Arguments for the existence of God Flashcards
What is the Design Argument’s observations?
Inductive (strong ev) (prob)
Three observations:
Complexity (eye) , Regularity (ecosystems) and Purpose
Paley’s analogy?
Designer of a watch similar to world having designer
(both complex, regular and purpose)
“designed its use” “for a purpose”
Strengths of Paley’s DA?
Simplest explanation/poss explanation
Evolution does not destroy argument: compatible with God
‘nature shows intention’ support anthropic principle (not accident)
Paley’s anticipated objections?
Watch broken - if broken watch still designed
Principle of order just happens - nonsense of course watch maker
Hume’s objections to Paley?
Analogies - world a machine are unsound - anthropomorphism
Cannot imagine God as a human designer
Developed by chance - ‘epicurean hypothesis’ atoms ordered
God limited designer/infant/teamwork “some inferior deity”
What does Hume say Quote?
Epicurus still unanswered “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?”
When was Hume writing?
Before Paley - preempted
Weaknesses of DA?
assumption
Dawkins - “blind watchmaker” natural evil
Does the DA have value for religious faith?
Supports faith by reasoning
Strengthens already existing faith
Empirical evidence - order, regularity
How does the DA have no value for religious faith?
Faith not depend on probability/ state of mind
What is the cosmological argument Aquinas Way 3?
Aquinas Way 3
inductive
- senses verify observation/existence
-observation of all things as contingent
- necessary - God
“must exist something…which is necessary”
What is the Fallacy of Composition?
Inferring something of whole from truth of part of whole
What does Russell say Aquinas Way 3 is?
Commits Fallacy of Composition
Aquinas - events cause universe cause
Russell - events cause universe uncaused
However - bricks small - whole wall not small
What did Copleston say in the debate?
Jesuit preist
reformulated Aquinas
things contingent and something must be necessary
cause of universe is the necessary being - God
What did Russell say in the debate?
- Agnostic position
- Dismisses Aquinas and notion of necessary being
- Regress of causal events cannot be held responsible
- universe “brute fact” w/ no explanation self coherent
2 Quotes from Russell abour causal events.
“concept of cause is not applicable to total”
“Should say that the universe is just there, and that’s all”
What does Copleston say in return to Russell?
- can’t shut down debate
- “If one refused to sit at a chess board… one cannot of course be checkmated”
What is the Cosmological Argument?
Argument in observation
has to be a “first cause” at end of infinite regress
God = uncaused cause
dependent on existence of other
- What does Hume assume? (Cosmological Argument)
That Aquinas’ claim is not logically necessary and is a leap
Can only say something is ture - empirical evidence
- What is Aquinas’ reply to Hume?
Aquinas does not claim that ‘God exists’
He claims his existence ‘metaphysically’ necessary
- Hume’s response to Aquinas.
Universe is “necessarily existent being”
conforms w/ Occam’s Razor
ANSLEM “Why may not the materialuniverse be the necessarily…”
- Aquinas’ second reply.
No problem with matter being necessary
God still uncaused cause
How strong of a ‘proof’ is the cosmological argument?
- strengthen existing faith/ conform theist belief
- possible explanation
- ‘brute fact’ unsatisfactory for curious mind
What does Gerry Hughes say? (CA)
proving sub atomic particles exist - unreasonable believe do not exist
same for God as an unobservable identity
What is the Ontological Argument?
- Better to exist in reality than in mind alone
- A priori - something knowable w/o sense ex.
What does Anslem (OA) say about God?
He is “that which nothing greater can be conceived”
“perfect in every way”
What does Anselm (OA) say about fools?
Psalm 14 - “only the fool hath said in his heart that there is no God” still have concept in mind - to reject him
What is the First Form in Ontological Argument?
God must exist separate from imagination - in reality
Concept of God must include actual existence
What is the Second Form in Ontological Argument w/ Gaunilo’s criticism?
God has necessary existence
Gaunilo mocks Anselm “If you conceive of greatest of anything…must have to exist” Lost Island
Anslem reply - island contingent God not.
What does reductio ad absurdummean?
Anslem - Aimed to show God doesn’t exist - demonstrating existence logically necessary.
Kant’s criticisms of Anselm.
Directed at Descartes
- Existence is not a predicate (gives no new info) 100 Thalers example
- Only way to know God exits - experience - logic alone gets you no where
Biggest Failure of Ontological Argument?
Omits word “if”
Eg. If there are unicorns then they will be hirses w/ horns
If there is a God then God will exist necessarily
