Philosophy

Question 0

What did St Thomas Aquinas believe?

Answer 0

That there was a chain of cause and effect, that had caused the universe to exist. The first cause, which was uncaused, was God

Question 1

Who wrote the cosmological argument?

Answer 1

St Thomas Aquinas

Question 2

What criticisms are there of The Cosmological argument?

Answer 2

How do we know god is the sole causer of the universe
Not conclusive
Who made God?
Why do we need to question the science of the universe
Infinite regress
God is eternal and has always existed

Question 3

Who wrote the Teleological Argument?

Answer 3

William Paley

Question 4

What does WP use as an analogy to the universe?

Answer 4

A watch

Question 5

What are the main points in the teleological argument?

Answer 5

A watch is so perfect you can see it has a design and purpose and you would know it had a designer
The universe is perfect, you would know it has a designer, and it has a design and purpose
The designer is God

Question 6

What was John Stuart mill’s criticism or the TA

Answer 6

The fact there is evil and suffering in the world, implies a flawed design by a flawed designer or no design at all

Question 7

What was David Hume’s criticism of the TA

Answer 7

The universe could be a product of chance

Question 8

What was Charles Darwin’s criticism of the TA

Answer 8

Even if ine accepts the world looks designed, there’s no need to include God

Question 9

What was Richard Dawkins’ criticism of the TA

Answer 9

Supported Darwin, arguing that random mutations in DNA alone have rise to variation and illusion of design

Question 10

What did Ludwig Feuerbach argue?

Answer 10

That there is no god

Question 11

What 2 sentences did Feuerbach use to explain his reasoning

Answer 11

What man is in need of he makes his God.

What man wishes he makes his God.

Question 12

Explain Feuerbach’s 1st sentence.

Answer 12

Human beings want to be happy but we fear many things including being alone and having no ultimate purpose. So, we create a God to give our lives purpose and meaning.

Question 13

Explain Feuerbach’s second sentence.

Answer 13

The human imagination created a god which is omnipotent; powerful, omniscient; all knowing, and omnibenevolent; all loving. We give our God the perfect personality.

Question 14

Who agreed with Feuerbach and what did they say?

Answer 14

Sigmund Freud said that God is an illusion that humans create when they are psychologically unstable. Religion is a figment of our imagination

Question 15

What is one of the criticisms of Feuerbach’s argument?

Answer 15

Just because we imagine something to be perfect doesn’t mean that it can’t be real.
Just because God is good, powerful, and intelligent, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t exist.

Question 16

Give an example of moral evil.

Answer 16

Murder, wars, torture

Evil caused by human nature

Question 17

What is natural evil, give examples

Answer 17

Evil caused when nature goes wrong

Floods, droughts, tsunamis, famine

Question 18

What is known as the rock of atheism

Answer 18

Evil and suffering

Question 19

What is the argument known as the rock of atheism?

Answer 19

If god was omnibenevolent he would want to remove evil. If god was omnipotent he would be able to remove evil. If god was omniscient he would know how to remove evil. Both God and evil cannot exist. Therefore God doesn’t exist: evil exists

Question 20

What is the inconsistent triad

Answer 20

How can a loving and powerful god allow evil to exist

Question 21

What is a theodicy

Answer 21

A theodicy tries to explain and justify this apparent contradiction

Question 22

What was St Augustines theodicy?

Answer 22

St Augustine argued that evil exists because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought evil and suffering in the garden of Eden. He believed evil is the absence of goodness. This is a souls deciding theodicy

Question 23

What is St Irenaeus’ theodicy?

Answer 23

God made the world imperfect so that humankind could develop and through the right choices prepare for heaven in the afterlife
This is a souls making theodicy

Question 24

Both theodices explain moral evil as a result of free will going wrong but, they do not answer the problem of….

Answer 24

Natural evil and innocent suffering e.g. Animal suffering. Neither solves the problem as it still continues to be a challenge for religious believers