Unit 1 - Part A

Question 1

What is a thiest?

Answer 1

Someone who believes there is a god

Question 2

What is an atheist?

Answer 2

Someone who believes there is no god

Question 3

What is an agnostic?

Answer 3

Someone who believes we cannot know for sure whether there is a god or not

Question 4

Monotheism

Answer 4

Someone who believes in one god

Question 5

Polytheism

Answer 5

Someone who believes in multiple gods

Question 6

Describe the moral argument (5)

Answer 6

• Kant
• sense of moral awareness: categorical imperative
• encourages us to do good
• summum bonum
• anticipate reward
• external lawgiver

Question 7

Describe the argument from religious experience (5)

Answer 7

-based on logic
- if something exists it should be possible to experience it
- many claim religious experience therefore god exists
- Swinburnes principle of credulity (our senses) principle of testimony (others senses)
- legal principles

Question 8

Teleological argument

Answer 8

• based on reason and logic
• focused on design
• aquinas , paley
• watch analogy + argues that like it the earth needs a designer
• characteristics, order, regularity , purpose
• logic= earth has creator
• divine designer

Question 9

Cosmological argument

Answer 9

• based on reason + logic
• aquinas
• something cannot come from nothing
• likely chain of events with starting point
• infinite regress is impossible
• uncaused causer is god

Question 10

Weaknesses of cosmological argument

Answer 10

• could be proof god does not exist (if first cause is eternal why can’t whole chain be)
• Russell argued universe doesn’t need a cause ‘it just is’
• aquinas suggested order and logic points to a caused, some may suggest other reasons for this
• ambiguous - unclear/ can be interpreted differently

Question 11

Weaknesses of teleological argument

Answer 11

• not all aspects of universe are perfect
• unnecessary suffering
• why only one designer?
• is god still there?
• why not random chance?
• survival of the fittest

Question 12

Weaknesses of religious experience argument

Answer 12

• experiences are private and personal, open to doubt
• does god have favourites?
• no scientific test
• our senses can deceive us
• Freud argues ‘ simply illusions’

Question 13

Weaknesses of moral argument

Answer 13

• alternate explanations for morality
• atheist and humanist have morality
• why do people have different opinions on what is right
• categorical imperative suggests we don’t have moral freedom/ choice
• why assume only god can bring morality

Question 14

Weaknesses of moral argument

Answer 14

• alternate explanations for morality
• atheist and humanist have morality
• why do people have different opinions on what is right
• categorical imperative suggests we don’t have moral freedom/ choice
• why assume only god can bring morality