Recent Responses
I aced a basic logic class in college that covered both sentential and predicate logic. I am interested in furthering my skills in symbolic logic, but I don't know how. My school doesn't offer any upper-level logic courses. I'm thinking I would like to buy a simple textbook for a more in-depth study of the more advanced concepts (I've heard the term "modal logic" thrown around, but I don't know what that is). Can you suggest a good text or author I should investigate?
Richard Heck
August 23, 2010
(changed August 23, 2010)
Permalink
Peter might also have mentioned his book, An Introduction to Gödel's Theorems, and the similarly targeted book by George Boolos, John Burgess, and Richard Jeffrey, Computability and Logic. Both are standard texts used in intermediate logic courses.
Log in to post comments... Read more
I am from a developing country, a poor country, a very populated country. We live a hard life here. People often say westerners have a life while we only do the living, or according to one of my friends, we only do the breathing. I still remember a line from a popular song here: are we changing the world or changed by the world? And my friend gave me the answer: being an American means one is changing the world while being a non-American means one is changed by the world. So what is the meaning of life for a man living in a developing country anyway?
Thomas Pogge
August 23, 2010
(changed August 23, 2010)
Permalink
In terms of income, the panelists on this site by and large belong to humanity's top ventile (5%) -- where the average income is 9 times the global average. This is roughly 300 times more than what is available to people in the bottom quarter, where average income is about 1/32 of the global a... Read more
Perhaps someone will be able to settle this argument between me and my friend once and for all. Whenever I whine about some unfortunate happening or circumstance in my life, my friend will remind me that I'm better off than, say, poor starving children in Ethiopia. However, I think this is a faulty apples vs. oranges comparison. If I were to compare myself to others, shouldn't I compare myself among those who are in similar circumstances? That is, if I were to draw valid comparisons between myself and others, wouldn't it make more sense to compare across socioeconomic strata, rather than to compare myself to someone who is clearly more unfortunate or more successful simply because they were born in extraordinary circumstances different from my own? (Essentially, what my friend is trying to tell me is to not take things for granted. But I find that to be empty advice, especially since I don't think that it's a valid comparison and therefore not a valid argument.) Thanks for your time! --MJ
Gordon Marino
August 22, 2010
(changed August 22, 2010)
Permalink
I think you are right to take issue with your friend. On his or her account, the only person in the world who can legitimately complain is the person who is worst off in the world. Of course, we should be grateful for many things in life - but life is also filled with a great deal of sadness... Read more
Is there any distinction between 'god' and 'what people say about god'?
Charles Taliaferro
August 21, 2010
(changed August 21, 2010)
Permalink
I hope so! Lots of people have been saying quite a bit to what they believe is divine (God or god or gods) and talking about the divine for many centuries, not all of which can be correct. In the Greco-Roman world the gods were very much like us (given over to vice as well as virtue) t... Read more
Why is it that faith, which here I define as religious-based beliefs without or in opposition to empirical or other evidence, is so highly valued, or even central to Christianity (and assumedly many other religions as well)? Perhaps the assumption is that faith is a more 'humble' position rather than over-valueing humankind's ability to rationalise and use logic to understand the world around them, since humility/ lack of pride is highly valued by many major religions ?? Does this mean that philosophy is quite arrogant ? But perhaps that is more a question for psychology and sociology. So in more philosophical terms, I guess I am asking whether faith can be justified from a philosophical point of view, or are the two quite incompatible?
Charles Taliaferro
August 21, 2010
(changed August 21, 2010)
Permalink
Good question. I suspect that the term "faith" is used in many different senses today! There is a great book called The Concept of Faith in which Lad Sessions distinguishes at least five models of faith in different religious contexts. For theists, "faith" might stand for the body of... Read more
What's the status of the so-called "scientific method" among philosophers of science these days? I realize that there are and have been many different methods employed in what we call or want to call scientific investigation, so I appreciate how misleading the singular term might be. But, with that caveat in mind, in school and elsewhere you hear all about this great 'method' we've established. And certainly scientists take themselves to know and share some activity. To put a finer point on this question, let me sketch what I get the impression this 'method' looks like: 1) It's empirical, that is, it involves observation and experimentation. 2) The scientist makes some initial observations, forms a hypothesis, deduces some predictions from it, then designs and performs a "controlled experiment" to "test" them. This experiment is done by attempting to identify variables, some independent, one dependent to ensure (obviously with fallibility) that the appropriate relationship/conditions are being tested. 3) The scientists then draws conclusions about other phenomena based on these results, including positing causal relations and general laws to "explain" the predicted regularities observed. Unless his hypothesis is "falsified", in which case it's back to the (holistic) drawing board. I notice, so sketched, that "the method" involves both 'inductive' and 'hypothetico-deductive' reasoning. What do you make of this? Is that what I've sometimes heard called "rational empiricism"? Are there meaninful generalizations we can make about "scientific method" that might help us identify it and understand the meaning of its results?
Miriam Solomon
August 19, 2010
(changed August 19, 2010)
Permalink
"The scientific method" is often poorly or incompletely or misleadingly described in science classes (especially high school science classes). So I'll say a little about that first, and then something about recent philosophical discussions of scientific method.
As you (and many others) de... Read more
What makes an argument "good"? Is there more to a good argument than raw persuasive power? Does a good argument have to support the right conclusion? For example, might the ontological argument be a good argument for theism even if theism is false?
Eric Silverman
August 19, 2010
(changed August 19, 2010)
Permalink
The term 'good' is notoriously ambiguous. However, I often tell my students that a goal for their arguments should be that an intelligent, well-informed person with no strong pre-existing opinion on the matter would find it convincing. Thus, a 'good' argument could have a conclusion that is... Read more
I just turned 60 and my left-of-center value system has in some ways become more conservative. At the same time, I have become more intolerant of right-wing views to the point where I find myself feeling uncomfortable with the thought of socializing with neoconservatives and tea-party types. I would not want to invite such types to my home, yet being a liberal, question my capacity for tolerance. I am contemplating asking new 'friends' just what their views are and making a decision. This has a narcissistic flavor, but I don't need token neo-cons for entertainment value (as they would keep pet liberals) or as reminders of what the dark side looks like. I guess the GW Bush legacy has opened my eyes. I am repelled. Is this chauvinism/tribalism consistent with living an authentic life I understand to be directed by evolutionary forces that propel me to seek out maximum stimulation in order to realize my potential? Suggested readings would be appreciated. Many thanks.
Allen Stairs
August 19, 2010
(changed August 19, 2010)
Permalink
I'd like to start with the last bit. You say that you understand living an authentic life as "directed by evolutionary forces that propel me to seek out maximum stimulation in order to realize my potential." I'd suggest some skepticism about that. If you mean by "evolution" what biologists mea... Read more
Is it unfair for a judge to give their verdict based on a technicality?
Allen Stairs
August 19, 2010
(changed August 19, 2010)
Permalink
Suppose the "technicality" is something that the law pretty clearly entails, even though it's doubtful that legislators had the particular worrying circumstances in mind. In that case, the judge is doing something we normally think judges are supposed to do: deciding cases based on the law. It... Read more
As a business major who has a strong interest in philosophy I'm strongly considering adding a philosophy minor. My question is this: how can studying philosophy help me in not just business but in life in general? What are some benefits to adding a philosophy minor?
Nancy Bauer
August 19, 2010
(changed August 19, 2010)
Permalink
Good philosophers don't take anything for granted. They are committed -- sometimes painfully so! -- to the idea that no beliefs, values, or points of view ought in principle to be exempt from scrutiny and criticism. They understand how easy it is to run a life on autopilot; to get into habit... Read more