HUMA 1160 Test Answers:
Question 1)
HUMA 1160 Test Answers:
First begin by talking about the past The medieval thinkers performed exegesis, which is studying and comparing texts. The medieval thinkers studied two main texts. The first main text was the Bible, which is said to be revelation, meaning God reveals himself through prophets. The second main text was the works of ancient Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, which were based on them reasoning with each other. The medieval thinkers found contradictions in these works. For example, in the Bible it is said in one section that an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, while in another section it says if someone slaps you, turn the other cheek. The medieval thinkers tried to make sense of the contradictions, for example, how did God make Adam out of dust, then create Eve out of Adams rib. These medieval thinkers took a theocentric approach, meaning that everything you need to know can be found in the bible or religious scriptures. This theocentric approach meant that there are no new truths, needed to be found that cannot be found in the Bible. One of the medieval thinkers biggest questions was, “What does God want?” The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, used syllogism to teach his logic. The most famous syllogism is, all men are mortal, Socrates is a man, and therefore, Socrates is a mortal. Rene Descartes thought that these syllogisms were forming no new knowledge, and merely taught knowledge, which is already known. Descartes looks at the sciences and learns that they are coming up with new knowledge through the senses. He also looks at mathematics and is amazed with their methods. Descartes chooses mathematics to base his new revolution in learning knowledge on, after figuring the senses can be distorted, while math is certain, indubitable and eternal. a) Discuss Descartes’ view on the role Mathematics plays in revolutionizing learning Descartes wasn’t focused on what may or may not or is possibly true, he focused on what is actually true. The knowledge gained from sensory perception can be changed. While the knowledge gained from mathematics are certain, indubitable and eternal. For example, one can think of another’s white shirt, however, one can never be certain if the shirt is still white at anytime, one has no control over physical objects as one thinks about them. On the other hand mathematics does not need a world in order to perform the mathematics on it, as it is certain, indubitable and eternal. Descartes finds that mathematics is certain, and there are only two reasons why people make mistakes in mathematics. The first reason is inattention, not paying attention to what one is doing. The second reason is, one not properly understanding the premises. Descartes believed that ones intuition is given to one by God. These intuitions given by God would be the basis of knowledge, before other things can be known, making mathematics hierarchical. Descartes wanted to take the method from mathematics and use it in philosophy; in the regulae he accomplishes this with his 12 rules. He begins with the axioms, which are self evident truths. For example, an axiom is the axiom of equality, which is: such things
equal to the same thing are equal to each other. Descartes concludes that all knowledge is a priori, meaning already in the mind from birth. Descartes compared the process of how a mathematician does math. He states that the mathematician is guiding our mind to how the math is done, even though it is already in ones mind. Therefore, Descartes calls this method the logic of discovery, which is how we seek knowledge already formed in the mind, and decided that philosophy must move forward with it in the discovery of knowledge. b) Discuss key points of difference that Descartes identifies between mathematics and the quest for first principles in metaphysics – the subject matter of his Meditations Descartes develops a new system for his quest for first principles called metaphysics, which is the subject of his Meditations. Descartes is still after truth and certainty, and so he takes on a new method of mathematics, called synthesis. Synthesis is where one starts from the top, with ones first truths, and work down to find new truths. These truths are axioms, and confirm with ones senses. An example of an axiom is, the axiom of equality. Ones senses confirm for one that the truths in mathematics are true. Descartes first truths are, if he thinks, then he must exist. It is impossible to think one doesn’t exist. Another first truth Descartes has, is that God exists and God is good. One of the first principles of metaphysics is that one cannot trust their senses. In mathematics one start from the first step until the last step, only needing to remember the previous step. Mathematics is easy and simple. Conversely, metaphysics is an upward movement, where one is emptying ones head of false knowledge, while getting rid of the external world by meditating. The first principles like the axioms are selfevident. Metaphysics is very controversial, while mathematics is not. c) Discuss the 3 reasons he offers in the first meditation and Principle V for holding that mathematics can be regarded as dubitable Although Descartes first believed that mathematics is indubitable, he later changes his mind and figures that mathematics is indeed dubitable. Descartes offers three reasons in the first meditation and principle V for holding that mathematics can be regarded as dubitable. His first reason is that mathematics is dubitable because of psychological compulsion. Psychological compulsion is when one finds the conclusion psychologically irresistible. This is unreliable in establishing the truth, therefore mathematics is dubitable, as one may think one has the right answer, even when the answer one has is the wrong answer. This makes the person with the wrong answer, just as wrong as the person with the right answer. Descartes second reason for why math is dubitable is that God could be a deceiver. How does one know that it hasn’t been planted in one by God, that seven plus seven equals fourteen, when in fact it really equals 792. It appears obvious that even though one plus one equals 2, it really could just equal seven. God could be deceiving one, every time one counts the sides of a triangle. Descartes final reason for why math is dubitable, is because he believes that atheists are just as vulnerable as theists, as they were brought about by a finite cause other than God. An atheist can never guarantee that they wont be
deceived, if they believe they were created by a finite power, which wouldn’t allow one to be deceived, is when one would never be deceived. Regardless of infinite or finite power, one will always be deceived. Descartes problem with this position is that any finite cause, despite its intentions, cannot fully guarantee the effect that it has brought about. Therefore, Descartes reaches the conclusion that atheists are just as vulnerable as theists.
HUMA 1160 Test Answers:
First begin by talking about the past The medieval thinkers performed exegesis, which is studying and comparing texts. The medieval thinkers studied two main texts. The first main text was the Bible, which is said to be revelation, meaning God reveals himself through prophets. The second main text was the works of ancient Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, which were based on them reasoning with each other. The medieval thinkers found contradictions in these works. For example, in the Bible it is said in one section that an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, while in another section it says if someone slaps you, turn the other cheek. The medieval thinkers tried to make sense of the contradictions, for example, how did God make Adam out of dust, then create Eve out of Adams rib. These medieval thinkers took a theocentric approach, meaning that everything you need to know can be found in the bible or religious scriptures. This theocentric approach meant that there are no new truths, needed to be found that cannot be found in the Bible. One of the medieval thinkers biggest questions was, “What does God want?” The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, used syllogism to teach his logic. The most famous syllogism is, all men are mortal, Socrates is a man, and therefore, Socrates is a mortal. Rene Descartes thought that these syllogisms were forming no new knowledge, and merely taught knowledge, which is already known. Descartes looks at the sciences and learns that they are coming up with new knowledge through the senses. He also looks at mathematics and is amazed with their methods. Descartes chooses mathematics to base his new revolution in learning knowledge on, after figuring the senses can be distorted, while math is certain, indubitable and eternal. a) Discuss Descartes’ view on the role Mathematics plays in revolutionizing learning Descartes wasn’t focused on what may or may not or is possibly true, he focused on what is actually true. The knowledge gained from sensory perception can be changed. While the knowledge gained from mathematics are certain, indubitable and eternal. For example, one can think of another’s white shirt, however, one can never be certain if the shirt is still white at anytime, one has no control over physical objects as one thinks about them. On the other hand mathematics does not need a world in order to perform the mathematics on it, as it is certain, indubitable and eternal. Descartes finds that mathematics is certain, and there are only two reasons why people make mistakes in mathematics. The first reason is inattention, not paying attention to what one is doing. The second reason is, one not properly understanding the premises. Descartes believed that ones intuition is given to one by God. These intuitions given by God would be the basis of knowledge, before other things can be known, making mathematics hierarchical. Descartes wanted to take the method from mathematics and use it in philosophy; in the regulae he accomplishes this with his 12 rules. He begins with the axioms, which are self evident truths. For example, an axiom is the axiom of equality, which is: such things
equal to the same thing are equal to each other. Descartes concludes that all knowledge is a priori, meaning already in the mind from birth. Descartes compared the process of how a mathematician does math. He states that the mathematician is guiding our mind to how the math is done, even though it is already in ones mind. Therefore, Descartes calls this method the logic of discovery, which is how we seek knowledge already formed in the mind, and decided that philosophy must move forward with it in the discovery of knowledge. b) Discuss key points of difference that Descartes identifies between mathematics and the quest for first principles in metaphysics – the subject matter of his Meditations Descartes develops a new system for his quest for first principles called metaphysics, which is the subject of his Meditations. Descartes is still after truth and certainty, and so he takes on a new method of mathematics, called synthesis. Synthesis is where one starts from the top, with ones first truths, and work down to find new truths. These truths are axioms, and confirm with ones senses. An example of an axiom is, the axiom of equality. Ones senses confirm for one that the truths in mathematics are true. Descartes first truths are, if he thinks, then he must exist. It is impossible to think one doesn’t exist. Another first truth Descartes has, is that God exists and God is good. One of the first principles of metaphysics is that one cannot trust their senses. In mathematics one start from the first step until the last step, only needing to remember the previous step. Mathematics is easy and simple. Conversely, metaphysics is an upward movement, where one is emptying ones head of false knowledge, while getting rid of the external world by meditating. The first principles like the axioms are selfevident. Metaphysics is very controversial, while mathematics is not. c) Discuss the 3 reasons he offers in the first meditation and Principle V for holding that mathematics can be regarded as dubitable Although Descartes first believed that mathematics is indubitable, he later changes his mind and figures that mathematics is indeed dubitable. Descartes offers three reasons in the first meditation and principle V for holding that mathematics can be regarded as dubitable. His first reason is that mathematics is dubitable because of psychological compulsion. Psychological compulsion is when one finds the conclusion psychologically irresistible. This is unreliable in establishing the truth, therefore mathematics is dubitable, as one may think one has the right answer, even when the answer one has is the wrong answer. This makes the person with the wrong answer, just as wrong as the person with the right answer. Descartes second reason for why math is dubitable is that God could be a deceiver. How does one know that it hasn’t been planted in one by God, that seven plus seven equals fourteen, when in fact it really equals 792. It appears obvious that even though one plus one equals 2, it really could just equal seven. God could be deceiving one, every time one counts the sides of a triangle. Descartes final reason for why math is dubitable, is because he believes that atheists are just as vulnerable as theists, as they were brought about by a finite cause other than God. An atheist can never guarantee that they wont be
deceived, if they believe they were created by a finite power, which wouldn’t allow one to be deceived, is when one would never be deceived. Regardless of infinite or finite power, one will always be deceived. Descartes problem with this position is that any finite cause, despite its intentions, cannot fully guarantee the effect that it has brought about. Therefore, Descartes reaches the conclusion that atheists are just as vulnerable as theists.
