Philosophical Problems and Arguments: An IntroductionWidely used by instructors who emphasize the logical structure of philosophical theories and the dialectical play of argument, this popular work provides clear, reliable, and up-to-date discussions of central philosophical debates. The fourth edition incorporates major revisions--the first since 1982--and features an extensive change in content. Every chapter has been reworked to improve its organization, to make it more accessible and engaging to the student, and to reflect recent discussions. |
Contents
The Content and Methods of Philosophy | 1 |
The Tools of the Trade | 7 |
Modality | 18 |
Exercises | 24 |
The Problem of Knowledge and Skepticism | 39 |
The Skeptical Argument from the Relativity of Observation | 46 |
There Are No Grounds for Holding | 52 |
Summary of the Modified Skeptical Argument | 57 |
No Need to Postulate the Supernatural | 211 |
Arbitrary Double Standards and Epistemic Circularity | 220 |
The Argument from Contingency | 232 |
The Argument from Design | 239 |
An A Priori Argument | 248 |
The Dirtiest Being Possible | 255 |
The Probability Version | 262 |
Conclusion | 274 |
A Revisionist | 82 |
Suggestions for Further Reading | 88 |
The Problem of Freedom and Determinism | 91 |
The Libertarian Position | 98 |
A Final Word | 113 |
The Incompatibilist Position | 120 |
FOUR | 138 |
Three Objections to Dualistic Interactionism | 149 |
No Evidence to Reject Interaction | 157 |
Materialism | 163 |
The TypeType Identity Theory | 182 |
Conclusion about the MindBody Problem | 191 |
FIVE | 197 |
Can the Belief in the Existence | 205 |
Evaluating Actions versus Evaluating People | 280 |
Ethical Relativism | 287 |
Ethical Nihilism | 294 |
Ethical Egoism | 300 |
The Argument from Good Reasons | 307 |
Arguments for the Principle of Utility | 313 |
Benthams Indirect Proof of the Principle of Utility | 319 |
Mills Version | 324 |
The Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative | 336 |
Six Requirements for a Satisfactory Ethical Standard | 342 |
Conclusion | 348 |
| 357 | |
Other editions - View all
Philosophical Problems and Arguments: An Introduction James W. Cornman,Keith Lehrer,George Sotiros Pappas No preview available - 1992 |
Common terms and phrases
accept analytic appeal argued argument forms behavior beliefs are false beliefs are true Bentham brain causally determined cause chance of error claim compatibilist completely justified conclusion Consequently correct counterexample decide deducible define definition determinism is true determinist dualistic interactionism eliminative materialism epistemic epistemist objection ethical egoism ethical relativism ethical standards evidence example exists explain fact folk psychology following argument free action hallucinations human identity theory imagine inductive argument Kant Kant's kind knowledge libertarian logically impossible logically necessary logically possible lucky guess material maximize means mental entities mental events mistaken moral Moreover mystical experiences natural evil neural pain person philosophical pleasure possible world principle of charity probability problem psychological egoism question reason to think reductive materialism reject reply rule utilitarianism seems sensations sense sentence situation skeptical hypothesis someone statement suppose thesis of determinism things true perceptual belief truth utilitarian valid argument word wrong