Theme C Flashcards
What is the Design Argument?
An empirically based argument for the existence of God, based on observations of the world around us.
It includes examples like the complexity of the human eye and the regularity of the seasons.
What does the complexity of the Human Eye fulfill?
A purpose (sight).
Who proposed the Watchmaker Analogy?
William Paley.
What conclusion does the Watchmaker Analogy lead to?
The world must have a worldmaker, which is God.
Which scripture supports the Design Argument in Christianity?
The Bible (Psalms) states ‘the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands’.
What is FR Tennant’s contribution to the Design Argument?
The Anthropic Principle, which states the world has been ‘fine-tuned’ for human life to develop.
What does the Anthropic Principle highlight?
Factors such as distance from the sun, gravity, and the expansion rate of the Big Bang.
How does the Qur’an support the Design Argument in Islam?
It teaches that God’s existence can be discovered through observation of the natural world, stating ‘there are signs for people who use reason’.
What challenge does evolution pose to the Design Argument?
Evolution shows that the world was not designed for us; we adapted to it.
Who argues that design is an ‘illusion’?
Richard Dawkins, author of ‘The God Delusion’.
What is David Hume’s criticism of the Design Argument?
He argues that you cannot compare a watch to the world; the world is more like a vegetable than a machine.
What analogy does Hume use to challenge the Design Argument?
The shipbuilder analogy.
What question does Hume raise regarding the nature of the designer?
If it takes many men to make a ship, why not many gods to make a world?
What flaw in design does Hume point out?
Natural disasters suggest the designer is not the omnibenevolent, perfect God of Christian/Islamic monotheism.
What does JS Mill observe about nature?
‘Nature kills’; the God who designed this world is not omnibenevolent.
What does the phrase ‘designedly imperfect world’ imply?
It suggests that the evidence shows God may be cruel.
Fill in the blank: The world has been ‘fine-tuned’ for _______.
[human life to develop].
What is the main premise of the First Cause Argument?
Everything in the world has a cause; nothing can come from nothing.
This argument concludes that there must be an ‘uncaused cause’ that initiated the universe.
Who is known for the First Cause Argument in Christian theology?
St Thomas Aquinas
Aquinas argued that God is the ‘necessarily existent’ First Cause of the universe.
What does the First Cause Argument suggest about the nature of God?
God is eternal and transcendent, working as the ‘uncaused cause’.
This aligns with the belief that God exists outside of time and space.
What biblical reference supports the First Cause Argument?
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
This verse is often cited to illustrate God as the First Cause.
What is the Kalam Argument?
- Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
- The universe began to exist.
- Therefore, the universe has a cause.
This argument is used in Islamic theology to support the First Cause Argument.
What does the term ‘uncaused cause’ refer to?
The initial cause of the universe that itself was not caused.
This concept is central to both Christian and Islamic interpretations of the First Cause Argument.
What is a common criticism of the First Cause Argument?
If everything has a cause, what caused God?
This question challenges the logic of the argument by suggesting a contradiction.
What is the Fallacy of Composition as argued by Bertrand Russell?
The assumption that what is true of the parts is true of the whole.
Russell argued that just because individual things have causes doesn’t mean the universe as a whole must have one.
What does Bertrand Russell believe about the universe?
The universe is just there, and that’s all.
This perspective rejects the necessity of a First Cause.
What is the challenge regarding proof that the First Cause is God?
There is no proof that the First Cause is God; it requires faith.
The argument is primarily persuasive for theists and lacks empirical evidence.
What scientific theory is often mentioned in relation to the origin of the universe?
The Big Bang theory.
This theory suggests a naturalistic explanation for the universe’s existence without invoking God.
What is the main premise of the Argument from Miracles?
There must be an ‘uncaused cause’ that caused the universe
This premise suggests that the chain of cause and effect cannot extend infinitely backwards.
Which key miracle is central to Christianity?
Jesus rising from the dead
This miracle is foundational to Christian belief, emphasizing the significance of miracles in the faith.
What does St. Paul say about the resurrection of Christ?
‘If Christ has not been raised, your faith is pointless…’
This quote highlights the importance of the resurrection in Christianity.
How many miracles are recorded as performed by Jesus in the Bible?
37
These miracles include significant events such as walking on water.
What question do miracles raise about the nature of God?
Whether God is omnibenevolent
The selective nature of miracles suggests a possibility of divine favoritism.
What alternative explanations exist for miracles?
Misinterpretations or misunderstandings of natural events
Science can often provide natural explanations for events previously thought to be miraculous.
What is Richard Dawkins’ view on miracles?
They are coincidences
Dawkins argues that miracles are simply events of chance and do not prove the existence of God.
What miracle is central to Islam?
The revelation of the Qur’an
Muhammad’s illiteracy and the Qur’an’s revelation is viewed as a miraculous event.
What does the Qur’an say about God’s closeness to humans?
‘He is closer to you than your jugular vein’
This illustrates the concept of God’s immanence and concern for the world.
Fill in the blank: The __________ is seen as a miracle for all times in Islam.
Qur’an
What is General Revelation?
General Revelation refers to the ways in which God is made known to humanity through nature and scripture.
What does General Revelation prove?
General Revelation proves God’s existence.
How do Christians believe God is accessible?
Through nature and scripture.
What does nature reveal according to Christians?
The existence of God.
What does the world around us inspire?
Awe and wonder.
Who proposed the Design Argument?
William Paley.
What is the basis of William Paley’s Design Argument?
The observations of complexity and regularity in nature.
Which Psalm states that ‘The skies proclaim the work of His hands’?
Psalms.
What does scripture reveal?
The existence of God, containing commands, rules, and teachings for all people.
What are the 10 Commandments?
Commands revealed in scripture for all people.
What do the Gospels contain?
The Good News about Jesus Christ and his crucifixion/resurrection.
What do Muslims believe about God’s accessibility?
God is accessible through nature and scripture.
What does Surah 45 state regarding nature?
‘There are signs for people who use reason.’
What is a criticism of General Revelation?
It doesn’t prove God’s existence.
What is an alternative explanation for the appearance of design in nature?
The world wasn’t designed for us; we evolved/adapted to it.
Who wrote ‘The Blind Watchmaker’?
Richard Dawkins.
What does Richard Dawkins claim about natural selection?
Natural selection is the blind watchmaker.
What does cruelty in nature suggest about God?
The God revealed cannot be omnibenevolent.
What did J.S. Mill write about nature?
‘Nature kills.’
What challenges the idea that nature reveals an omnibenevolent God?
Natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis.
Can everybody observe nature and reach the same conclusion about God?
No, not everybody reaches the conclusion that God is revealed through it.
What is a criticism of Revelation through Scripture?
No evidence that scripture is divine in origin.
Why is scripture considered a matter of faith?
To believe it contains the infallible and inerrant Word of God.
What do Muslims believe about the Qur’an?
It contains the infallible and inerrant Word of God for all people.
What does Richard Dawkins say about the Old Testament?
It depicts God as ‘the most unpleasant character in all of fiction.’
What is inconsistent with beliefs about God’s nature according to Dawkins?
God inflicting suffering onto humanity.
What is a strength of visions in the context of proving the existence of God?
Visions prove the existence of God
This is a perspective that sees visions as valid experiences that confirm divine presence.
What is a criticism of visions regarding the existence of God?
Visions do not prove the existence of God
This perspective argues that visions lack empirical evidence to substantiate divine origins.
What significant event is associated with St Paul’s vision?
St Paul’s conversion to Christianity on the Road to Damascus
This vision resulted in a dramatic change in his life and had a profound impact on Christian history.
What did Jesus say to St Paul during his vision?
‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’
This question reflects the personal nature of the vision and its significance in St Paul’s conversion.
How many visions did St Bernadette have at Lourdes?
18 visions
These visions involved the Virgin Mary and led to significant religious developments in the area.
What phrase did Mary reveal to St Bernadette during her visions?
‘I am the immaculate conception’
This statement is crucial to Catholic doctrine and highlights the importance of Bernadette’s visions.
What major event in Islam began with the revelation to Prophet Muhammad?
The revelation of the Qur’an
This event, known as the ‘Night of Power’, is foundational to Islamic belief.
What angel appeared to Muhammad during his revelation?
Angel Jibril
Jibril commanded Muhammad to ‘Recite!’ despite his illiteracy, marking the beginning of the Qur’an’s revelation.
What is Richard Swinburne’s Principle of Testimony?
In the absence of ‘special considerations’, we should believe people’s testimony about what has happened to them
This principle emphasizes the importance of personal experiences in understanding religious phenomena.
What alternative explanations are there for visions?
Somebody may be mistaken, hallucinating, or lying
These explanations challenge the validity of visions as divine experiences.
What did Bertrand Russell compare visions of Heaven to?
Someone who drinks too much and sees snakes
This analogy suggests that altered states of consciousness can lead to similar visionary experiences, regardless of their content.
What is a key argument against the divine origin of visions?
There is no empirical evidence that these visions are divine in origin
This argument highlights the reliance on faith rather than proof.
According to Bertrand Russell, what is the relationship between moral effects and truth?
The good moral effect upon a man is no evidence whatsoever in favour of its truth
Russell emphasizes that positive outcomes do not validate the truth of the visionary experience.
What does cultural relativism suggest about visions?
People’s visions are typically of a figure from the religion they were raised with
This raises questions about the universality of divine experiences and suggests they may be culturally constructed.
Fill in the blank: If visions were really from God, would people not all have the same _______?
visions
This question challenges the idea of divine revelation being uniform across different cultures.
What does Pope Francis believe about the relationship between religion and science?
Religion and science are compatible
Pope Francis states that science explains HOW God created the world, while religious scripture teaches us WHY.
What is the significance of the statement ‘God is not a magician with a magic wand’?
It emphasizes that God is the cause behind natural phenomena rather than a supernatural trickster
This statement reflects the belief that scientific processes can coexist with divine creation.
How does Pope Francis relate the Big Bang Theory to God?
God caused the Big Bang
The Big Bang Theory requires belief in a God who initiated the event.
What does Pope Francis say about evolution?
God started Evolution
Evolution presupposes the creation of beings who evolve.
What does Surah 51 of the Qur’an suggest that some interpret as compatible with the Big Bang Theory?
‘We are its expander’
This phrase is seen by some as reflecting the process of inflation and expansion in the Big Bang Theory.
Which Qur’anic verse is seen as compatible with the concept of Evolution?
‘God made from water every living thing’
This suggests that all life forms ultimately began in water.
What does Surah 71 of the Qur’an imply about human development?
‘We created you in stages’
This is interpreted by some as compatible with the idea that humans evolved in stages over time.
Who proposed the concept of ‘non-overlapping magisteria’?
Stephen Jay Gould
This view suggests that religion and science serve different purposes and complement each other.
What are the two domains that Stephen Jay Gould identifies in his non-overlapping magisteria concept?
Facts and values
Science deals with facts, while religion deals with values.
What is a key belief of literalists regarding scripture and science?
They believe scientific explanations contradict scripture
Literalists see scripture as literally true.
What do Christian Creationists believe about the creation of the world?
God created the world in six days
This contradicts the scientific understanding of the Big Bang occurring 13.8 billion years ago.
What do Christian Creationists reject regarding human origin?
They reject Evolution
They believe humans were made ‘imago dei’ on the 6th day, not evolved.
What is Richard Dawkins’ stance on religion and science?
Science should replace religion
Dawkins argues that religion is outdated and that science provides more credible explanations.
What is the title of Richard Dawkins’ book that critiques religion?
‘The God Delusion’
In this book, Dawkins argues for a scientific worldview over religious belief.
What does Richard Dawkins claim about evidence for God?
There is no evidence for God
He suggests that belief in God is unfounded.
What does Sigmund Freud describe religion as?
An illusion
Freud characterizes religion as a ‘universal obsessional neurosis’ and a form of ‘wish fulfillment’.
What is the Inconsistent Triad?
Three statements that cannot be simultaneously true:
* God is omnipotent
* God is omnibenevolent
* Suffering exists
How does the existence of evil challenge God’s omnibenevolence?
It suggests God is not all loving or does not care about His creation.
What does the existence of evil imply about God’s omnipotence?
It suggests that God isn’t powerful enough to remove evil and suffering.
What key belief is challenged by the existence of suffering according to Christian Scripture?
‘God is love’ as taught in the Gospel of John.
What is Stephen Fry’s perspective on suffering in the world?
‘How dare you create a world to which there is such misery that is not our fault.’
What does the Free Will Defence propose?
God gave us Free Will, and misuse of this leads to moral evil and suffering.
What does St Augustine’s Original Sin Theodicy explain?
Evil and suffering were brought into the world by Adam and Eve’s misuse of free will.
What is the outcome of Original Sin according to St Augustine?
We inherit Original Sin and are born into a sinful world.
What does John Hick’s Soul-Making Theodicy state about suffering?
Evil and suffering are instruments that help us grow and strengthen our souls.
What is necessary for us to become ‘perfect’ according to Hick’s Theodicy?
Experiencing suffering and performing good works to help others.
What should individuals do in response to suffering according to the teachings of Surah 2?
Remain faithful and trust in God’s plan, seeking help through patience and prayer.
Fill in the blank: The Free Will Defence suggests that free will is the _______.
[greater good]
True or False: The Free Will Defence can explain both moral and natural evil.
False
