Arguments For Gods Existence Flashcards
Basic outline of cosmological argument
Thomas Aquinas attempts to prove the existence of God by arguing that the universe must have been created by a supreme being because this do not simply come into existence without a cause.
Basic outline of design argument
William Paley said that if a man was walking and found a watch he would not think it was randomly created, it would be so complicated it must have a designer, in the same way he would not look at the universe and say it was so amazing that it had randomly come into existence.
Basic outline of religious experience argument
People believe that they have experienced God, they think it to be true, it may be because they have had repeated experiences or just one profound experience.
Strengths for cosmological argument
1/ it is compatible with science because science has not yet come up with a cause for the Big Bang, therefore, an alternative cause could be God.
2/ If we reject infinite regress as it lacks sufficient reason then there must be a first cause, one would suggest that is God
Weaknesses for cosmological argument
1/ it is inconsistent as it contradicts itself e.g. If everything has a cause then what caused God and if something caused God then he is no longer the first cause
2/ the Big Bang could have happened by chance, Quantum Physics proves that something can come from nothing.
Weaknesses for design argument
1/ the theory of evolution and natural selection suggest that complex organism arose through genetic mutation not through design
2/ Hume said that just because things in our world have designed that we can experience does not mean that we can experience the world being designed and made and therefore cannot prove it
Strengths for design argument
1/ It is based on what we can observe e.g. order and complexity within the universe
2/ it begins with a universal experience I.e. we can all experience this complexity and it can be tested
2 strengths for religious experience argument
1/ they are life changing events and in many cases, particularly in the story of the conversion of Saint Paul, if the stories are fake then people would have no reason to devote and lose their life for it.
2/ Many people claim to have had these experiences
2 weaknesses for the religious experience
1/ the evidence is anecdotal (relies fully on the persons word)
2/ it happens to people who are already religious therefore they make the assumption it is the divine being
Schleirmacher
Schleirmacher says that all societies throughout history have a God independently and everyone is born with God consciousness.
Feurbach opposing Schleirmacher
Feurbach opposes Schleirmacher and says that when someone is in need of something he prays to a God that can supply that need to him, for example if someone is sad they will pray to the God of happiness.
Swinburnes cumulative argument
Swinburne said that just like small bits of evidence add up in a court case to prove the offender, there are enough small bits of evidence to suggest the existence of a super-intelligent being
Flews leaky bucket argument opposing Swinburne
Against Swinburne, Flew suggest that like 10 leaky buckets will not help you transport water more than 1, a lot of unsound evidence does not create sound evidence
