Key Philosophers
AS PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS
INTRODUCTORY PROJECT
RJCOUSINS2015
Research
For each philosopher you must find:
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A photograph.
The time that they were active.
Main works.
Atheist/theist
Other important details.
Some of the information has already been filled in for you.
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David Hume
Atheist
‘Dialogues on Natural Religion’
An empiricist, basing his opinions on reason and evidence.
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Richard Dawkins
Atheist
20th-21st century
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Immanuel Kant
Pioneered deontology, his key argument being the duty of humans.
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St. Thomas Aquinas
Theist (Christian)
Wrote the ‘Summa Theologica’, giving five ways to prove the existence
of God.
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Plato
Circa 400 BC
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Aristotle
Attended Plato’s Academy
Not particularly religious, though he influenced Christianity and Islam
greatly.
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Richard Swinburne
Theist (Christian)
20th-21st century
Wrote ‘Is There A God?’
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Keith Ward
20th-21st century
Theist (priest of the Church of England)
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William Paley
Best known for his watchmaker analogy in the teleological argument.
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F. R. Tennant
Theist (Christian)
Formulated the Anthropological and Aesthetic Arguments to prove
God’s existence.
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St. Augustine
Theist (Christian)
"established anew the ancient Faith“
Contributed to the Just War theory.
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Jeremy Bentham
Atheist
Devised the ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number’ principle.
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John Stuart Mill
19th century
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Joseph Fletcher
Theist (Christian)
Pioneered modern Situation Ethics.
20th century
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