Recent Responses
Are institutions only the matter of sociology? Don't philosophers have something to say about them?
Philosophers do, indeed,
Charles Taliaferro
May 27, 2016
(changed May 27, 2016)
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Philosophers do, indeed, reflect on the nature of institutions on all sorts of levels. We ask questions about the very status of institutions themselves --what are institutions and are they just or unjust, grounded upon conventions or grounded in natural law? Some phi... Read more
I read Prof. Galen Strawson's piece on consciousness in the New York Times. He claims that consciousness is "wholly a matter of physical goings-on" and then spends much time addressing the limits of what physics can tell us about matter. His essay, however, never mentions life. Isn't life what "breathes fire into the (physics) equations"? Wasn't the evolution of nervous systems in living organisms the difference between non-living complex physical phenomena and the unique powers of the human brain? Ignoring life's contribution, to me, seemed to remove the center from the argument and constituted a "Very Large Mistake". Am I correct in thinking that a theory of human consciousness must account for life?
Depends on what you mean by
Allen Stairs
May 26, 2016
(changed May 26, 2016)
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Depends on what you mean by "account for life." Many living things aren't conscious at all. On the other hand, if consciousness is a matter of physical goings-on, then it's possible that something could be conscious without being a living thing at all---at least, not in... Read more
Are people who are vegan, and also make their pets vegan( by giving them vegan anima food) doing something ethically correct since their pets can't really decide if they want to be vegan or not, and it's against their natural behavior to be vegan?
Pets already can't decide
Allen Stairs
May 26, 2016
(changed May 26, 2016)
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Pets already can't decide whether whether they want to eat kibble, whether they want to be walked on a leash, whether they want to stay indoors most of the day, whether they want to hold their water in until their owners get home, whether they want to be spayed or neut... Read more
Who is the first philosopher ever? Is it Thales?
Scholars no longer say with
Nickolas Pappas
May 19, 2016
(changed May 19, 2016)
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Scholars no longer say with the same confidence they used to that Thales was "the first" philosopher, or even the first European philosopher. There was a time when historians could assert, as Gordon Clark did: "Greek philosophy began on May 28, 585 B.C. at 6:13 in the e... Read more
On a answer dated February 2, 2016, philosopher Michael Lacewing distinguishes between "the right" and "the good". In common usage "right" and "good" often mean the same thing: "do the right thing" means "do the good thing". Could he or others explain that distinction? Thank you.
If I pass the butter, that
Jonathan Westphal
May 19, 2016
(changed May 19, 2016)
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If I pass the butter, that might be the right thing to do. It might also be a good thing to do, though to my ear it sounds strange, even incomprehensible, to say that it is "the good thing to do", rather than "a good thing to do". "The right thing to do" or "Doing the... Read more
Do I have the moral duty to act in accordance with my best interest (when it brings no harm to other people)?
Not unless ethical egoism is
Stephen Maitzen
May 19, 2016
(changed May 19, 2016)
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Not unless ethical egoism is true. See more at the link.
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I want to know if the structures of logical arguments changes by logicians over time (like scientific theories might change in light of new evidence)? I also wanted to know if there might also occur changes in existing logical fallacies (other than adding more fallacies to the list) and will it ever happen that the things that are now listed among logical fallacies might become a valid way to reason (I don't think so)?
Logicians have developed many
Michael Shenefelt
May 10, 2016
(changed May 10, 2016)
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Logicians have developed many different theories of how logical arguments work, and the theories have plainly changed over time. Nevertheless, many standard examples of argumentation that logicians have long regarded as valid have been remarkably stable throughout h... Read more
Are mandatory school vaccinations ethical from a deontological perspective assuming parents could still chose to homeschool their children?
Since the word "deontological
Allen Stairs
May 7, 2016
(changed May 7, 2016)
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Since the word "deontological" covers a lot of territory, I'm going to start with an assumption: I'm assuming that for you, the deontological point of view is non-consequentialist and broadly Kantian: it says that we can't treat people as mere means to an end, even if... Read more
Objectively, is a single person more free than one in a romantic relationship?
Suppose I make a promise to
Allen Stairs
May 5, 2016
(changed May 5, 2016)
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Suppose I make a promise to you. Then I've taken on a commitment. If I promise to drive you to the airport at 2:00 tomorrow, then I'm not free to do something else at 2:00 tomorrow. That is, I'm not free if I take my promise seriously. Of course, in another sense I'm free as... Read more
Am i wrong in assuming the admiration of things, ideas, and/or people comes along with not only an unspoken, but definite predilection for them? - or is it possible to have that admiration, but dislike them entirely? i.e. Thinking something is the greatest thing ever, but all of its positive attributes are why you don't like it; maybe because of how the results of using said attributes makes you feel. Or would you say that the person doesnt truly admire it or even that they dont truly dislike the results?
Your questions raise
Michael Cholbi
May 5, 2016
(changed May 5, 2016)
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Your questions raise intriguing issues regarding how various goods or values are related.
As best I can tell, whatever our reasons for admiring something or someone, these reasons need not be accompanied by reasons to like that thing or person, and can even be accompanied by rea... Read more