Content - Philosophy of religion (key words etc)

Question 1

What type of argument is the teleological argument?

Answer 1

Analogy

Question 2

What type of argument is the ontological argument

Answer 2

Reduction ad absurdum - it attempts to either disprove a statement by showing it inevitably leads to a ridiculous, absurd of impractical conclusion.

Shown in the rejection of the impossibility of God’s existence (Malcolm)

Question 3

Necessary existence

Answer 3

• Doesn’t depend on anything else to exist/be true
• To deny it would be a contradiction
• It COULD not be false

Question 4

Contingent existence

Answer 4

• Depends on something else for its existence / to be true
• To deny it wouldn’t be a contradiction
• It COULD be false

Question 5

Leibniz definition of simple + positive and how he uses it to explain perfections are coherent

Answer 5

He argued a perfection is a ‘simple quality which is positive and absolute’

• Simple = cannot be defined in terms of something else
• Positive = cannot be defined as a negation of something else.

Because of this perfections are simple, absolute and self-contained and therefore cannot clash in any way. Therefore we can clearly + distinctly conceive of a supremely perfect being

Question 6

Malcolms 4 possibilities

Answer 6

1. God contingently exists
2. God contingently doesn’t exist
3. God necessarily exists
4. God necessarily doesn’t exist

Question 7

Two options for how things exist:

Answer 7

COSMOLOGICAL

1. Infinite regression = time and causes go back infinitely and there’s no beginning
2. A first cause = everything that exists must have had a cause - there must be something that starts off the line of causation

Question 8

Why does Al Kindi argue that GOD must have been the cause of the universe?

Answer 8

There’s an equal chance of things existing because its caused naturally (natural laws) or as someone/something willed it.

HOWEVER, as there were no natural laws before the universe, it must’ve been willed into existence

Question 9

How does William Lane Craig explain the Al Kindi’s perspective on infinite regression?

Answer 9

He argues: ‘Al Kindi’s claim is not that existence of an actually infinite number of things involves a logical contradiction but that its really impossible’

Question 10

Aquinas - potential to actuality example

Answer 10

• Everything that exists has potential to become something else
• e.g. if wood becomes hot, it has the potential to become actual (being on fire)
• Only when its set on fire, does that potential become actual

Question 11

Two types of causes

Answer 11

Temporal

Sustaning

Question 12

Temporal cause

Answer 12

• Brings about its effects after it
• The affects follow the cause in time and the effect can continue after the cause ceases.

e.g. if you through a ball, it continues to move even after the action (cause) is finished.

Question 13

Sustaining cause

Answer 13

• It brings about its effects continuously
• It operated continuously rather than at a single moment in time

e.g. Gravity is a sustaining cause of me remaining on the ground

Question 14

AQUINAS 1st and 2nd way = why must this unmoved mover or uncaused cause need to be God?

Answer 14

1. Must be beyond the universe (external)
2. Must be no mover of cause outside of this being (to stop infinite regression)
3. Therefore we need a transcendent, eternal and necessary being.
4. This is what be refer to as God.

Question 15

Descartes (COSMOLOGICAL) different options for the cause of our existence + answer

Answer 15

• Could you be the cause?
• Could you exist infinitely`?
• Could you parents be the cause?
  = GOD is the only option

Question 16

How does Descartes causal adequacy principle relate to his cosmological argument?

Answer 16

The cause must have at least a much reality or more than its effects.

I don’t = as i’m not able to sustain my own existence

My parents don’t = because the can’t create my metaphysical mind or idea of God.

GOD DOES: as he has greater reality in cause (himself) than the effect (humans).

Question 17

Leibniz - Principle of sufficient reason

Answer 17

Every truth has an explanation for why it is the case.

Question 18

Two different types of truth (Leibniz)

Answer 18

Truths of reasoning

Truths of facts

Question 19

Truths of reasoning

Answer 19

• Provides sufficient reason
• Necessary and analytic
• Contains an within themselves their own explanation

e.g. a triangle has 3 sides

Question 20

Truths of facts

Answer 20

• doesn’t provide sufficient reason
• Contingent and synthetic
• relies on other facts in order to explain them. These facts must also be explained further.

Question 21

Two types of order

Answer 21

1. spatial order

2. Temporal order

Question 22

Spatial order

Answer 22

• Regularities of co-presence
• examples of order within nature
• USED IN PALEY’s ARGUMENT
• Can be explained through EVOLUTION

Question 23

Temporal order

Answer 23

• Regularity of succession
• The order of laws of nature
• USED IN SWINBURNE ARGUMENT

Question 24

Swinburne’s card analogy

Answer 24

• If I shuffled 10 decks of cards
• Then then first 10 I picked up were all aces of spades
• You would say I fixed it, from all the above evidence
• Swinburne points out that similarly the laws governing the universe seem to have been fixed by an intelligent creator
• He argues this isn’t confirming evidence but simply that its more probable that all the things in the universe happened because of a designer, than all these things just happening by chance.