Recent Responses
Is it always important to have a good grounding in 'analytic' philosophy, no matter what area of the subject we are studying? For example, must I familiarize myself with logic and linguistic thought despite studying thinkers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger or Hegel?
Nicholas D. Smith
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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I really think it is a good idea to be as well-rounded in your training as you can be. I often find myself using skills not normally associated with ancient Greek scholarship, my own specialization. The best thing about "analytic philosophy" is that it provides useful ways of looking... Read more
Is fishing unethical? Always unethical? What do the panelists feel and why? BW
Oliver Leaman
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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If fish feel pain, then I cannot see how it could be easily justified. Even if they don't feel pain, fishing might mean interrupting their lives unjustifiably, if we were to keep them out of the water, although if we were to throw them back this would not be such a problem. Of course, it mi... Read more
Dear Philosophers, What's it like to be another person? Milo (age 6)
Mark Crimmins
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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That's a really good question. I guess the answer is, it feels normal. Because it feels normal to them, and so if you are that person, then feeling like they do feels normal to you.
But what we really want to know is, how would it feel for me to feel what they are feeling? If I could "se... Read more
When I encounter a rock is there a two way flow of information? The rocks rockness reaches out and meets my me-ness at some point and information about the rock is sent to me via my senses. Is there a reciprocal flow of information to the rock? I'm finding it hard to express my thoughts about this. Is there a 2-way communication between me and the rock? Steve B
Mark Crimmins
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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In perception, you are affected by the rock. You are changed, and the rock is the cause of the changes. Change means that you acquire some different properties. Now, some of your properties are intrinsic and some extrinsic. Philosophers have a hell of a time trying to explain that dist... Read more
Since life first evolved on Earth, a huge number of species have developed only to subsequently become extinct, a key feature of Darwin's 'survival of the fittest' model of evolution. A number of species face extinction today - is it right for mankind to intervene to try and stop this process?
Mark Crimmins
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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Saying that natural selection favors the "fittest" creatures makes it sound like interfering would obviously be bad because it would risk diminishing a good thing, namely fitness.
But first of all, there is nothing in Darwin's explanation of natural selection that assigns any value, positi... Read more
In an earlier question (http://www.amherst.edu/askphilosophers/question/875) the following was asked: "Am I morally bound to tell my sex partner if I fantasize about someone else whilst making love to her? Or the subject of the fantasy for that matter?" T. Pogge responded: "Now ask yourself whether such disclosures from her would really be in your interest: Would you want to know what she fantasizes about when the two of you make love? Would you be happier if she gave you this information, or do you think she would be happier if she gave it to you?" Is the duty to disclose determined by self-interest? (how many people are sufficiently aware of their self-interest to thus determine their duties? e.g. how many people enact patterns of self-destructive behavior, particularly in their sex and/or love-lives?) Can the duty to disclose be determined by the interest of the person to whom the duty is owed? (How many people know what is in the interest of another person? particularly, again, with regard to their emotional ties, sex lives and/or love-lives?) Final question: are our interests (never mind our duties) determined by their likelihood to promote our or others happiness? Perhaps the fantasy indicates actual preferences rather than mere associative pleasure. Perhaps it doesn't. What is the liklihood that we can tell the difference between the two? Deeply hidden desires can masquerade as fantasy. -MS
Thomas Pogge
February 1, 2006
(changed February 1, 2006)
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You seem to think that my earlier response commits me to affirmative answers to the three questions you pose. As far as I can see, this is not the case. So, to answer the new questions in sequence:
1. No, a person's obligations are not determined by this person's self-interest. Even when per... Read more
How can God exist if every thing that exists is finite? If an entity is infinite does that not conclude that it does not exist? My question is, have I even scratched the surface at disproving the existence of God? Descartes said that an infinite essence created all living things, but if this is the case, how can nothingness create existence? A comment would be much obliged. This is driving me crazy. Any opinions?
Oliver Leaman
February 2, 2006
(changed February 2, 2006)
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In fact, it is often said that the finitude of everything in the world of generation and corruption is only possible if at least one thing is infinite, since there would otherwise be an infinite regress of one thing bringing about something else.
Log in to post comments... Read more
How can was say that a variable such as x exists as a number or at all in an equation when by using a variable we claim to know nothing of what "goes in there" to complete the equation?
Daniel J. Velleman
January 31, 2006
(changed January 31, 2006)
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I would add that it is important to distinguish between a variable and what the variable stands for. You ask how we can say that "a variable such as x exists as a number." I would say the variable is a letter, not a number, but it stands for a number. As Richard has explained, what... Read more
Is infinity a number or not and why?
Daniel J. Velleman
January 31, 2006
(changed January 31, 2006)
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I think it's worth pointing out that there are many different number systems, which mathematicians use for different purposes, so your question is really ambiguous. If you are interested in determining how many things of some particular kind there are, then the appropriate numbers to... Read more
How can was say that a variable such as x exists as a number or at all in an equation when by using a variable we claim to know nothing of what "goes in there" to complete the equation?
Daniel J. Velleman
January 31, 2006
(changed January 31, 2006)
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I would add that it is important to distinguish between a variable and what the variable stands for. You ask how we can say that "a variable such as x exists as a number." I would say the variable is a letter, not a number, but it stands for a number. As Richard has explained, what... Read more