tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post6486049204152044351..comments2024-03-28T19:56:42.305-05:00Comments on Alexander Pruss's Blog: Love of truthAlexander R Prusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-77293100393519226432008-02-19T12:35:00.000-06:002008-02-19T12:35:00.000-06:00nacisse:That's a really nice point. So then one h...nacisse:<BR/><BR/>That's a really nice point. So then one has to weigh the possibility of coming to know truths about arguments for and against p and knowing the truth about p (on option (1)) versus the certainty of knowing the truth about p (on option (2)).<BR/><BR/>Anonymous:<BR/><BR/>It is perfectly fine for a Kantian to give someone else testimonial evidence for p without giving any other sort of evidence.<BR/><BR/>I think you're right that nihilism can't be an option here. An obvious issue is that if nihilism is true, then there is nothing bad about lying, and there is no more reason to think that God will tell you the truth than that he won't, which undercuts the premises of the story. So nihilism needs to be left out of the story.<BR/><BR/>Vlastimil:<BR/><BR/>It seems obvious to me that it is better to know that and why the sky is blue than just to know that the sky is blue. The nacisse comment gives an argument that is relevant here.Alexander R Prusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-59528564761313723312008-02-19T07:55:00.000-06:002008-02-19T07:55:00.000-06:00Alex,Could you sum up why is your knowing that and...Alex,<BR/><BR/>Could you sum up why is your knowing that and why p is true, as opposed to your knowing that p is true by means of knowing that God claims that p (which, in the end, also IS a kind of knowing that and why p is true), worthwhile?<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/><BR/>VlastimilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-69140964972983298722008-02-19T01:25:00.000-06:002008-02-19T01:25:00.000-06:00nevermind. i re-read it. the modified #2 is the ri...nevermind. i re-read it. the modified #2 is the right answer.Aphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226017144967122488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-35225675915006772892008-02-19T01:22:00.000-06:002008-02-19T01:22:00.000-06:00Alex,What do you mean by "creative abilities"? Her...Alex,<BR/><BR/>What do you mean by "creative abilities"? <BR/><BR/>Here is one way a person might choose #1. Because God created us in His own image, he can trust his reasoning and creative abilities. Vatican 1 is very positive about natural reason. Now, if God became man, then grace is in the world and grace helps us with knowledge; it broadens our reason. So, it seems that one can rationally choose 1 because one trusts in a person's God-given reasoning abilities especially if it is aided by grace. And his creative abilities may even give him the *understanding* of which ethical theory is right.Aphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04226017144967122488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-41475071110107313852008-02-18T18:22:00.000-06:002008-02-18T18:22:00.000-06:00If God told me that I had successfully narrowed do...If God told me that I had successfully narrowed down the field by my selection of the four, then from that fact alone might I not reasonably conclude that I could eventually narrow it down to one successfully by my own lights?<BR/><BR/>Also, that God thinks it good to tell you which is true, without telling you the reasons why, probably rules out Kantianism (since God apparently doesn't abide by the idea that respect for autonomy is the highest value). <BR/><BR/>And it's hard to see how nihilism is consistent with God's existence and a revelation from Him.<BR/><BR/>So that leaves utilitarianism with its 'thought too many' versus natural law. And the choice is not that difficult at that point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-10898540609949247382008-02-18T12:47:00.000-06:002008-02-18T12:47:00.000-06:00Wouldn’t understanding the Why also include knowin...Wouldn’t understanding the Why also include knowing extra truths? Like which arguments for a position are good ones and which aren’t? So the search for truth would possibly get you more truths than just finally knowing which metaethical position was right.Nacissehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07188729623036653803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-17326563999850534202008-02-18T09:15:00.000-06:002008-02-18T09:15:00.000-06:00I don't think either Natural Law or Kantianism wil...I don't think either Natural Law or Kantianism will rule any of the options immoral. Nihilism doesn't care. And utilitarianism gives an inscrutable answer to the question.Alexander R Prusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-81300825223544939162008-02-18T08:28:00.000-06:002008-02-18T08:28:00.000-06:00for each of your two choices: which of the four ph...for each of your two choices: which of the four philosophical truths would you be following by choosing whichever particular one you chose? which truth does each choice fall under in motivating and rationalizing your set of options?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com