Philosophy
Unit 1
Ancient Greek Influence
Plato- A-priori. The theory of forms, true knowledge gained in world of forms, all forms reflect form
of good, analogy of the cave, Demiurge.
Rene Descartes- we know wax through reason, once the matter changes we still call it wax.
Brian Davies- Plato’s theory teaches us where complex virtues come from.
Aristotle- A-posteriori. We gain knowledge through senses (human experience). The theory of
causation, potentiality to actuality we need the 4 causes, prime mover= pure actuality.
Alston- our sense of experience is generally reliable, no reason to disagree.
Soul, mind and body
Plato- dualism (soul is separate from the body), eternal soul & transcendent Body, soul gives body
life, was pre existing before body – will return to WoF emotion and appetite guided by reason. Myth
of Er – morality of soul.
Freud- the soul doesn’t have authority over the body, social conditioning has control.
Descartes- substance Dualism (there are two distinct substances, mental and physical), Descartes
certain of his mind, not his body – I think therefore I am. Can’t doubt existence of thinker. Mind and
body have properties (freckles). Hyperbolic doubt – reject theory if any doubt of truth.
Peter Greach- a disembodied soul can’t see forms without bodily senses.
Anscombe- man qua spirit. Can describe what my body is doing but need soul/mind to know why.
Aristotle- monism (body and soul can’t exist separately), core entity, the soul= efficient and final
cause of body, soul is the essence, physical body is continuous state of change, if ax was living thing –
capacity of soul is to chop, soul inseparable from body as shape of wax inseparable from wax.
Dawkins- reductive materialism (mind is a product of electrical and chemical signals in brain) humans
are survival machines, there is no spirit driven life, soul 1= supernatural spirit, soul 2= personality.
Gilbert Ryle- mind controlling the physical body is as absurd as believing that ghosts operate
machines. Category mistake.
Unit 2
Teleological Argument
Explore if there is a designer
Aquinas- reason and faith worked together, qua regularity- order of world, everything in world
follows natural law, this means they have purpose, when something can’t think for itself, only has
purpose when directed. This is God. Everything heads towards natural purpose bc directed by God.
Arrow is fired by someone. Planets move in regular motion. Fibonacci sequence.
Paley- qua purpose, watch has complex parts and function to fulfil purpose, must have
knowledgeable designer, university more complex, more knowledgeable designer= God. Evidence of
design: specific parts, complex parts, specific purpose, exhibits regular motion, indispensable parts,
e.g. eye anatomy, god cared enough to design everything= his love.
Paul Davies- the Goldilocks enigma, God designed world just right.
F.R.Tennant- the aesthetic principle, God made us feel our characteristics of love and joy.
Darwin- evolution, natural selection, science organised life not designer.
Mill- evil undermined God’s design, nature is cruel, animals suffer, the universe is unfair/unpleasant
place.
Hume- apology is inconsistent, anthropomorphise God, many designers= many Gods? Not assume
universe is designed, the problem of evil, the illusion of design (epicurean Hypothesis).
Unit 1
Ancient Greek Influence
Plato- A-priori. The theory of forms, true knowledge gained in world of forms, all forms reflect form
of good, analogy of the cave, Demiurge.
Rene Descartes- we know wax through reason, once the matter changes we still call it wax.
Brian Davies- Plato’s theory teaches us where complex virtues come from.
Aristotle- A-posteriori. We gain knowledge through senses (human experience). The theory of
causation, potentiality to actuality we need the 4 causes, prime mover= pure actuality.
Alston- our sense of experience is generally reliable, no reason to disagree.
Soul, mind and body
Plato- dualism (soul is separate from the body), eternal soul & transcendent Body, soul gives body
life, was pre existing before body – will return to WoF emotion and appetite guided by reason. Myth
of Er – morality of soul.
Freud- the soul doesn’t have authority over the body, social conditioning has control.
Descartes- substance Dualism (there are two distinct substances, mental and physical), Descartes
certain of his mind, not his body – I think therefore I am. Can’t doubt existence of thinker. Mind and
body have properties (freckles). Hyperbolic doubt – reject theory if any doubt of truth.
Peter Greach- a disembodied soul can’t see forms without bodily senses.
Anscombe- man qua spirit. Can describe what my body is doing but need soul/mind to know why.
Aristotle- monism (body and soul can’t exist separately), core entity, the soul= efficient and final
cause of body, soul is the essence, physical body is continuous state of change, if ax was living thing –
capacity of soul is to chop, soul inseparable from body as shape of wax inseparable from wax.
Dawkins- reductive materialism (mind is a product of electrical and chemical signals in brain) humans
are survival machines, there is no spirit driven life, soul 1= supernatural spirit, soul 2= personality.
Gilbert Ryle- mind controlling the physical body is as absurd as believing that ghosts operate
machines. Category mistake.
Unit 2
Teleological Argument
Explore if there is a designer
Aquinas- reason and faith worked together, qua regularity- order of world, everything in world
follows natural law, this means they have purpose, when something can’t think for itself, only has
purpose when directed. This is God. Everything heads towards natural purpose bc directed by God.
Arrow is fired by someone. Planets move in regular motion. Fibonacci sequence.
Paley- qua purpose, watch has complex parts and function to fulfil purpose, must have
knowledgeable designer, university more complex, more knowledgeable designer= God. Evidence of
design: specific parts, complex parts, specific purpose, exhibits regular motion, indispensable parts,
e.g. eye anatomy, god cared enough to design everything= his love.
Paul Davies- the Goldilocks enigma, God designed world just right.
F.R.Tennant- the aesthetic principle, God made us feel our characteristics of love and joy.
Darwin- evolution, natural selection, science organised life not designer.
Mill- evil undermined God’s design, nature is cruel, animals suffer, the universe is unfair/unpleasant
place.
Hume- apology is inconsistent, anthropomorphise God, many designers= many Gods? Not assume
universe is designed, the problem of evil, the illusion of design (epicurean Hypothesis).
