metaphysics of god 3 markers

Question 1

causal principle

Answer 1

every event that occurs has a cause OR everything that begins to exist has a cause

Question 2

anselm’s definition of God

Answer 2

a being than which nothing greater can be conceived

Question 3

atemporal causation

Answer 3

when the cause of an effect is outside of time, and so does not temporally precede the effect

Question 4

cosmological argument

Answer 4

an argument for the existence of God based on facts about what exists. God is argued to be the first or ‘sustaining cause/explanation of some feature of universe’

Question 5

descartes’ definition of god

Answer 5

a supremely perfect being; a being with all perfections

Question 6

malcom’s definition of god

Answer 6

an unlimited being (a necessary being: one that couldn’t not exist)

Question 7

predicate

Answer 7

that part of a proposition/sensation which describes or characterises the thing identified

Question 8

fallacy of composition

Answer 8

wrongly inferring that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true of some or all of the parts

Question 9

infinite series/regress of causes/explanations

Answer 9

this is when every cause has/requires a distinct cause or every explanation itself has/requires a distinct explanation forming a causal/explanatory series of infinite length

Question 10

moral evil

Answer 10

harm or suffering caused intentionally by free agent/human beings

Question 11

natural evil

Answer 11

harm or suffering not caused intentionally by free agents/human beings and instead caused by natural/physical events and processes

Question 12

ontological argument

Answer 12

an argument for the existence of god which is based only on a priori premises, including a priori truths about the concept/nature/essence of god

Question 13

principle of sufficient reason

Answer 13

for any/all truths/facts/events there must be a sufficient reason why they are as they are and not otherwise

Question 14

spatial order

Answer 14

what swinburne calls ‘regularities of copresence’ - namely patterns of order within space at one instant of time eg the arrangements of parts within the body

Question 15

teleological argument

Answer 15

an argument for the existence of god based on the identification of purpose/design/complexity/order within things that exist

Question 16

temporal causation

Answer 16

when the cause of an effect is within time, and so temporally precede the effect

Question 17

temporal order

Answer 17

what Swinburne calls ‘regularities of succession - namely patterns of behaviour of objects over time eg their behaviour in accordance with the laws of nature

Question 18

god is eternal

Answer 18

god exists outside time and so has no beginning/end, since these make sense only in time

Question 19

god is everlasting

Answer 19

god exists in time - he exists throughout all time with no beginning or end

Question 20

omnipotence

Answer 20

it is possible for god to bring about any (logically possible) state of affairs (that do not undermine his perfection)

Question 21

omniscience

Answer 21

god knows all true propositions and couldn’t possibly lack this knowledge

Question 22

omnibenevolence

Answer 22

god only does/thinks/commands what is morally good and cannot do/think anything morally bad

Question 23

non-cognitivism about religious language

Answer 23

The claim that religious utterences are not truth-apt (they are not propositions). Religious predicates/concepts do NOT contribute to the descriptive/factual meaning of propositions and so can NOT be used to express cognitive belief states.

Question 24

cognitivism about moral language

Answer 24

The claim that religious utterences can be truth-apt (they can be propositions). Religious predicates/concepts contribute to the descriptive/factual meaning of propositions and so can be used to express cognitive belief states.

Question 25

falsification principle

Answer 25

The claim that if there is nothing which an utterence denies (no evidence that counts against/falsifies it) then there is nothing which it asserts either: and
so it is not really an proposotion/assertion.

Question 26

metaphysical language

Answer 26

Language that at least attempts to make claims (propositions) about entities/properties that are not empirically observable.

Question 27

religious statements are ‘eschatologically verifiable’

Answer 27

It is possible for (at least some) religious statements that we make on while on earth to be verified (i.e. by this Hick means for any grounds for rational doubt about them to have been removed) through experiences (of God and God’s revaling of God’s purpose for us) that occur in the afterlife