Philosophy Question and Answer

Philosophy Q&A

1. Compare Rousseau’s notion of conscience with Hume’s notion of sentiment. Does on theory seen to be stronger than the other, based on the differences and or similarities between the notion of sentiment and conscience?

The Rousseau, conscience elevates human beings on a level that is above animals.  Through conscience, the humans can judge good and evil, which makes a man be like God. On the contrary, Hume’s notion of sentiment insists that reason alone cannot be a motive to the will, meaning that moral distinctions need to be derived from the moral sentiments, which are the feelings of approval and disapproval.Rousseau’s notion of conscience is seen to be more reliable than Hume’s notion. This is since it expounds on the conscience of man, and why he is the superior being compared to animals. Through conscience, man can distinguish between the good and the evil.

 

2. Does Aristotle’s model of virtue ethics depend only on social constructs, or does it also leave room for autonomy?

Aristotle argues that our distinctive function is reasoning and that life is worth living. In his model of virtue ethics, he concentrates on social constructs, mostly involving how humans think and behave. He also expounds on the truths of human behaviors, which are consistent with the truth.  This means that a majority of his model of virtues focuses on society. Nevertheless, the model touches on autonomy, where it challenges the idea of ethics, focusing solely on justice and autonomy. It argues that there should be considerations of feminine traits such as nurturing and caring.

 

3. Compare and contrast hard determinism, soft determinism, and indeterminism. Explain why indeterminism is just as problematic as hard determinism. From which two traditions of physics do these views arise?

Hard determinism is the theory which states that human actions and behaviors are determined wholly by the external factors. Hence, they do not have a genuine will or ethical accountability. On the contrary, soft determinism sets that causal event which entirely determines the actions and behaviors of humans. Still, their free will exists when defined as the capacity to according to the nature of a person.  On the other hand, determinism entails a theory which states that all events, including the moral choices, are determined by the pre-existing causes.   The traditions are from the cultures of determining human existence and the decisions made by humans on the day to day lives.

 

4. Compare and contrast fatalism and Karma. Which view makes the most sense?

Karma can be described as something you get based on what you put out. Fatalism, on the other hand, can be referred to as destiny, since it will happen inevitably. Fatalism can be on some events, be called something predetermined.  Fatalism is written in once life even before he is born.  Fatalism, unlike Karma, cannot be changed.On the contrary, Karma is the result of ones actions. When one does something good, good things will be brought forth in return.

A view that makes most sense to me is the Karmaview. I believe that people who do good will eventually get rewarded for their good deeds or encounter good things throughout their lives.

 

5. Explain the concept of predestination, which is the Islamic conception of predestination.

Contrast this view to the Western religious view?

Predestination is the doctrine that God has chosen those whom he intended to save. It is distinct from both determinism and fatalism, which is subject to the free decision of the human moral will.  It often seeks to identify the destination of addressing the paradox of free will. Predestination in Islam is the concept of divine destiny, which is mentioned in the Quran as the decree of Allah.  In Islam, predestination involves all that has happened and what will happen and what will come to pass as written, where God already knows all the occurrences, where there is no restriction of time. The difference between the Islamic and western views is on the issues of a person’s actions and God’s actions. The Christianity concept states that the human has a moral will, whereas the Islamic conception states that God is already aware of all the occurrences that were all written come to pass.