Three core Christian beliefs are that God exists and created the world, that all men are sinful, and that Christ died and rose again for our salvation. JP Moreland argues that non-Christians (as well as anti-intellectual Christians) have a secular view of knowledge. Using one or more of these three doctrines as examples of “Christian belief”, summarize whether Christians accept this/these belief(s) because of faith or reason. Summarize in the “objections” section at least one reason to accept the opposite of your thesis. You are free to argue that these beliefs are supported by both faith and reason, but you must answer the question about which one is primary.
Socrates is accused of “corrupting the young” probably because he engages them in philosophical conversation (dialectic). According to Kreeft, philosophical conversation is ignorant, poor, and foolish but also misunderstood, happy, pious, and death-defying. The dangers of philosophical conversation include that it might disobey the Fifth Commandment (honor thy father and mother), subvert irrational traditions, or just plain hurt your feelings. The opportunities of philosophical conversation include that it might obey the First Commandment (love God), strengthen rational traditions, and humble your mind. So, using Socrates Apology (and others) as an example, argue either that dialectic is harmful for the young or that it benefits the young.
Socrates provides three arguments (plus a fanciful story) to convince Simmias and Cebes that death is not the end: including what we label the “Argument from Opposites,” the “Argument from Recollection,” and the “Argument from Affinity (to Forms)”. Is the soul immortal? Summarize at least one argument from the text (either as an objection or argument) and argue for your answer to this question.
Kreeft shows how traditional logic and language indicates that reality is real and independent of the thoughts and opinions of human beings. Nevertheless, truth is difficult to attain. People disagree. Opinions vary. There is no accounting for taste. Everyone agrees that some truths are subjective. Are all truths subjective? Or are some objective? Use Peter Kreeft (and possibly Plato, Moreland, etc) to argue
One of Augustine’s big concerns is evil and goodness. He calls the Christian God good from the very first page, and says he struggled with how to understand evil. Does it exist? Certainly some people are evil (satan, Stalin) and some deeds are evil (like Augustine’s stealing the pear) but is evil a substance or the privation of goodness? Use Augustine’s arguments (especially Book VII) either in your arguments or objections, and argue your thesis answering this question.
Choose one of your previous disputations, and make the following modifications. Remove the section headings (“Objection”, “I argue”, etc.); write a strong introduction and conclusion and introduction; add new arguments if and new citations if you find any; make any other improvements; triple-check for spelling errors and polish it.
You may design your own question. I must approve the question before you begin. Your question prompt is due a week in advance of the paper. You may draw your question from any of the semester texts, handouts, books, or films. The question must: Be clear; Deeply interest you; Admit of a yes/no answer; Be rooted in one of our semester texts.
Augustine was a Manichaean first, a Platonist second, and a traditional Christian third. He details why he thought each of these. Where do the teachings of “Platonism” differ from teachings of the historic Christian Church and where do they overlap? How does “Athens” relate to “Jerusalem”? Does Platonism contradict Christianity? Does philosophy/science contradict theology? In your disputation, use Augustine’s arguments (especially Book VII) in either your argument or objections, and argue your answer to this question.
2001 A Space Odyssey and Wall-E present very different pictures of the relationship between man and technology. Is humanity essentially good, and becoming better? Essentially evil, and becoming worse? Essentially bad but becoming good? Essentially good but becoming bad?
Socrates argues that truly real objects he calls “forms” exist and are stable, eternal things that underly all this changing flux. However, forms are (in one sense) invisible… What is a form and why think they exist? Why think they don’t? Are the just “in the mind”? In your disputation, use Plato and Kreeft article to present your own answer to this question.