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RS RRC Philosophy > 2.2 Influence of religious experience as an Argument for the Existence of God > Flashcards

2.2 Influence of religious experience as an Argument for the Existence of God Flashcards

1
Q

What is an inductive Argument with regards to RE?

A

P1) experience of x indicates the reality of x
P2) God has been experienced
P3) The experience of God indicates the reality of God
conc) God exists

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2
Q

What is a cumulative Argument?

A

The view that if one takes all the arguments for the existence of God, they are more compelling than one alone

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3
Q

What is the opposition for an inductive argument regarding RE?

A

P1) The experience of x does not always indicate the reality of x
P2) If our experience of the empirical is only probable then our experience of the non-empirical is even less probable
Conc) conculsion depends on an accurate interpretation of the evidence

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4
Q

What is the opposition for the cumulative argument regarding RE?

A

Several weak arguments put together do not make a strong one

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5
Q

Who came up with the principle of credulity?

A

Richard Swinburne

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6
Q

What is the principle of credulity?

A

in the absence of special considerations we ought to belive things are as they seem to be, untile we have evidence that we’re mistaken

Uses Occam’s Razor

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7
Q

What are special considerations for the principle of credulity?

A

The subject has:
- taken drugs
- is starving
- suffering with heat exhaustion
-mentally ill
- been hit on the head

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8
Q

Who came up with the principle of testimony?

A

Richard Swinburne

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9
Q

What is the principal of testimony?

A

In absence of special considerations, experiences of other are probable and should be treated as such

We trust people’s everyday testimonies so why should testimony of RE be any different

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10
Q

How does the existence of God explain the results of RE?

A

If something is real and true it is more likely to improve a person’s life
Those who claim they’ve had a RE are more fulfilled and purposeful

-William James

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11
Q

How does the quantity of religious experience support the existence of God?

A

If we take all examples of RE together, then they are more convincing than one alone- weight of testimony

James: variety of different RE in different places and cultures

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12
Q

What are criticisms of the existence of God explaining the results of RE?

A

Freud’s Idea: Believes people have a psychological need to believe in something, to clam their fears about the world

Just because people change their lives does not mean there are not alternative explanations

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13
Q

What are the criticisms for the quantity of RE supporting the existence of God?

A

Several weak arguments do put together do not make a strong argument

Lots of alternative explanations (Bertrand Russell says great works of fiction can change lives in the same way)

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14
Q

What did Swinburne believe about RE?

A

cumulative approach: looks at all the arguments together

Probability: more likely than not God exists

Testimony: should believe people’s testimony of RE

Credulity: unless proven otherwise RE should be believed

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15
Q

What did John Hick believe about RE?

A

Pluralist

mistake is how people percieve RE. The real is transcendent and immanent; we can’t confine it to ideas of one religion

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16
Q

What weakness of RE does Persinger propose?

A

Argues that RE are no more than the brain responding to external stimuli

By stimulating temporal lobe with God helmet, RE can be artificially induced

17
Q

How is RE
not being able to be verified a weakness?

A

cannot be verified by empirical testing, it is all an assumption

18
Q

Why is the claim that RE is incentivised a weakness?

A

Re are often accompanied by or manipulated by atmousphere e.g music

19
Q

Why is the supposed induction of RE not a weakness?

A

Are all RE induced? Scientists reduce all human experience to brain activity

Physicalism approach

Not everyone is wearing a God helmet

20
Q

Why is RE not being able to be verified not a weakness?

A

Just because we cant verify something with evidence doesn’t mean it isn’t true

21
Q

Why is RE being manipluated not a weakness?

A

Not all RE are incentivised or manipulated

22
Q

What did Ludwig Wittgenstein believe about RE?

A

Each person sees RE differently, testimonies are unreliable

23
Q

What did R. M. Hare believe about RE?

A

uses ‘blik’ to describe someone’s personal world view and interpretation of an event

Meaningful but unverifiable

24
Q

What did Peter Vardy believe about RE?

A

Your interpretations of an experience depend on your ‘presuppositions’

25
Q

What did John Hick believe about RE?

A

RE can be interpreted in non-religious ways

26
Q

What did Sigmund Freud believe about RE?

A

We feel helpless so we create a God in our minds to protect us from fears of the universe

27
Q

How is Ludwig Wittgenstein criticised?

A

Illogical to assume all religious experiences are incorrect

28
Q

How is R. M. Hare criticised?

A

To test the truth of an RE you must look at the effects on that person

29
Q

How is John Hick criticised?

A

Illogical to assume all interpretations are incorrect

30
Q

How is Peter Vardy criticised?

A

Believers are better able to test the truth of their experience as they know what to look out for

31
Q

How is Sigmund Freud criticised?

A

Just because some RE are a result of psychological need, doesn’t mean they all are

32
Q

What were the key ideas of Michael Persinger?

A

Believes temporal lobe has a significant role within RE

Claims that by stimulating the temporal lobes he can artificially induce a moment that feels like RE

33
Q

Arguments for Michael Persinger

A

Many people involved in his study

Physical (scientific) proof

Some people in study were religious

34
Q

Arguments against Michael Persinger

A

Manufactured experience

Can you reduce every experience to temporal lobe activity?

35
Q

What were the key ideas of Richard Dawkins?

A

People who have RE are suffering from psychosis

They think its true because they think their belief is true

36
Q

What does Dawkins say are symptoms of Psychosis that are similar to RE?

A

Hallucinations
Delusions

37
Q

What are some criticisms of Dawkins?

A

Dawkins is a fundamentalist

‘mental virus’ is a false analogy

ontological reductionism- all that means to be human is reduced to scientific explanation (e.g no soul)

RS RRC Philosophy (8 decks)

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