Essay Questions

Why do the rest of the philosophers view Philo as a madman?

Of the three philosophers undertaking a logical debate, it is only Philo who seems to agree with his instincts and skepticism. He follows his perception rather than the laid down beliefs about religion and God. Philo arrives at a decision based on his experiences and belief. However, the other philosophers are accusing Philo of being cynical about religion and the existence of God. Consequently, the other philosophers in the debate mistake Philo as a madman because of his stringent stand regarding religion.

Why do people suffer according to the dialogue concerning natural religion by the philosophers?

From the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to a logical debate conducted by the philosophers about the nature of God. Each philosopher adopts a different approach but they all reach an agreement that God exists. However, the three philosophers tend to differ on the issue of pleasure and suffering. They are concerned about why there is no balance between pleasure and suffering because more often suffering outweighs the pleasure. This raises the question of whether God is divine but they all seem to agree that suffering is majorly caused by sin.

What is controversial about Philo as a philosopher?

Philo’s thinking that a good philosopher is made of cynicism is misleading and contradicting his course in studying the nature of God. According to Philo, religion is an immoral device which exploits the human mind to believe in the unseen powers. Even though Philo reaches a conclusion that concedes with his fellow philosophers about the nature of God, he remains doubtful throughout the debate.