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Do the laws of logic exist independently of human or animal consciousness?
Are the laws of mathematics and logic, such as if a=b, and b=c, then a=c just constructs of the human mind, or does the universe hold an innate logical structure to it, which the physical part of the universe must abide by?
Kenshin
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What responses have there been to Popper's idea of theory-laden observation?
One of the most appealing parts of Karl Popper's philosophy for me is the idea of theory-laden observation. To provide an unjust summary: whenever you are making an observation-statement to question some theory, you are relying on some background…
Artem Kaznatcheev
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If we live in a simulated world, doesn't there have to be a first world that's real?
There are people who believe we live in a world, simulated on a computer. That computer must have been built in either another computer-generated world or a real world (by which I mean a non-simulated world). If it has been made in another…
Deschele Schilder
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Is a language its dictionary?
A dictionary defines words in a language, in terms of other words in that same language. An English dictionary is not the same as a Spanish dictionary, simply because the sets of English words and Spanish words are not the same. Dictionaries are…
Dan Brumleve
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Can cruelty and suffering be justified if it might lead to social transformation?
Slavoj Žižek is generally viewed as controversial. But in watching a recent video made by him, he had a good point about us lengthening the pain of others. For example, he argues that "good" slave owners created more of a problem because they did…
Matt
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Is there a causal influence of the mental on the physical?
Regardless of whether the mental is ultimately physical or not... doesn't the impact of human knowledge (science, mathematics, etc) on the world (ie: technology, agriculture, basically everything), give us proof that the mental affects the…
Ameet Sharma
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Does causality always require time?
For empirical facts, it seems obvious that causality requires a time flow for the concept to make sense: A causes B implies that A happened before B.
Is it ever possible to have a causal relationship without a flow of time? Presumably this is…
Alexander S King
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Where one should draw a line between X and Philosophy of X?
It seems clear to many scholars which issues belong to philosophy-of-X and which rather belong to X. And sometimes it is indeed obvious when some given issue is for example mathematical or physical and has little to do with philosophizing. But I…
L.M. Student
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How do animals think if they don't speak a language?
The way we humans think and reason involves us using words to describe things. Even when thinking in our heads, we use words to think. This begs the question, how do animals who don't understand a language think?
mdlp0716
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How to prove you are an atheist?
I've been reading a conversation between two individuals - A claiming to be atheist and B asking him to prove it, since B does not believe that A is saying the truth and can't be sure if A is really an atheist as A claims.
So I was wondering - is…
easwee
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Have there been any modern philosophical defenses of polytheism?
Modern philosophy of religion seems to be "Abrahamic-centric" with all of the discussion centered around problems specific to Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In particular most arguments for the existence of God, and attempts to place faith and…
Alexander S King
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On Atheists who are sympathetic to religion?
Most Atheists I have encountered fall into 2 categories:
New Atheists: People who don't believe in God and see religion as an evil to be eradicated given the harm it has caused humanity (i.e. followers of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, etc...).…
Alexander S King
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If you have won the trust of an illegal immigrant, is it ethical to turn him/her over to the authorities?
My question is NOT about the problems associated with secondary consequences of illegal immigration, such as unemployment of the native workforce. Nor is it about the causes of illegal immigration, such as the hardships faced by people living in a…
Krishnaraj Rao
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Rationality of Suicide?
I came across a story about a kid who committed suicide after carefully calculating the benefits of life and deciding it was not worth living.
I am wondering if any philosopher has considered the rationality of suicide and wrote in great detail…
Sushi
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Are all paradoxes reducible to one "fundamental" paradox?
I may need to refine this question, since I am mostly grappling with a murky intuition and haven't yet done the real work.
When I encounter many of the well-known paradoxes, such as Zeno's dichotomy, Russell's set containing itself, problems of…
Nelson Alexander
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