RS midterm

• What are philosophical argument?

  One which uses reason and logic to prove that God exists
• Examples of philosophical arguments:

  -first cause argument

  -design argument

  -miracles/religious experiences arguments
• who put forward the first cause argument?

  Thomas aquanais (1225-1274)
• What is the first cause argument based on?

  ’cause and effect’
• What does Thomas aquainas mean when he says ‘if the hand does not move the stick, the stick will not move anything’?

  Nothing happens unless it is caused by something else
• First cause Argument:

  -nothing comes from nothing

  -the universe exists (experience it with our senses)

  -must have been something to exist that cause it to exist (a first cause)

  -something must be God (God is eternal so he has no cause)

  -universe exists so therefore God must then exist
• Weakness of first cause argument:

  -he says ’everything has a cause, except God‘ so either everything has a cause so God must too or he is not the first cause!

  -Or you say and claim that God is different so that way ‘the universe could be its own first cause’ but if you make an exception for God then why not make one for other things?
• Strengths of the first cause argument:

  -for something to occur it has to have a cause

  -if there is no first uncaused cause then nothing could occur as every cause is dependent on a cause that was caused before that
• What is the first cause argument also known as?

  Cosmological argument
• The design argument:

  -world was designed in a specific way

  -if it was designed like this then someone or something must have designed it
• Who put forward the design argument?

  William paley (1743-1805)
• What did William parley compare the design argument to?

  -He compared the design argument to finding a watch

  -he compared this design to the world and if someone found the watch it would have to be designed by someone
• What was William parleys argument?

  -he argued if you found a watch on the floor then it had to have been designed by something

  -anyone who found the watch (never having seen it before) would have to conclude that someone had designed it to fulfil the purpose of it
• Who created the thumb print argument?

  Issac newton (1642-1727)
• What did Issac newton use the thumb print as evidence for?

  The existence of God
• Thumb print argument:

  -each person has an individual and unique thumb print

  -he argued that this pointed to a designer rather than a random chance
• Modern design argument:

  -he said if things like strength of gravity, power and speed of the explosion caused by the Big Bang had been at all diffrent then life today would not exist

  -he refers to this as the ‘anthropic principle’ being the idea of the universe being ‘just right’ for life
• What does FR tenant refer to the modern design argument like?

  anthropic principle
• What does anthropic principle refer to us as?

  Being ‘just right’ for life
• Who put forward the modern design argument?

  FR tenant (1930s)
• weaknesses of the modern design argument:

  -if god designed the universe then why is their so much suffering in the world?

  -there is beauty but pain

  -why would God allow pain, wars, disease, earthquakes (etc) why would God allow evil if he had created the universe?
• Strengths of the modern design argumen:

  -existence of an all powerful designer (God) is simpler (therefore better) explanation of the appearance of design

  -evolution does not explain itself

  -simplest explanation

  -evolutions compatible with God anyway
• miracles argument for the existence of god:

  -miracles cannot be explained by science therefore it proves God exists as God created nature

  -bible says ’all things are possible with God’ so omnipotence allows him to peform miracles
• arguments as miracles against evidence:

  -people can by lying for attention, money or fame

  -miracles are no more than lucky coincidences

  -some atheist say coincidences just happen
• Moral evil:

  Caused by evil and suffering caused by humans
• Caused by evil and suffering caused by nature 


  Natural evil
• Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes

  Examples of natural evil
• Someone who believes in God

  Thiest
• Monotheist

  Someone who only believe in one God
• Agnostic

  Someone who doesn’t believe nor disbelieve in God and is just unsure
• Inconsistent triad consists of:

  -omnipotent

  -omnibenevolent

  -omniscient
• Omniscient

  All knowing
• Omnipotent

  All powerful
• Omnibenevolent

  All loving
• omnipresent

  always there
• Eternal

  No beginning and no end
• Endless/limitless

  Infinite
• beliefs about evil and suffering as a challenge to belief in God:

  -why would God create evil and suffering if he is omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient (inconsistent triad)

  -how can you say you’re a loving God if you allow evil and suffering (example-a child having cancer)
• Evidence of evil and suffering proves that God does not exist: (arguments against this)

  -free will (moral guilt is cause by humans)

  -God/the world needs a balance between bad and good
• Evidence of evil and suffering proves that God does not exist: (arguments support this)

  -logical problem of evil: if Gid is omnipotent, omnibenevolent , omniscient then evil should not exist

  -if evil exists then it undermines the possibility of Gods existence