Philosophy 22 Philosophy of Religion

Sandy LaFave

West Valley College

 

Midterm 1

Due Wednesday March 22

 

 

 

Write on three of the following questions (up to 50 points each).  Write on a fourth question for extra credit (up to 50 points).

 

For information on how your essays will be graded, see the “Criteria for Grading Written Assignments” in the Syllabus.

 

1. Is the statement “God exists” a matter of opinion?

 

2. If God is omnipotent, then can he create a stone he can’t lift?

 

3. Does God exist outside of time?  Why does this question matter?

 

4. Explain the Ontological Argument and Kant’s critique.

 

5. According to the standard characterization of the western God, God has complete foreknowledge of human actions. How, then, can humans be free? Explain and critically analyze a soft determinist view on this.

 

6. Cosmological arguments are often claimed to commit the fallacy of composition.  Explain.

 

7. The teleological argument is often claimed to commit the fallacy of dubious analogy.  Explain.