Philosophy Flashcards
What is an atheist?:
Someone who doesn’t believe in God
What is a theist?
Someone who believes in a God or Gods.
What is an agnostic? if you know what this is then please fill it in
What is rational evidence?
Evidence that can be proved through theories.
What is empirical evidence?
Evidence that you can touch, see, hear, smell or taste
What is the design (or teleological) argument?
William Paley came up with the design argument.
It is based on the idea the world is so complicated and regular that it must have a creator/designer.
He uses the analogy that if you found a watch in the middle of a field then you would believe it to have a creator as it is so complicate. The world is more complicated, so it makes sense that it would have a creator too.
What are the fors for the design argument?
Consistent with mainstream religious beliefs,
logical - it makes philosophical sense
Based on empirical evidence (you can see that the world is complicated)
Whoever made the universe has to be supremely intelligent
What are the againsts for the design argument?
Does it work with evolution?
It doesn’t argue for a specific god
Analogies may not be the best basis for an argument
What about the problem of evil/bad things in the world?
What is the first cause (or cosmological) argument?
It is the theory that as everything has a cause, so must the universe, and the cause is God.
What are the fors for the first cause argument?
Uses physical evidence,
Backs up that God must be extremely powerful,
Is logical to an extent.
What are the againsts for the first cause argument?
What caused God,
Just because trees falling has a cause doesn’t mean that the universe does,
Nothing exists outside of the universe, yet the theory relies on the fact that a God does.
What is the Ontological argument?
It is the theory that as God is a perfect being, and for something to be perfect it must exist outside of your imagination, then that means that God is real.
What are the fors for the Ontological argument?
It makes logical sense,
Everyone has to admit that this makes sense,
It is based on the definition which is a universally agreed statement.
What are the againsts for the Ontological argument?
Lacks empirical evidence,
You have to have proof that something exists before you can add “exists” to it’s list of qualities,
You can’t base a whole theory on one statement.
What is the problem of evil?
The problem of evil is that how can God be all-loving if he lets evil happen in the world.
