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Post by sabinalee on Jun 29, 2015 8:00:21 GMT
Week One Essay Questions:
1. Why was Socrates sentenced to death?
Socrates was sentenced to death because he was accused of corrupting the youth and being an atheist. (P.5) "How the youth are corrupted and who are their corruptors". They accused Socrates of teaching young men wicked things and leading them to throw off their religion. During the 30 days that lay between Socrates trial and execution, his friends and pupils were allowed to spend a great deal of time with him in the prison. They were astonished to find that he was calm and cheerful and seemed to have no fear of dying. And finally when the hemlock was brought to Socrates, his friends were in tears. So Socrates took the cup quietly and drank it as if it were a glass of wine at a banquet.
Source: Lane, David. The Great Mystery, Matter vs. Spirit. Walnut: MTSAC Philosophy Group; 2015
2. Why is there a conflict (for some) between science and religion?
I think the conflict between science and religion are just the way of how people directly think that causes contradiction. Science follows physical evidence and facts, while most of the time religion is based on mythology with the past ideas of how the world works, such as Christians how they have a bible and Buddhism goes to the temple and have people explaining the past of the Buddha. However, "The Great Mastery" explains that "science is not a thing but a process of discovery..... continues being made of littler things that jiggle" As it says in the book everything comes from smaller to bigger. Most of the time religion does not have prove with evidence. So people just take it for granted, they listen to what each religion has to say, and believe it but overall it is a myth.
Source: Lane, David. The Great Mystery, Matter vs. Spirit. Walnut: MTSAC Philosophy Group; 2015
EXTRA CREDIT
(Replied on misarea posting.)
Overall, I thought your post had good points. I too agree that the people of Athens from their mundane and robotic actions of simply accepting societal law and order versus questioning ideology and thinking for themselves. He does claim that he does not know anything when in fact he knows more than anyone else. His wisdom got the best of him and it seemed like he used it to his advantage when he started to have younger people follow his actions.
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Post by sabinalee on Jun 29, 2015 8:47:42 GMT
Week Two Essay Questions:
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
I think philosophy is just like physics. Understanding physics and the general rules of the universe is important in doing philosophy because like how the video stated "Eliminative Materialism". In the video it says; the best way to challenge the topic of consciousness was the process of eliminative materialism in which scientists believed that if the theory was not able to solved mathematically then it turned into physics. Especially when we are talking about deep examinations in areas of study such as the natural sciences, and mathematics. Physics is the understanding of nature specifically the study of matter and how it moves through space and time. Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence where as physics is defined as the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The practice of philosophy of physics is continuous with the practice of physics itself, its basically like philosophy begins where physics ends and physics begins where philosophy ends. Philosophy searches for the truth, as to physics is why science exist. After all, science is a search for truth by rational means, which is why it is important to understand the physics and the general rules of the universe in philosophy.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.
I think what eliminative materialism essentially means is the process that is used to explain and to understand questions we have in different subjects. (1) In the film of Eliminative Materialism part 1 said, "if the phenomena can not be explained fully and comprehensively with mathematics, the one turns to physics. If that too is incomplete, then to chemistry, then to biology, then to psychology, then to sociology". Only when none of these have an answer, do we give credit to God. New ideas and theories come to play as modern science brings in new answers. (2) Is the Universe Really Made out of Rubber Bands?, the young boy mentioned "string theory which can fall under Quantum Mechanics which can therefore fall under Physics". The book Quantum Weirdness also makes a good point of the connection between physics and philosophy.(3) The video also mentioned realizing that bacteria and viruses are real instead of blaming “spirits” for the cause of diseases. All of Greek mythology would be an example of eliminative materialism considering at one point our weather and nature was thought to be brought upon by Gods and heroes. Lastly, my thought about this whole eliminative materialism is probably evolution, I think "evolution" has this whole generic concept of Eliminative Materialism because of how it gets god involved and all these sort of scientific things that leads on to evolution.
EXTRA CREDIT
(Einstein vs Bohr)
This paper explained in detail part of a hot debate between Einstein and Bohr on the issue of quantum theory. It specifically focuses on entanglement, which occurs when two quantum systems, such as photos, are in two different places but remain connected and affect one another as if they are one. According to Einstein and his partners, entanglement is proof that wave function does not give a complete description of the physical and question if a description exists at all. Einstein described his point of view and disagreement with Bohr on the actual approach to solve the Quantum Mechanics issue that they had at hand. Einstein had a more concrete approach and supported the thought that there had to be a more definitive solution without probability to be able to control the relation between subjectivity and objectivity inside the matter of an atom. Bohr described his point of view and disagreement with Einstein on the actual approach to solve the Quantum Mechanics issue to understand and accept it’s principles to be able to come up to a more definitive conclusion based on the fact at that time that nothing else could be done to further solve the problem of subjectivity and objectivity but to accept the thought of chance and probability.
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Post by sabinalee on Jul 6, 2015 3:14:09 GMT
Week Three Essay Questions:
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The theory of evolution is important in understanding how humans behave because it provides the fundamental reason for why humans exist and continue to exist. Evolutionary theory tells us that through natural selection, some genes evolve and continue to live while others die off. Life in essence is a competition where the best genes or species or traits survive. Human behavior therefore is controlled or dictated by the need to compete and survive in this unforgiving world. Our psychology, and our philosophical questions and our actions based on our consciousness are all explained by the theory of evolution. For people who believes in evolution, they believe that we, as humans, have grown from animals and other natural things that were on the earth before we were. This is an important concept to understand because humans have such complex and extraordinary bodies and cells that it is amazing that they could even come from a plant as simple as the rice plant. One thing that evolutionists believe is this: “If it is not broken, do not fix it.”(NeuralSurfer on Youtube: The Genetic Connection). They say this because just like animals over the generations adapt to new environments, so do we, which is another part where the connection is made. Humans have a lot in common with animals, such as adaptation, that evolutionists have been able to make connections to show that we may just have evolved from animals and from other natural things such as plants that we have found have the same or part of the same cells. For example, if we examine the bones or fossils of dinosaurs to take a look a thousands of
years of evolutionary changes; which showed that a mutation took place in DNA. This is why
human beings look and behave different, and teaches human beings to not understand the world,
but to understand and find themselves.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
I think there are many questions that evolutionary theory cannot be answer. Questions like is there a God, to the creation of the universe. Are there multiple universes or is there only one. One question that I believe evolution cannot answer is the question of how consciousness came to be. In the debate of Darwin and Wallace on how consciousness became a part of the mind, Wallace states that "it is impossible for us to believe that the mere addition of one, two, or a thousand other material elements to form a more complex molecule could in any way tend to produce self conscious existence... where as for Darwin, matter itself was sufficient to eventually explain the great mystery of consciousness." Although the mind behind the evolutionary theory itself believes that evolution is the key to understanding things even to the origin of man, I cannot agree with that. I believe this is one of the mysteries in life that simply cannot be answered. Some questions I always ask my parents when I was young. What is the origin of species?” or “Who am I?” Which came first? Male or Female? If people could fully understand Evolution, there are more answers to the mysteries. What is someone passes on the wrong idea or theory to the next generation? If no one ask question, then the same wrong would be considered as the right, where the right is wrong. People have their doubts. Constantly asking more questions would bring more answers to people. Every theory started with doubts in someone's mind, but only small amount of people would actually take actions and test their doubts; then, they share their answers with the rest of the world. People still have a long way to go for them to understand everything they have doubts about in this world."Why" is the only help they can find along the path. However, this cannot fully explain the process of evolution.
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Post by ggonzalez170 on Jul 6, 2015 6:57:38 GMT
Hello, I agree with what you are saying that the best way to challenge a topic is to eliminate. By using the eliminating materialism the scientific answer will come out. The topics that are challenged will end up with a more accurate solution or response to a question. This is how I think we will continue to evolve. Week Two Essay Questions:
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy? I think philosophy is just like physics. Understanding physics and the general rules of the universe is important in doing philosophy because like how the video stated "Eliminative Materialism". In the video it says; the best way to challenge the topic of consciousness was the process of eliminative materialism in which scientists believed that if the theory was not able to solved mathematically then it turned into physics. Especially when we are talking about deep examinations in areas of study such as the natural sciences, and mathematics. Physics is the understanding of nature specifically the study of matter and how it moves through space and time. Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence where as physics is defined as the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. The practice of philosophy of physics is continuous with the practice of physics itself, its basically like philosophy begins where physics ends and physics begins where philosophy ends. Philosophy searches for the truth, as to physics is why science exist. After all, science is a search for truth by rational means, which is why it is important to understand the physics and the general rules of the universe in philosophy. 2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it.I think what eliminative materialism essentially means is the process that is used to explain and to understand questions we have in different subjects. (1) In the film of Eliminative Materialism part 1 said, "if the phenomena can not be explained fully and comprehensively with mathematics, the one turns to physics. If that too is incomplete, then to chemistry, then to biology, then to psychology, then to sociology". Only when none of these have an answer, do we give credit to God. New ideas and theories come to play as modern science brings in new answers. (2) Is the Universe Really Made out of Rubber Bands?, the young boy mentioned "string theory which can fall under Quantum Mechanics which can therefore fall under Physics". The book Quantum Weirdness also makes a good point of the connection between physics and philosophy.(3) The video also mentioned realizing that bacteria and viruses are real instead of blaming “spirits” for the cause of diseases. All of Greek mythology would be an example of eliminative materialism considering at one point our weather and nature was thought to be brought upon by Gods and heroes. Lastly, my thought about this whole eliminative materialism is probably evolution, I think "evolution" has this whole generic concept of Eliminative Materialism because of how it gets god involved and all these sort of scientific things that leads on to evolution. EXTRA CREDIT(Einstein vs Bohr) This paper explained in detail part of a hot debate between Einstein and Bohr on the issue of quantum theory. It specifically focuses on entanglement, which occurs when two quantum systems, such as photos, are in two different places but remain connected and affect one another as if they are one. According to Einstein and his partners, entanglement is proof that wave function does not give a complete description of the physical and question if a description exists at all. Einstein described his point of view and disagreement with Bohr on the actual approach to solve the Quantum Mechanics issue that they had at hand. Einstein had a more concrete approach and supported the thought that there had to be a more definitive solution without probability to be able to control the relation between subjectivity and objectivity inside the matter of an atom. Bohr described his point of view and disagreement with Einstein on the actual approach to solve the Quantum Mechanics issue to understand and accept it’s principles to be able to come up to a more definitive conclusion based on the fact at that time that nothing else could be done to further solve the problem of subjectivity and objectivity but to accept the thought of chance and probability. |
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Post by sabinalee on Jul 15, 2015 18:51:52 GMT
Week Four Essay Questions:
1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is an idea that the world is an illusion, what we see is not real. Descartes once said that the world we perceive through our senses could be an intricate deception. According to the book, Is the Universe An App, “Although we can hear, smell, and touch our reality, what determines our conviction that this world is real is not so much based upon objective datum as it is on our subjective ‘feeling’ of certainty.” It said that today, with our new technology and smart phones, we are living in a virtual world. People are so limited to their own minds, such that we are limited to all that occurs in our smart phones. “We are stuck within the limits of our subjective universe” (Lane 136). However, although we are limited to such knowledge, since our brain has a virtual stimulator, our chances of survival are by far greater.
2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The book, Cerebral Mirage states, “ we live in a veiled cosmos, and that our body-brain complex perennially tricks us.” The brain tricks us by having us believe something to be real when it is not. However, this trickery provides an advantage towards survival. Humans are able to imagine several scenarios allowing us to see which one would be to our advantage.
For example, the colors we see in objects are not the true colors of the object, but wavelengths of light. As demonstrated in the book Cerebral Mirage, “they way we apprehend the world around us is not necessarily how we later comprehend it through scientific analysis.” Another example is provided in the film, The Disneyland of Consciousness, “When we dream we believe what we see is real, however, once we wake up we realize everything we saw was simulated by our brains.”
One of the films states, “Consciousness is literally a virtual stimulator and that is why it has been so helpful in allowing humans to survive globally.” Although the brain tricks us, being able to think and strategize things in our mind has helped humans to survive throughout time. Having the ability to ask questions, question several decisions that can be made, is very beneficial. Our ancestors, being self aware, were able to imagine several situations and decide which decision will assure survival. Being conscious is one of the reasons we are here today. The greatest difficulty we confront is that we have evolved not necessarily to understand how the universe works, but to find ways and means to survive within it” (Lane 7).
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Post by sabinalee on Jul 15, 2015 18:55:31 GMT
Week Five Essay Questions:
1. Do you think artificial intelligence will be a significant problem in the future?
I believe, in the future, there will be great benefits to artificial intelligence, as well as problems with artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence, in the future, will be very beneficial as artificial intelligence was in the 1930’s. Around the 1930’s, Alan Turing created The Bombe Machine. The Bombe Machine was artificially intelligent and contributed to the German’s loss in the Second World War. In addition, artificial intelligence can provide great quality education to people around the world. Also, Artificial intelligence may be able to save lives; for example, it might be able to decrease the spread of disease or can find a cure.
Nonetheless, there will be conflict with artificial intelligence in the future. To exemplify, artificial intelligence may increase the unemployment rate. Jobs may be overtaken by artificial intelligent systems, resulting in people have a difficult time affording food. There may also be no privacy, as stated in the book, Digital Philosophy. Also, as psychologists today are arguing, “that our attention span is getting warped by our increasing tendency to multitask and that we are suffering from digital overload” (Digital Philosophy 11). I believe that the arguments the psychologists have will continue in the future.
2. How has technology impacted your life?
Technology has significantly impacted my life. I enjoy learning new things and technology has benefited me by providing me a better way in gaining knowledge. Without technology there would be no iPhone 6 where I can access YouTube, iBook’s, Khan Academy, TED, and much more. If I have trouble with a topic in a course I am taking, or have an exam coming up, I would watch Khan Academy videos. I typically watch educational YouTube videos and have learned many things from watching videos.
Moreover, I enjoy reading books and I enjoy reading actual, physical books rather an eBook; however, I still read eBooks. A person can learn a lot from reading books and technology has allowed for a better, easier way to read books. Technology provides a faster and much simpler way to access certain implements; for example, the app iBook’s allows a person to quickly find the definition for certain words. As stated in the book, Digital Philosophy, “books are a particular repository of information and trying such wisdom to one form and one form only is to neglect the real project as hand which is that we wish to gain knowledge and wisdom.”
Today, you see people with their head down looking at their phone and occasionally with earphones on. We are able to virtually interact with people through Facebook or Twitter, however, today, we are not directly interacting with people as much as we used to. It is stated in the book, Digital Philosophy, that “we are entertaining ourselves to death.” I enjoy watching several television series and sometimes get too involved in the show, in which I’d rather stay at home than be with friends. There are many advantages, as well as, disadvantages to technology; technology I believe has impacted me negatively but mostly positively.
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Post by desireevallejo on Jul 17, 2015 3:58:59 GMT
Week 4 Questions Extra Credit Response:
I do agree with you on both questions. Its strange how our minds can create illusions and make our brain trick our own self. Good example on comparing our minds to the smartphone and how limited our minds are. In my example beside the books and films, in one thing i don't let my mind trick myself in is scary things such as scary movies and all the scary stuff that come with it. In my mind i know its not fake and i don't worry or believe in it. I know so many people that let it get into their heads and they can't handle it because they thinks its real when its not. Yeah its true when we wake up from our sleep and have dreams ,we may think it real when were in it but when we wake up we know it was just a dream.
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Post by Courtney on Jul 17, 2015 4:13:33 GMT
Week Four Essay Questions: 1. Explain the virtual simulation theory of consciousness.
The virtual simulation theory of consciousness is an idea that the world is an illusion, what we see is not real. Descartes once said that the world we perceive through our senses could be an intricate deception. According to the book, Is the Universe An App, “Although we can hear, smell, and touch our reality, what determines our conviction that this world is real is not so much based upon objective datum as it is on our subjective ‘feeling’ of certainty.” It said that today, with our new technology and smart phones, we are living in a virtual world. People are so limited to their own minds, such that we are limited to all that occurs in our smart phones. “We are stuck within the limits of our subjective universe” (Lane 136). However, although we are limited to such knowledge, since our brain has a virtual stimulator, our chances of survival are by far greater. 2. How does the brain trick us and for what benefit is it for our genetic survival?
The book, Cerebral Mirage states, “ we live in a veiled cosmos, and that our body-brain complex perennially tricks us.” The brain tricks us by having us believe something to be real when it is not. However, this trickery provides an advantage towards survival. Humans are able to imagine several scenarios allowing us to see which one would be to our advantage. For example, the colors we see in objects are not the true colors of the object, but wavelengths of light. As demonstrated in the book Cerebral Mirage, “they way we apprehend the world around us is not necessarily how we later comprehend it through scientific analysis.” Another example is provided in the film, The Disneyland of Consciousness, “When we dream we believe what we see is real, however, once we wake up we realize everything we saw was simulated by our brains.” One of the films states, “Consciousness is literally a virtual stimulator and that is why it has been so helpful in allowing humans to survive globally.” Although the brain tricks us, being able to think and strategize things in our mind has helped humans to survive throughout time. Having the ability to ask questions, question several decisions that can be made, is very beneficial. Our ancestors, being self aware, were able to imagine several situations and decide which decision will assure survival. Being conscious is one of the reasons we are here today. The greatest difficulty we confront is that we have evolved not necessarily to understand how the universe works, but to find ways and means to survive within it” (Lane 7). RESPONSE: I liked that for number one you used the smartphones and virtual world we live in as examples. They are all correct, but the way I liked to explain the theory with examples was the examples given in “The Disneyland of Consciousness.” Those examples seemed to help me grasp the theory easier, because I could relate to those deceptions. I have been to Disneyland, I have been on the Haunted Mansion ride as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. I have seen how creepy those machines are because they seem so real, but no matter how real they seem, they are not. It is just our brain tricking us. |
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Post by desireevallejo on Jul 21, 2015 4:01:23 GMT
week 5 response....
I do agree with there will be many more great artificial intelligences in the world, which would benefit the world. I never heard of Khan Academy video for educational. Ima look that up cause I do get stuck on subjects once in while. In my opinion, I personally think it’s hard for me to read books online, I tried it and it just wasn’t for me. Yes, everywhere you go, look from left to right you will see someone looking down at his or her phone. I do think its wasted time being on being on your phone instead of living life and focusing the moments were in. I personally, challenged myself whenever I’m out with friends or family, I keep my phone my purse and just live in that moment and it been really fun not being stuck on my phone and I forget to look at my phone until I’m home or what not.
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Post by sabinalee on Jul 25, 2015 16:11:48 GMT
Week Six Essay Questions:
1. WHY IS FAQIR CHAND'S EXPERIENCES IMPORTANT IN UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECTIVE NATURE OF RELIGIOUS VISIONS AND MIRACLES?
Faqir Chands thoughts and ideas are based on the experiences of his life. He has a grand awareness as to why manifestations occur and his experiences provide an understanding of the projective nature of religious visions and miracles. Faqir Chad once said, “Manifestations are nothing but the impressions and suggestions that are ingrained upon our mind and we have accepted them as Reality.”
Faqir Chand has had many visions, which have greatly helped others. For example, Faqir once said he went into a deep trance and “found one handcuffed dacoit accompanied by a policeman” (The Unknowing Sage 38). In this trance Faqir told the policeman that the handcuffed man was not a criminal. Afterwards, no longer in his trance, Faqir went to the police station and told a policeman that the handcuffed man “was not a dacoit and so wanted that he be set free” (38). The gentleman was later released and lived a “changed and happy life” (38).
People have told Faqir Chand, countless times, that his form has manifested to them. Yet, Faqir states, “I do not go anywhere, nor do I know about such miraculous instances” (9). For example, a man, Vyas Nryan, said that Faqir’s “form appeared to him and solved many of his worldly problems” (53). However, Faqir claims that he never knew the man and then asked, “Who manifested to him and solved his dilemmas” (53)? “This is all the game of the mind and nothing else” (53).
Faqir Chand explanation for these occurrences is due to “the overwhelming experience of certainty” and “the subjective projection of sacred forms” (15). Being attached to a certain religion or ideology makes a person narrow-minded and “keeps him away from the Truth” (45). From what I understand, to realize that manifestations are a creation of the mind, a person must know him or herself and relieve themselves from worldly things.
2. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE PHRASE, "PHILOSOPHY DONE WELL IS SCIENCE; PHILOSOPHY DONE POORLY REMAINS PHILOSOPHY."
The phrase, “philosophy done well is science; philosophy done poorly remains philosophy”, is based on a reductionist approach. The purpose of philosophy is basically just to ask questions and provide answers through a rigorous process. However, before providing answers to questions, we must first “exhaust any and all physical explanations first before succumbing to the transcendental temptation” (The Remainder Conjecture film). As stated in the book, The Great Mystery, “If the phenomena cannot be explained fully and comprehensively by mathematics, then one turns to physics, and if that too is incomplete then to chemistry, then to biology, then to psychology, then to psychology, then to sociobiology, etc.” If answers cannot be scientifically proven then it is not science but philosophy. The answers to the unproven questions are still sought in which results to the question and answers being discussed philosophically.
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