Miracles

Question 1

Key Philosophers

Answer 1

Hume and Wiles

Question 2

Hume’s view

Answer 2

Miracles aren’t impossible but are impossible to prove

Question 3

Hume’s 6 key points

Answer 3

1) Principle of induction
2) Miracle would only be true if it would be more miraculous to be false
3) Never had enough credible witnesses
4) People want to believe the miracle is true
5) Ignorant countries
6) Cancel each other out

Question 4

Principle of Induction

Answer 4

We know the laws of nature exist and can conclude that they will probably reoccur

Question 5

Challengers to Hume

Answer 5

Wilkinson and Campbell
Davies
Vardy
Swinburne

Question 6

Wilkinson and Campbell

Answer 6

The PoI only leads to probable conclusions

Question 7

Davies

Answer 7

Improbability does not mean impossibility

Question 8

Vardy

Answer 8

Modern miracles observed by scientists

Question 9

Swinburne

Answer 9

Pluralism means religions don’t cancel each other out

Question 10

Supporters of Hume

Answer 10

Dawkins

Atkins

Question 11

Dawkins

Answer 11

Hume didn’t say miracles were impossible, but improbable

Question 12

Atkins

Answer 12

Miracles are people seeking publicity or hallucinating

Question 13

Wiles’ view

Answer 13

• Creation is the one and only miracle
• God could perform miracles whenever he wanted to but does not as this would mean we could not predict what the natural world would do
• Hume’s definition would paint God as arbitrary and partisan

Question 14

Supporters of Wiles

Answer 14

Bultmann

Vardy

Question 15

Bultmann

Answer 15

Miracles are not literal events but reveal a deeper spiritual truth

Question 16

Vardy

Answer 16

If God performed miracles he would face ‘hard moral questioning’

Question 17

Opposers of Wiles

Answer 17

Swinburne

Question 18

Swinburne

Answer 18

God may perform miracles for those who are desperate like a parent would bend the rules for their child

Question 19

Miracles are significant / positive

Answer 19

• Show God’s nature
• Example of his direct revelation
• Ward: God intervenes rarely to do the best and to build up faith in him
• Swinburne: Great religious significance, foundational

Question 20

Miracles are insignificant / negative

Answer 20

• God of the gaps, we attribute things we do not understand via science to God so he will eventually become meaningless
• Dawkins: Coincidences
• Hume’s definition = arbitrary and partisan God
• Miracles cancel each other out

Question 21

Scientific answers

Answer 21

Colin Humphreys:
- The miracle is in the timing

Parting of the Red Sea:
- Sustained gust of wind in the right place could have caused this and there is a similar place nearby

Question 22

Realism

Answer 22

• Real
• Brought about by God or someone empowered by him
• Evidence for God’s existence

Question 23

Anti-realism

Answer 23

• Symbolic
• Epistemic distance
• In the mind

Question 24

A realist

Answer 24

Anthony Flew

• Truth is based on historical evidence
• For a christian to believe they must accept the bible is historically accurate

Question 25

An Anti-realist

Answer 25

Bultmann

• Bible needs to be stripped of myth to reveal its kerygma (religious truth)
• Deeper spiritual meaning
• Myths
• Feeding of the 500 shows God’s boundless love

Question 26

Forms of life philosopher

Answer 26

Wittgenstein

Question 27

Wittgenstein’s forms of life

Answer 27

• Theism and atheism are different ways of seeing the world

- Both accounts are correct as they are found in different forms of life

Question 28

Supporter of forms of life

Answer 28

Hick and Holland

Question 29

Hick’s ‘experiencing-as’

Answer 29

• Miracles are ordinary events seen through the eyes of faith

Question 30

Holland

Answer 30

Train-track account

- Miracle to the mother even though there is an explanation