Key terminology

• to get an analogy you have to start with an inference. an inference is a conclusion reached through evidence and reasoning. an analogy is an inference where information of meaning is transferred from one subject to another.
• the anthropic principle is that there is a direct link between our observation of the universe and the 'boundary conditions' which brought it into existence. in other words, the boundary conditions (or cosmological constants) had to be 'fine tuned' by god otherwise intelligent life never could have developed.
• anthropomorphism is the habit of attributing human form or ideas to beings other than humans, particularly to gods and animals.
• a posteriori arguments depend on sense experience.
• inductive arguments use reasoning in which the premises seek to supply strong evidence for (not absolute proof of) the conclusion. they are probabilistic.
• natural theology is the view that questions about god's existence, nature and attributes can be answered without referring to scripture or to any other form on special revelation, by using reason, science, history and observation.
• omnibenevolent- all-loving attribute of god.
• omnipotent- all-powerful attribute of god.
• premise- a proposition that supports, or helps to support, a conclusion.
• teleological argument- seeks to show that we can perceive evidence of deliberate design in the natural world.
• empirical- an argument that is based on the experience of the senses
• fideism- the view that religion is a matter of pure faith in the sense of commitment. rational argument has no role to play
• analytic statements- based on logic and true by definition
• subject and predicate- subject refers to who or what the sentence is about. the predicate gives information about the subject
• necessary truths- statements that could not possibly be false
• necessary things- things that cannot possibly fail to exist