Philosophy and Christian Thought:Philosophy and Christian Thought PHIL 2713 LECTURE FOUR


ROLL:ROLL Kyle White – kwhite@okwu.ed 918-335-6289 918-331-0129 918-440-3570


Assignments Due:Assignments Due Take home examination: Choose three questions from Exploring Religious Meaning for week 1, 2, 3, 4. No more than two pages for all answers – can be one page. Due week 2, 3, 4, 5. 10% - 100 pts. Synthesis Paper: May choose from chapters 5 through 9; “first come first serve.” No More than 8 pages. ORAL REPORT: SYNERGY, Don’t read your paper – role play if you want – 10-15 minutes. 30% - 300 pts. Individual reports; choose from Exploring Religious Meaning units. Sign-up list. While the individual is presenting you will be evaluating. See pg. 39-48 in student guide. 30% - 300 pts. Participation: I grade on how you process not on your agreement. 30% - 300 pts. Note: Please Read we will only hit the highlights


Scripture:Scripture 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family ([15] Or whom all fatherhood) in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Philippians 3:14-21


VIDEO:VIDEO Mr. Bean Why does Mr. Bean Behave the way he does?


The Learning Process:Learning refers to a relatively permanent change in behavior that is caused by experience. Learning is an ongoing process and we can learn: Vicariously by observing events that affect others, By incidental learning which is unintentional. There are several theories to explain the learning process such as the Behavioral Theory and the Evolutionary Psychology. The Learning Process


Behavioral Learning:Stimulus Person Response Person’s Black Box Behavioral Learning Theories Assume that Learning Takes Place as the Result of Responses to External Events. Behavioral Learning


Types of Conditioning:Types of Conditioning Classical conditioning is based on antecedents, or what happens before a response Applies to reflex, or involuntary, behavior Antecedent stimuli become associated with one another and the one that did not originally produce the response now elicits that response Operant conditioning is based on consequences, or what happens after a response Applies to operant, or voluntary, behavior Responses followed by reinforcement are strengthened Responses followed by nothing, or by punishment, are weakened


Slide 9:Classical Conditioning: Examples Sound of a dentist’s drill: sweaty palms Smell of mom’s perfume: smiling Sight of certain restaurant: nausea Noise of a can opener: cat comes running Smell of a hospital: weakened immunity How does this happen?


Slide 10:Pavlov’s Observation Studied digestion in dogs Presented meat powder and measured salivation Dogs started salivating before food was presented Why?


Slide 11:Pavlov’s Experiment: Phase 1 Food (US): salivation (UR) Reflexive response Tone (CS): nothing (CR)


Slide 12:Pavlov’s Experiment: Phase 2 CS is repeatedly paired with the US A tone is sounded before the food is presented


Slide 13:Pavlov’s Experiment: Phase 3 Eventually, the CS elicits a new CR Hearing the tone by itself causes salivation


Classical Conditioning:Classical Conditioning Occurs When a Stimulus That Elicits a Response is Paired With Another Stimulus That Initially Does Not Elicit a Response on It’s Own. Classical Conditioning


Slide 15:Classical Conditioning Stimulus generalization Stimulus discrimination


Slide 16:Operant Conditioning: Examples Tantrums are punished: fewer tantrums Tantrums bring attention: more tantrums Slot machine pays out: gamble more Reward dog for sitting: dog is likely to sit How does this happen?


John B. Watson:“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well formed, and my own special world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any specialist I might select-- doctor, artist, merchant, chief-- and yes, even beggar and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.” John B. Watson


Operant Conditioning Assumptions:Operant Conditioning Assumptions Organisms are passive and are reactive Humans are born with a few innate reflexes Complex behavior is the result of “chaining” reflexes together


Slide 19:Operant Conditioning Law of Effect: actions that have positive outcomes are likely repeated


Slide 20:Operant Conditioning: Principles Stimulus-Response Reinforcement Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement Punishment Positive punishment Negative punishment


Slide 21:Reinforcement Primary reinforcers Secondary reinforcers Behavior modification Immediate versus delayed reinforcement


Slide 23:Effective Punishment Should be Swift Consistent Appropriately aversive Challenges Physical punishment may be imitated May fear the person who punishes Most effective when paired with reinforcers


Slide 24:Building Complex Behaviors Shaping Gradual reinforcement of successive approximations of target behavior Used to train animals to do complex tricks


Slide 25:Reinforcement Schedules Continuous reinforcement Partial reinforcement Fixed interval/Variable interval Fixed ratio/Variable ratio


Slide 26:Classical versus Operant Conditioning Classical conditioning Learned association between US and CS Organism is passive Responses elicited Operant conditioning Associate response and reinforcement Organism is more active Responses emitted Shared features Avoidance learning Extinction and spontaneous recovery Generalization and discrimination


Slide 27:Observational Learning Bandura’s Bobo doll study


Televised Aggression:Televised Aggression In a town that acquired TV, there was a significant increase in both verbal and physical aggression Children who identify with aggressive characters are more affected by aggressive TV Children who believe that aggression is acceptable, that TV violence is realistic, and who identify with TV characters are most likely to copy televised aggression


Evolutionary Psychology:Evolutionary Psychology Evolutionary psychology is the science that seeks to explain through universal mechanisms of behavior why humans act the way they do. Evolutionary psychology seeks to reconstruct problems that our ancestors faced in their primitive environments, and the problem-solving mechanisms they created to meet those particular challenges. The goal is to understand human behavior that is universally aimed at the passing of one's genes into the next generation.


Nature: Darwinian Explanation:Nature: Darwinian Explanation We are the product of our genes Evidence: identical twins The Bell Curve Survival of the fittest Evolutionary view of behavior Universality of behavior/ preference: Neoteny


Nature Vs. Nurture: Genes and the Brain:Nature Vs. Nurture: Genes and the Brain Chromosome Gene – segments of DNA that make up chromosomes Genotype- genes one has Phenotype- genes one manifests


Different Types of Twins:Different Types of Twins Identical, or monozygotic (MZ), twins have the same genetic makeup. Shortly after a single egg cell has been fertilized by a single sperm cell, the fertilized egg cell (or zygote) splits in half. Rather than developing into one individual, the fertilized egg cell develops into two individuals with the same genetic makeup. Fraternal, or dizygotic (DZ), twins share 50% of their genes. Two different individuals, no more genetically alike than brothers and sisters develop from separate fertilizations.


Twin Research:Twin Research Identical (MZ) twins are genetic duplicates. Fraternal (DZ) twins share 50% of their genes. Both types of twins share common life experiences. Genes and environment influence... falling in love divorce aging personality development vocational choices talents and abilities attitudes body characteristics health coping with stress brain waves and other physiological responses


Why are Twins so Similar? : Nature v. Nurture:Why are Twins so Similar? : Nature v. Nurture One way to answer this intriguing question is to compare MZ twins reared together with those separated at birth and raised in different families. Similarity in twins reared together is due to genes and environment. Similarity in twins reared apart is due only to genes because they don't share experiences together.


Nature and Nurture:Nature and Nurture The new view: they interact and are both important to the learning process


The two forms of aggression:The two forms of aggression Aggression: a behavior that is carried out with the immediate intent to cause harm. There are two types of aggression: 1. Hostile Aggression – emotional, impulsive; aggression motivated by the desire to harm someone. 2. Instrumental Aggression – cold, premeditative; aggression for the purpose of achieving a goal.


Hostile vs. Instrumental:Hostile vs. Instrumental Hostile and instrumental aggression differ from each other in many ways. Hostile Instrumental Primary goal cause harm reach another goal Presence of anger yes no Thought and planning no planning some planning


Slide 40:This will teach you not to hit people!


Humans = Animals?:Humans = Animals? Sometimes we compare perpetrators to animals. BUT are we being unfair to animals? Yes. Animals are actually less aggressive than humans! Data on intra-species murders show that humans tend to kill their own more than any other species of animal.


The two types of species:The two types of species Konrad Lorenz, a Nobel prize winner for his work in ethology (human biology) distinguished between two types of species of animals. There are those animal that are naturally equipped with ways to kill (lions-teeth, claws) and there are those that are not so equipped (birds). According to Lorenz, during the process of evolution, those animals who were naturally equipped learned to inhibit the use of their power to kill their own species. Instead, they used their abilities in other ways (hunting, ritualized fighting). There is no adaptive need for animals not equipped with methods for quick killing to be inhibited about killing their own. Escape is usually sufficient to prevent serious harm.


Why humans kill:Why humans kill Humans are not naturally equipped with the ability to kill each other easily. The difference with humans is that we have advanced cognitive skills. These skills have allowed us to develop weapons. Lorenz hypothesized that since humans have created means to kill each other and do not have strong inhibitions about killing members of their own species, they tend to kill each other more than other animals.


Is aggression instinctive?:Is aggression instinctive? Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory states that aggression is instinctive. Freud believed that: Humans are born with a death instinct. The death instinct can be turned on the self (suicide) or on others (murder). Unless there is a release of aggressive energy, it will build-up and create ‘pressure’, which can cause mental illnesses or outbursts. Humans can release their aggressive energy through activities like sports and fighting.


Slide 45:Go ahead Dad… release that hatred and resentment. It’s good to get it out of your system!


Evidence for innate aggression:Evidence for innate aggression Animal research has produced some results which support Freud’s theory of aggression. Tropical Fish (Lorenz) A study of aggressive tropical fish (cichlid) was conducted. They normally only attack males of their own species. When there are no other males cichlid in the environment, they began to attack the males of other species. When the experimenters took all the males out of the environment, the fish began to attack females.


Evidence against innate aggression:Evidence against innate aggression Cats appear to prey on rats instinctively. BUT if cats are reared in cages with rats, do they still have the impulse to prey on rats? Research shows that cats and rats coexist peacefully when they have been reared together in a cage. Apparently, a cat’s instinct of aggression towards rats can be modified. They do not necessarily get an impulse to kill rats. It must be mentioned though, that once these cats come into contact with other cats who prey on rats, they begin to prey on rats as well.


Flexibility:Flexibility Research conducted with monkeys demonstrated that stimulating an area of the brain known as the amygdala causes aggression. Further analysis showed that aggression was only seen when the stimulated monkey was put into a cage with another monkey of equal or lower strength. When the stimulated monkey was put into a cage with a more dominant monkey, it tended to fled instead of aggressing.


The role of aggression:The role of aggression Lorenz states several functions that aggression fulfills: 1. Animals often compete for limited resources. This aggression leads to the spreading out of species. This prevents resources from being depleted. 2. The strongest, more aggressive animal procreates more (natural selection). 3. Social hierarchies of dominance evolve from aggression. These hierarchies reduce the need for day-to-day fighting. These functions do not really extrapolate to humans.


Frustration and aggression:Frustration and aggression Frustration: a state (anger) that derives from being blocked from reaching a goal. The strong form of the Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis states that frustration is a necessary and sufficient condition for aggression to occur. Every act of aggression is preceded by frustration, and every state of frustration is followed by aggression. This hypothesis is too strong. There are situations in which frustration does not cause aggression. Frustration is definitely related to aggression, but the connection is weaker than once thought. Frustration primes individuals for aggression. Whether aggression occurs depends on situational factors.


Slide 51:I’ve had enough of it! Nothing but sex and violence!


VIDEO:VIDEO Mr. Bean Why does Mr. Bean Behave the way he does?


Introduction:Introduction Eschatology = study of last things, the completion of God’s plan for creation. Personal eschatology = “God’s intention for us as individuals” Corporate eschatology = God’s intention for humankind as a whole and for human history” Cosmic eschatology = “God’s intention for the entire cosmos”


Introduction:Introduction These goals can be summarized as follows: These aren’t absolute distinctions. Resurrection is both personal and corporate. Corporate and cosmic overlap. These terms remind us of the whole picture.


Slide 55:Introduction Not cyclical as in Hinduism or Buddhism. History is progressing toward an end (God’s purposes). Eschatology has reflected the varied fortunes of the church. Eschatological fervor of early church faded as church became established and prosperous. Tends to recur in times of distress. Eschatology requires a linear view of time.


Slide 56:Introduction Central: hope beyond the grave, resurrection, return of Christ, judgment, eternal life/death. Peripheral: condition of people in the intermediate state, time of Christ’s return, timetable of end times events. We should also remember the practical implications of these ideas: hope, comfort, encouragement to holiness and ministry. We should distinguish central issues from peripheral issues.


Goal of Personal Existence:Goal of Personal Existence Non-Christian views: Oblivion: death ends all existence. Monism: merge with the One. Reincarnation: cycles of rebirth. Immortality of the soul: leave behind the body for disembodied existence. Christian view: resurrection. Re-embodied for eternity. Affirms both personhood and bodily existence.


Slide 58:Goal of Personal Existence This is not a resuscitation. Our resurrection bodies will be like Christ’s. They will be similar to and different from our mortal bodies. They will be “spiritual”: not nonmaterial but given by and animated by the Holy Spirit rather than by natural life. Our resurrection is assured by Jesus’ resurrection and by the indwelling Spirit.


Intermediate State:Intermediate State What happens to people between death and resurrection. Soul sleep - soul survives in unconscious state. Purgatory - cleansing from venial sins. Instantaneous resurrection - receive resurrection body at death. Conscious existence of the soul - experience the presence of the Lord.


Christian Ethics.:Christian Ethics. First we briefly consider Subjective and Objective ethical systems. Objectivist: There is something called goodness which is independent of us - out there in the world or revealed by God. This action is good - means it conforms to that goodness. This action is bad - means it is in opposition to that goodness.


Christian Ethics:Christian Ethics Subjectivist Ethics. There is no goodness independent from us. Idea of goodness comes from: My biology. It is a product of evolution. Each individual person OR each individual society is the criterion for deciding what is good and what is evil.


Christian Ethics.:Christian Ethics. Problem for Subjectivist Ethics: How do you settle dispute about what is good? There is nothing to appeal to. Hitler's killing of 6 million Jews and others. He felt like it and so did many others. Suppose he had won the war, brainwashed or killed everyone who disagreed with him. Would that have made the genocide right? Or is there some objective goodness that is independent of a person or society’s feelings?


Christian Ethics.:Christian Ethics. Problems for Objectivist Ethics. How do you find out where that true goodness is? There are religions beliefs about how and where God has told us what true goodness is. Are there not many religions? So which religion? Not all religions claim that God has shown us the difference between good and evil. Those that do make that claim are closely related. Another Objection: Even if we think God has given us commandments, how do we rank competing obligations?


Christian Ethics.:Christian Ethics. Many people think Christian Ethics is a list of rules found in the Church or the Bible. It is true there are commandments but that is not the basis of Christian Ethics. True Goodness cannot be defined by lists of rules. True goodness is deeply personal. Personal relationships (e.g. friendship) cannot be defined by a list of rules about how we relate to one another. Christian goodness means being `godly’ ie having the character of Christ in relationships with: God, our fellow humans, and the natural world.


Christian Ethics.:Christian Ethics. Character of God shown not in rules but in a Person (Jesus Christ). In Christ God self-sacrificially suffers for our sins giving us forgiveness so as to lift us up to where we belong eternally. That is the meaning of `love’ and it sums up true goodness. The cross of Jesus has a better effect on us than 10,000 rules and commandments. By the grace of God we are called to love as He loves us.


Christian Ethics:Christian Ethics Here is a good example of such guidance: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly before your God.”