Discussion Questions on Descartes: Week 1

Exam Comments:

1. Don't give a play by play of the argument as if the audience already knows. Recreate the argument in your own words to show understanding. "'Cuz horses" is not a good answer.

2. Critically Evaluate: "'Cuz he gave good reasons and used facts." <---Don't do that. Talk about whether the terms were clear, whether a specific premise was true or false, and whether the conclusion was relevant/followed from the premises. 

3. Essay question: Needed 2 of 3 arguments.

Discussion

1. Class activity: What are some things that you believe to be true?

2. Which of the sources of beliefs is the most likely to be true/most reliable? Why? Put them in order.

3. Categories of belief: (a) mere belief, (b) true belief, (c) justified belief, (d) knowledge. Define and give examples of each.

4. The Fundamental Question: Define objectivism and subjectivism. Do we directly experience the physical objects of perception? Are some properties objective and others subjective? Which? When we experience pain, where is the pain located? 

Discussion Questions for Sep 21

1.  Reread from 12e-14a and 14e of Euthyphro. What is the definition of piety being proposed? Why does Socrates think it fails? Apply this same argument to a contemporary monotheistic context. Does the same argument apply? Why or why not. 

2. The greatest good for a man is to discuss virtue every day and those other things about which you hear me conversing and testing myself and others, for the unexamined life is not worth living [. . .] (para 38). Mill: “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.”  What do these quotes mean? Why would enlightenment (Kant) (constantly seeking the truth), seeking truth (Socrates) or doing philosophy (Lou) lead to dissatisfaction?  Is a life of blissful ignorance better?  Is ignorance bliss? Would you be willing to trade your knowledge for happiness? Would you be willing to give up being a human to be a dog if you were guaranteed to be happy all the time?

Euthyphro Discussion

Discussion Questions

1. Is the Euthyphro right to prosecute his father? What's the right thing to do here? How can we figure out what it is?

2. What's the difference between subjectivity and objectivity? What makes something objective and what makes something subjective? Are values subjective or objective? Why?

3. What is the 3rd definition that Euthyphro gives for piety? Why does Socrates think it's problematic? Do you agree with Socrates or Euthyphro? Apply this argument to a contemporary religious context: Can there be moral values without God/gods?

4. What is the 2nd definition that Euthyphro gives for piety? Why does Socrates think it's problematic? Apply this argument to a contemporary religious context; i.e., suppose a religious person today wants to know what the pious thing to do is, how would they figure it out? Does the same argument hold?