Review Exam #2

PHL 107 Prof. Stephens Fall 2009

Review Guide for Exam on Augustine and Hume

1. What is an enthymeme?
2. Describe the difference between a deductive and an inductive argument.
3. Which type of argument are all arguments by analogy?
4. Contrast a priori reasoning (and truths) with a posteriori reasoning (and truths).

Augustine, “On the Immortality of the Soul” Chapter 1

1. Explain how Augustine uses science to argue for the immortality of the soul/mind.
2. Explain Augustine’s (five-part!) argument for the immortality of the human soul.
3. What criticism of Augustine’s argument can be made?

Hume, “Of the Immortality of the Soul”

1. What are the three types of arguments concerning the immortality of the soul? Which type does Hume say is the only philosophical one to be admitted?
2. What does Hume say about the gospel at the beginning of the essay and divine revelation at the end of the essay?

The FIVE [M]etaphysical Arguments
3. Explain Hume’s criticisms of (dualist) metaphysicians’ supposition about substances. Explain what Prof. Stephens calls Hume’s 'Substance'-is-a-Confused-Concept Argument (M-1).
4. Explain (M-2) The Argument that Experience Alone Settles Questions of Existence.
5. Explain (M-3) The Argument that a Recycled Spiritual Substance May Forget.
6. Explain (M-4) The Argument from Symmetrical Indifference.
7. Why are consciousness and memory essential to personal identity? How is personal identity crucial to the issue of personal immortality?
8. Explain (M-5) The Argument from Animal Consciousness.

The TWELVE Moral [E-thical] Arguments
9. Explain (E-1) The Argument from the Here-and-Now.
10. What does Hume say is safe for us to affirm about what the Deity has done? What does he say is dangerous for us to affirm?
11. What does Hume say the whole scope and intention of man’s creation is limited to?
12. Explain (E-2) The Argument from Fire and Brimstone.
13. Explain (E-3) The Argument from God's Beneficence and Wisdom.
14. What does Hume say about human reason being superior to that of other animals compared with human necessities? What is our whole time, capacity, activity, courage, and passion sufficiently employed doing?
15. Explain (E-4) The Argument from the Proportionality of Powers and Needs.
16. Explain (E-5) The Sexist Argument from the Inferiority of Women's Capacity. Explain the simplified version of E-5.
17. Explain (E-6) The 'God Started It!' Argument.
18. Explain (E-7) The Argument from the Multiplicity of Virtues.
19. Explain (E-8) The 'Closed Scene' Argument.
20. Explain (E-9) The Argument from the Proportionality of Punishment to Offense.
21. Explain (E-10) The 'Float Between' Argument.
22. What does Hume say about measures of approbation and blame? From where does Hume say we learn that there is such a thing as moral distinctions?
23. Explain (E-11) The Argument from the Interests of Human Society.
24. Explain (E-12) The Argument from the Frailty of Infants. What is the “probationary state” he is referring to?

The EIGHT [P]hysical Arguments
25. What methodological point does Hume make about “all rules of analogy”?
26. Explain (P-1) The Argument from Parallel Change in Body and Soul.
27. Explain (P-2) The Argument from the Progressive Causes of Mental Degeneration.
28. Explain (P-3) The 'Fish Out of Water' Argument.
29. Explain (P-4) The Soul’s Dependence on the Body Argument.
30. Explain (P-5) The Argument from the Mortality of the Souls of Nonhuman Animals.
31. Explain (P-6) The Argument from Worldly Flux.
32. Explain (P-7) The Argument from Cosmic Overcrowding. What form of deductive reasoning is this argument? What criticism of this argument could the metaphysical dualist make?
33. What does Hume say about Agamemnon, Thersites, et al.? What does Hume say about our insensibility before the composition of the body?
34. Explain (P-8) The Argument from Our Natural Aversion to Death.
35. Which doctrines does Hume say are to be suspected?
36. What does Hume say is an advantage in every controversy? (top of 2nd to last paragraph)
37. What does Hume say is requisite for the purpose of establishing arguments for the immortality of the soul? (end of 2nd to last paragraph)
38. How should we understand the first three sentences and the last sentence of this essay, given Hume’s decision to publish it after his death?
39. What is FIDEISM? Give your reasons for whether you think Hume is a fideist or not.
40. What are the years of Hume’s birth and death?
41. Where did Hume believe all ideas originate from? Briefly explain Hume’s view about causation (our belief that the future will resemble the past).
42. Consider together all of Hume’s Moral Arguments. Describe Hume’s views about beliefs about God, the afterlife, heaven (reward), and hell (punishment).
43. Consider together all of Hume’s Physical Arguments. Describe Hume’s views about the relationship between body and soul, indestructibility and the world, nature, fear, death, and preservation of the human species.

Last modified 15 November 2009