A Christian Philosophy

The answer in this case is unclear, but the challenge lies in the data, not in the essence of the word 'tall'. Here is the proof: Remove the fuzziness...

I see. So scientists may agree on the direct cause of the creation of life, that is, the right ingredients at the right settings, but may differ on th...

Sorry for the late response on this comment. It sounds like you have the same position as some of us in this post: that simple life of a thing is noth...

'Tall' can still be used as a relation, because saying "Y is tall relative to X" is the same as saying "Y is taller than X". Thus 'tall' and 'taller' ...

Actually I am prepared to say that. Let's put it this way. Logically, there are only three answers when comparing the height of X and Y: A. X is talle...

The article was very interesting. You seem to forget that part of the essence of tallness is to be 'relative to X'. Be specific in the object and in X...

Cool. I did not know that this was a way to determine the essence of things. Why not? If the premise "object > 1.5 m" is certain, then we can conclude...

My original point was to refute the claim that "The notion of essence is philosophically defunct." If the goal of your comment is to argue against my ...

This indeed seems to be the logical conclusion if one is a real atheist. Leap of faith for the win!

It sure is. At least this life. Some have hope that the next life, still called "life" will be without suffering.

I will answer just a few of these questions, to keep the comment somewhat short: Is hair included in the height measurement? Up to you: John is taller...

It is true that my list is only comprised on material properties, and thus is adequate only for material lives such as plants, animals and humans. It ...

Almost, but not quite: A fire is not made out of organic matter, because it is not matter at all but energy. Granted, organic matter is one of the cau...

I would argue against this "fuzzy boundary" idea. Let's take the example of 'tall'. I propose its essence to be: "that which is greater in vertical di...

So you want to find essential properties that distinguish lifeforms from non-lifeforms right? How about these: - can reproduce, - can grow, - is made ...

'Not needed' does not imply 'impossible'. Essences exist, insofar that words point to real concepts, or real objective meanings. If "The notion of ess...

Consciousness has two separate meanings. One meaning is, as you point out, the difference between being conscious and unconscious, as in being awake o...

Actually, my point was the opposite; that just as a dead car can be resurrected by replacing the deficient part, so can the dead cell, by replacing it...

This seems to be a good next step to the discussion. I suggest to add the concept of consciousness. If an organism does not an apparent consciousness,...

One may think of a car engine as an analogy to the living cell. If the air supply, fuel supply or spark plugs malfunction, then the other systems whic...

I suppose some cells are primary for the life preservation of the organism, and some are secondary. If the secondary ones die, then the life is preser...

Interesting. This would explain how a living cell is composed of non-living parts, and how it is created in the first place. Does it however explain t...

I now see the misunderstanding, in the word 'material'. I understand the word material to mean anything that is observable, or empirical. In that sens...

So the living state of an organism is the ability for its primary parts to function properly? Let's say a cell has died because one of its parts has a...

Yeah, I agree that life can be used in all these meanings in every day discussions. For the purpose of this discussion, I would leave out the third me...

I see. And so the DNA, proteins, and other cellular apparatus are the properties that distinguish non-living things and living things (and then the de...

Maybe I am misunderstanding your comment, but as I see it, it does logically preclude a non-material thing: A difference exists between a live cow and...

It could be the case indeed that it is a gradual thing. For my knowledge, would you know what makes viruses a 'borderline case' in contrast to non-bor...

Let X = the body of the cow, and Y = the material thing that gives it life. Then a live cow is X+Y and a dead cow is X without Y. To resurrect the dea...

I am guessing that 'axioms' is synonymous to 'essential properties'? I would be very interested to know what these axioms are, if you ever find them a...

Hello. Aristotle tried this definition (I am paraphrasing): If one says it is that which objectively is, and isn't that which objectively isn't, then ...

Deductive arguments yield to conclusions which are only as certain as their premises. I don't know of any deductive arguments for the existence of God...

That makes sense to me. The relationship between subject and predicate can be seen as a master and slave relationship, in that order. Thus the subject...

Maybe the term 'observed' by itself was misguiding in the first meaning. I should say that the object is the thing either observed, or discussed, or t...

You guys can correct me if I am wrong, but I think as a general rule, an argument is an opinion backed up by reason; and then an argument becomes a pr...

Haha. This is where the arguments for the religion come in. They don't give certainty, but help to think about it, and build 'methodical faith', in co...

Don't get me wrong: I think that proving any religious proposition is not only acceptable but also beneficial for the religion. We just need to take o...

When it comes to christianity, you can pretty much prove that you cannot prove the religion to be true, because faith is among the three christian vir...

Very well. I just find it odd to find such potentially misleading terms in a field that attempts to have clear and distinct ideas. Thank you.

So you are starting with universal doubt, Descartes' style. How about finding a starting point to uncover truth? A good start is the laws of logic, su...

But is it not a self-contradiction to say "everything changes"? Because this 'everything' would include this very proposition, which means that at lea...

Hello. I think you are correct that a lot of abstract words point to real concepts, such as love, justice, suffering etc. Maybe not all though? For ex...

That sounds correct. I guess all physical things will disappear, given enough time; and thus change. What about eternal truths, such as the truth that...

Even more fundamental than the cogito, is the fundamental law of logic: the law of non-contradictions. If a proposition is self-contradictory, then is...

Sorry, I don't think I can personally help. I don't know much about quantum mechanics, but it sounds more like physics than metaphysics. Physics is sc...

In other words, Heraclitus: You could not step twice into the same river. Is that what you mean? What about consistency in nature? All laws of physics...

I differentiate the two as separate events. The interpretation is caused by the observation. And an effect is separate from its cause. i.e., nothing c...

Ok, I am still trying to understand your point. Do you mean something like Kant in his critique of pure reason? That is: Things-in-themselves exist in...

These three perceptions are different but are not wrong because, prior to making an interpretation, these are mere observations. It is at this point o...

I disagree that the perception is an act of interpretation. The perception comes before the judgement. Step 1: I perceive the stars twinkling. Step 2:...