What is philosophy? The question is itself a philosophical question. This essay surveys some answers. #philosophy #whatisphilosophy #definingphilosophy
Tag: metcalf
Epistemology, or Theory of Knowledge
What is knowledge? And how do we come to have it? Is it important that we have knowledge? If so, why? The branch of philosophy that attempts to answer these and related questions is known as ‘epistemology’ or ‘theory of knowledge.’ This essay introduces epistemology.
Ethics and the Expected Consequences of Voting
People sometimes thing there's an obligation to vote. Is there such an obligation, especially an ethical obligation?
Arguments for Capitalism and Socialism
This essay is the second in a two-part series on the topic of capitalism and socialism. The first essay is on defining capitalism and socialism; this essay is on arguments for capitalism and socialism.
Defining Capitalism and Socialism
This essay is the first in a two-part series on the topic of capitalism and socialism. This essay is on defining capitalism and socialism; the second essay is on arguments for capitalism and socialism.
The Probability Calculus
Author: Thomas Metcalf Categories: Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Logic and Reasoning Word Count: 1000 Suppose that Lemmy is playing poker, and the only card he needs in order to win is the Ace of Spades. If he’s drawing randomly from a standard deck, it’s easy to figure out how likely he is to draw the … Continue reading The Probability Calculus
The Fine-Tuning Argument for the Existence of God
Author: Thomas Metcalf Category: Philosophy of Religion Word count: 987 Here’s a simple experiment to help test whether God exists: Hold a refrigerator magnet about one inch above a paperclip. If the magnet picks up the paperclip, then that tiny magnet was able to overcome the gravity of an entire planet.[1] How might this provide … Continue reading The Fine-Tuning Argument for the Existence of God
Design Arguments for the Existence of God
The universe, or some of the objects in it, exhibit order, complexity, efficiency, and perhaps purpose. Many everyday objects with those features—e.g., watches and houses—were intentionally designed. Should we conclude, therefore, that some of the “natural” objects in the universe, or the universe itself, was also intentionally designed? If so, that designer might be God. This essay introduces design arguments for the existence of God.
Philosophy and Its Contrast with Science: Comparing Philosophical and Scientific Understanding
Philosophy and science are both ways of learning about ourselves and the world. Here we’ll review the two main perspectives on the question of whether and to what degree science and philosophy overlap in their methods and their sources of knowledge.
Ethical Realism, or Moral Realism
Ethical realists say that ethical claims such as these are objectively true: their truth does not depend on anyone’s particular opinions, beliefs, preferences, or characteristics. But what are the good reasons for accepting ethical realism?