48. Graham Oppy | Philosophical Arguments

Graham Robert Oppy is an Australian philosopher whose main area of research is the philosophy of religion.

00:00 - Introduction
01:15 - What are arguments?
04:20 - Arguments vs. arguing
08:02 - Mathematics as an example
09:18 - How to update in response to arguments
10:43 - Determining the "best view"
12:59 - Another way to respond to arguments
14:41 - Epistemic normative requirements
17:24 - Bayesian reasoning
19:07 - Bayesian reasoning and priors
23:02 - Disagreements over theoretical virtues
27:00 - Irresolvable disputes?
27:47 - Other reasons for beliefs
29:28 - Are epistemic reasons context-sensitive?
33:08 - Engaging with strange views
34:47 - Reasons in argument vs. epistemic reasons generally
38:52 - Theory prior to argument
46:14 - Other purposes of arguments
49:36 - Presenting arguments to communicate inferences
56:46 - van Inwagen and explanation
59:09 - Explanation and entailment
1:01:00 - Nature of explanation
1:03:13 - Explanation as contrastive
1:04:18 - Explanation and pragmatism
1:08:42 - van Fraassen, constructive empiricism and metaphysics
1:14:33 - Scientific theories vs. metaphysical theories
1:15:55 - Observable vs. unobservable
1:18:47 - Claims about theoretical entities
1:21:10 - Are science and philosophy continuous?
1:24:24 - Causal PSR
1:25:44 - General PSR
1:27:58 - Chancy evolution and contingency
1:30:32 - Explaining initial facts
1:34:05 - Necessary facts explaining contingent facts
1:36:59 - Koons and radical skepticism
1:41:05 - Circular explanation and time travel
1:45:00 - Circular explanation and backward causation
1:46:34 - Munchausen trilemma
1:51:43 - Foundationalism and foundherentism
1:54:48 - Need for general epistemology
1:55:45 - From necessary being to God
2:00:53 - Initial cause as agential?
2:02:50 - Arbitrary limits
2:05:58 - Value of philosophy
2:09:17 - Conclusion

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

[tulpas]

Hooray Friction! 🎉
Hooray Graham Oppy! 🎉

[Oskar]

A third "theoretical virtue" I run into a lot arguing with theists are of the form
"Wouldn't it be horrible if this wasn't true" or "what would even be the point of life if your view was true".

The virtue of happiness or not being sad or having meaning.

[mmmmmmm]

Pretty great ama, his answers werent satisfactory for all questions, but interesting nonetheless. seems det got a bit tired near the end maybe that's just me.
I love oppy regardless, funny aussy man :)