There are three sets of questions for this Midterm written essay, you have to CHOOSE and ANSWER ONE question per every following section, a total of 3 answers. – one question about Determinism, – one question about Indeterminism, – and one question from the films “A 2001 Spacey Odyssey” or “A Clockwork Orange” both directed by Stanley Kubrick. Do a good research and read as much as you can, answer each question with clear and logical explanations, providing coherent examples. You can use (books, articles, website and videos ) for answering each question of this paper, in addition to the textbook and my lectures. Make sure that you list the sources on a separate bibliography page. This essay should be written in the MLA format, otherwise I will be unable to read it. You have to write a minimun of 3 complete pages, without writing the question, that means, ONE complete page minimun per answer. A complete page (is more or less 300 words double spaced minimun. Your name and sources such as bibliography and footnotes should be written on separate pages. Your grade will be affected if you lack of any of these components. As usual if you have any question, email me or post your question on our discussion forum. On this section three, you will also find an article on “How to write Philosophy papers”, for all of you to read. treeline Determinism (Choose ONE of these theories of determinism and think deeply about it) Research ANY of the following men and their work and explain in full the extent to which you think their theories are valid or invalid where freedom and determinism are concerned. Remember that you have to write a complete page per answer. Calvin and predestination Newton and scientific determinism or Darwin and biological determinism. treeline Indeterminism and Responsibility. (Choose ONE question) Taylor’s Unpredictable Arm, page 200 (From Doing philosophy. An Introduction to Experiments, by Theodore Schrick and Lewis Vaughn) “Suppose that my right arm is free, according to this conception; that is, that its motions are uncaused. It moves this way and that from time to time, but nothing causes these motions. Sometimes it moves forth vigorously; sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes it just drifts vaguely about -these motions all being wholly free and uncaused. Manifestly, I have nothing to do with them at all; they just happen, and neither I nor anyone can ever tell what this arm will be doing next. It might seize a club and lay it on the head of the nearest bystander, no less to my astonishment than his. There will never be any point in asking why these motions occur, or in seeking any explanation of them, for under the conditions assumed there is no explanation. They just happen, from no cause at all”. 1. What is Taylor’s unpredictable arm thought experiment? How does it attempt to undermine indeterminism? 2. Why does Sartre maintain that we are condemned to be free? Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Explain your reasons. treeline Films, (CHOOSE ONE QUESTION, from the film you watched and answer it as best as you can). “As a philosophic film, 2001, A Space Odyssey prompts us to reflect on human evolution and destiny, our intrinsic nature and our place within the cosmos. Human beings seem an amalgam of angels, beasts and machines; we are both body and spirit, just as the universe appears to be composed of the material and non-material. We pride ourselves on being the rational animals, dominating the planet through our brain, but if computers surpass us in intelligence then we have lost our uniqueness and superiority. We value logic over feeling and don’t want to behave like animals, which puts us closer to mechanical computers . When these machines outperform us in computation, memory, and data organization as well as overall speed of “thinking”, we are left wondering about our distinctness” pages 109-110 from (Philosophy Through Film, Burton Porter) “HAL’s persona raises very basic issues as to the theoretical difference between beings and machines” p. 116 from (Philosophy Through Film, Burton Potter) 1. Computers may be creative but could they be inspired? If a computer is programmed to be deceitful, could it feel ashamed itself and tell the truth despite the programming (conditioning)? HAL ultimately killed the crew asleep in the “Hibernaculum”. How does d’ Holbach and James would respond to these murders? 2. Is HAL morally responsible for the murders of the crew? Do you think that this computer has “free will”? “A Clockwork Orange” 1. Stace contends that without free will there can be no morality. If we did not have the freedom to choose to obey or disobey moral precepts, then all moral precepts would be meaningless. Has the aversion therapy robbed Alex of his free will? Do moral precepts become meaningless for Alex after his aversion therapy? Discuss. 2. Alex requests that he be subjected to the government’s new procedure to reform prisoners. Consider this dialogue with the prison priest (Godfrey Quigley): ALEX “I don’t care about the danger, Father. I just want to be good. I want for the rest of my life to be one act of goodness.” PRIEST “The question is whether or not this technique really makes a man good. Goodness comes from within. Goodness is chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man.” Is the priest right? Do we cease to be human beings when we do not have free will? Discuss. treeline
