Work of Scholars Flashcards
What is Work of Scholars?
Arguments for and against God, nature of R.E, R.L all imply the presence of R.B
But Enlightenment saw new challenges to R.B and more modern critiques.
What is Atheism?
What Greek Term does it come from?
Why is Atheism not so much of a easy concept?
Someone who doesn’t believe in God
G.T = with or without Theos (God)
Surface A seems simple, but to grasp as opposite of theism, not easy to define many diff ways it can be understood.
What is the difference between a Strong and Weak Atheist?
Strong = someone who is firm that there is no Go, their position is disbelief and think theist are wrong
Weak = They don’t know if God exists but inclined to be skeptical for eg; too young/mentally infirm, those never questioned God, lives who don’t have any ref to God.
What is Agnosticism?
Who/When did it come from and what greek work did it oppose?
Holds it’s possible to know if God exists/ know His nature
Coined by Thomas Harvey, 19th C
Greek Term = ‘gnostic’ used in early church describing who professed having special revelatory knowledge of the Divine
What are Agnostics may be open to?
What is it possible to say Ag is another form of?
What are they essentially concerned with?
Possibility of knowledge leading to belief than non-belief –> may not be able what it takes to do so
merely another form of atheism
Concerned w problem what we genuinely know
What is the difference between Agnostic Atheist (A.A) and Gnostic Atheist? (G.A)
What is the diff between Negative A (A.A) and Positive A (G.A)?
A.A = doesn’t believe any God exists and doesn’t claim to know that no God exists
G.A = doesn’t believe any God exist and claims to know no God exists
N.A = Flew ‘76 “The Presumption of Atheism” proposed atheism didn’t have to be expressed asserting there was no God, but could just be declaring not believing in God, or not being a theist
G.A = Gavin Nyman ‘Definitive metaphysical claim about the non-existence of God’
What is the difference between Agnostic Theist and Gnostic Theist?
A.T = Believes in a God but doesn’t claim to know if that belief is true
G.T = Believes God exists and also claims to know God exists
Define Dawkins’ Belief Scale: From Strong Theist to Strong Atheism
7 Scales
S.T = I don’t question the existence of God, but I know he exists
De-facto T = I can’t know for certain but I strongly believe in God/live life on assumption He’s there.
Weak T = I’m very uncertain but I’m inclined to believe in God
Pure Agnostic = God’s existence/non-existence are exactly un-equippable
W.A = I don’t know if God exists but inclined to be skeptical
De-facto A = I can’t know for certain but I think God is very improbable and live on assumption He’s there
Strong A = im 100% of no God
What is the difference between an Implicit and Explicit Atheist?
Implicit atheism: doesn’t believe in any gods but hasn’t consciously rejected such belief.
Explicit atheism: who has consciously chosen to disbelieve — who has an actual opinion on the matter.
Work of Scholars: Sociological
This is just to differentiate new sub-topics
