I've been thinking...
1) Everything is both a cause and an effect. There may be no original cause for something, but even that would be an event.
2) I am not sure who's theory this is but...if you could know the trajectories of EVERY atom in the ENTIRE universe, then you would be able to map out their future interactions and could therefore, predict the future. If you saw the future, would you have free will over it, if you saw yourself getting shot, would you be able to stop that from happening by not being there at the time? Or would it still happen somehow, even if you just get shot at a different location?
your thougts?
Thursday 18 December 2008
Friday 12 December 2008
Exam Questions
Good news! You've got work to do. Below is a sample two-part exam question. Tbink about it and do some extra research using the links on this site.
Comment/ask questions/discuss here in the next few days before a SURPRISE EXAM on...one day soon. I will try to respond to any (sensible) questions. No bribes accepted. Yet.
Theme: Reason and experience
1 (a) Explain what is meant by a priori and explain one reason why the a priori is philosophically significant. (15 marks)
(b) ‘All ideas derive from the sense experiences which they copy.’ Discuss. (30 marks)
Comment/ask questions/discuss here in the next few days before a SURPRISE EXAM on...one day soon. I will try to respond to any (sensible) questions. No bribes accepted. Yet.
Theme: Reason and experience
1 (a) Explain what is meant by a priori and explain one reason why the a priori is philosophically significant. (15 marks)
(b) ‘All ideas derive from the sense experiences which they copy.’ Discuss. (30 marks)
Thursday 11 December 2008
Babel Fish
So, GN told me to post something here, something intelligent. So here is my attempt at that...
In 'The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy' there is a really good quote about how God cannot exist.
'Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.'
'The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."'
'"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."'
'"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.'
'"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.'
I think you can easily apply this to some of the other fascinating creatures and things on earth and in the universe, even ourselves. Discuss
In 'The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy' there is a really good quote about how God cannot exist.
'Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mindbogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.'
'The argument goes something like this: "I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."'
'"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."'
'"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.'
'"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.'
I think you can easily apply this to some of the other fascinating creatures and things on earth and in the universe, even ourselves. Discuss
Friday 5 December 2008
Introducing Sapere Aude
Hello! You are probably here because you are an A Level Philosophy student at Nailsea School. If you aren't, welcome anyway.
The purpose of this blog is to allow students to ask and answer questions about the course and to continue discussions on the topics covered in class. You can discuss essays and exams, share useful information and links, help each other to revise and generally chat about Philosophy.
Sapere aude is Latin for "Dare to know" or "Have the courage to think". So, please be prepared to risk your thoughts on this site. And keep it polite!
To the right you will find links to various useful sites. Check them out. The AQA site includes sample papers and mark schemes, as well as the full specification. It's not too soon to look at an exam paper and to start practising. The UCAS site is there to help you research your university course options.
The purpose of this blog is to allow students to ask and answer questions about the course and to continue discussions on the topics covered in class. You can discuss essays and exams, share useful information and links, help each other to revise and generally chat about Philosophy.
Sapere aude is Latin for "Dare to know" or "Have the courage to think". So, please be prepared to risk your thoughts on this site. And keep it polite!
To the right you will find links to various useful sites. Check them out. The AQA site includes sample papers and mark schemes, as well as the full specification. It's not too soon to look at an exam paper and to start practising. The UCAS site is there to help you research your university course options.
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