PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY

PHIL 232, TTh 9am-10am in AUD A Angell Hall
The University of Michigan
Fall 2004

Name__________________________

 

Reading Questions: Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

  1. What kind of argument does Cleanthes give that shows his endorsement of natural religion? Be as specific as you can with respect to argument type.

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  2. Why does Demea find Cleanthes’s argument scandalous? What sort of argument does he want?

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  3. How does Philo, responding to Cleanthes on his own terms, first object to Cleanthes’s argument in Part II?

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  4. What new, "science-fiction-like" scenario does Cleanthes respond with to try to show that his argument is a good one?

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  5. What strategy does Philo use in Part V to show Cleanthes that he should not be satisfied with his argument?