Persinger’s physiological challenge to religious experience

Question 1

scientific challenges

Answer 1

-discovery of a physiological explanation of them
-hes a neuroscientist who created a machine dubbed the ‘god helmet’ which manipulated ppls brain waves
-shows RE originate from the brain=unusual state of brain

Question 2

Religious response

Answer 2

-the brain manipulation is simply by the mechanism which god creates RE
- we can cause hallucinations by manipulating the brain with drugs like LSD
- -so shoudlnt count against validity of RE that occur w/out such manipulations

Question 3

Evaluation

Answer 3

-demonstrates RE could have a nauralistic expl
-supernatural expl r unnecessary
-god helmet cannot rule out the possibility of supernatural causes for regular RE but shows they could have a naturalistic cause
-where we have naturalistic and supernatural explanations competing, we can use Ockham’s razor