Tuesday 23 October 2012

Gary Francione on Animal Abolitionism

Thanks to Philosophybites, another very interesting article, a podcast, about Animal Rights.
The programme starts asking: "How should we treat animals"? Read, listen and learn more here
PS: Interesting the use of the term "abolitionism" in relation to animal rights. 

Monday 22 October 2012

Argument of existence of God from Morality

It was developed by Immmnuel Kant in his works about Ethics where he creates the idea of categorical imperatives to prove the existence of God. This argument, however, is critized by those who don't believe in God and/or in an objective morality. Atheists & Agnostics argue morality is just result of evolution, necessity to follow rules or laws for survival. This argument is well presented by Professor Richard Dawkins in his latest documentary sex, death and the meaning of life, watch clicking in the link.  As the documentary presents and some critics of the argument say, those moral choices derives from our own judgement using our conscience. This conscience is not guided by a transcendental source i.e. God but by our own instincts (or reason). Those "guilt feelings" are not given by God but produced inside on our own minds as a result of going against the moral rules established by society. Guilt feelings are caused by the conflicts between people's desires and the controlling influences of society, religion and/or family. This idea was developed by Sigmund Freud, the "founder" of psychoanalysis. Critics of Kantian argument, for example, Friedrich Nietzsche, in his works on Morality and Ethics, as in Ecce Homo, Beyond Good and Evil and Genealogy of Morals Nietzsche attack the  idea of categorical imperatives since it is wrong and impossible to generalise/universalise morality, it varies from culture/society, changes in time and space.

Sunday 7 October 2012

More Bohr, and the Atomic bomb, WW2, Nazis etc

4 Quantum physics Einstein's objections to Bohr's theories

Quantum Mechanics: Happy birthday Bhor!

Found out more about Bohr here and here

Does God Play Dice? - James May's Things You Need to Know - Series 2 Epi...


Does God Play Dice is a famous quote made by Einstein but also a book about chaos theory. The book is high influential not only in Maths, Science but also into Philosophy. It was written by Ian Stewart, a mathematician , and it explains chaos theory covering mathematical concepts such as differential equations, resonance, nonlinear dynamics, and probability. 
According to the book "The science of chaos is forcing scientists to rethink Einstein's fundamental assumptions regarding the way the universe behaves. Chaos theory has already shown that simple systems, obeying precise laws, can nevertheless act in a random manner. Perhaps God plays dice within a cosmic game of complete law and order. Does God Play Dice? reveals a strange universe in which nothing may be as it seems. Familiar geometric shapes such as circles and ellipses give way to infinitely complex structures known as fractals, the fluttering of a butterfly's wings can change the weather, and the gravitational attraction of a creature in a distant galaxy can change the fate of the solar system."
More on here or the amazing Graphic Guide series, a copy is available in the library! Ask to Ms Coxon.
PS: The question persists: Is there a God? Check the arguments against and in favour of,  pondering on it. Check the argument of contingency on Cosmological Argument

Saturday 6 October 2012

Argument for Existence of God: the Ontological Argument

It is not part of our GCSE syllabus but it is certainly a very important Argument for the Existence of God: the Ontological Argument. You can listen to this podcast here thanks to BBC Radio 4.