled to safety has gained him some worshippers and respect. According to Faqir Chand, the object of admiration in every religion is merely a projection of its followers’ expectations or visions. All of the subjects being worshipped are merely a “phenomena [that] are transitory, are illusionary, are unreal, and non-existent save in the sangsaric mind perceiving them…in reality, there are no such beings anywhere as gods, or demons, or spirits, or sentient creatures” (Lane 96). Faqir learned that in order to be in touch with one’s spirituality, one must be in touch and explore one’s complete awareness. Faqir’s experience is very important in understanding the projective nature of religious visions and miracles, because it explains the nature of why there are various truths behind every religion.
Source: The Unknowing Sage
2. What is meant by the phrase, "philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy."?
The difference between science and philosophy is that science is where we take questions and attempt to falsify every discovery until we get something that has an empirical basis and is proven to be the only truth and philosophy is just a field where all thoughts and opinions are gathered and there are no right or wrong answers. The phrase “philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy” means that every science discovery starts with a question brought up in philosophy and after many hypotheses and experiments, that very thought has formed into science. On the other hand, philosophy done poorly means that no one can get the actual truth out of a question which is what philosophy is. An unsolved question will remain to be philosophy and a solved question will become science. I personally agree with the phrase, because in science, there can be no arguments to the solution, however, there are many opinions towards an answer or solution. “I think many philosophical questions would ultimately get their answers from the developments that science gives us” (10).
Source: Circle of the Wise
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