Philosophical Perspectives on God and the Problem of Evil, Slides of Modern Philosophy

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Philosophy 1010

Class

Let’s discuss the class essay.

NEXT Week: Essay Due & Gates of Hell

Final Exam

COURSE EVALUATION

Electronic/Online Course/Instructor Feedback 13/WI Availability until February 20, 2013. Instruction Sheet will be on Quia site.

• Atheists such as Richard Dawkins (1941-) state unequivocally that there is no God.
• In taking a metaphysical position on the issue, Atheism assumes the same burden in regard to all the issues of meaning and evidence that Theism does.
• Atheism must assert reasons that God does not exist just as we expected the Theist to provide “proofs” for the existence of God.
• Many would argue that Atheism requires just as much faith as does Theism, but is it really a matter of faith or the strength of your argument?
• The primary argument given by Atheists that God does not exist is the problem of evil. Atheism

• The Problem of Evil in its simplest form argues that since evil exists in the world, then God is either not all powerful or all good. David Hume subscribed to this view.
• St. Augustine took a position against this view, arguing that God created the universe and all the good in the world but the universe he created is not itself God and is imperfect, finite, and limited. In this way, it allows the existence of evil as incomplete goodness.
• Many argue that St. Augustine does not resolve the issue. Why would not God who is all good ensure that there was no evil in His universe? The Problem of Evil

• That injustice exists in the world should not lead us to reject God. Rather it should compel us pursue a perfectly just world. It is a moral obligation.
• To believe that such a world is possible with evil fully punished and good rewarded would require a belief in God and an afterlife.
• And since all moral obligations must be possible, then God must exist.
• According to Kant’s argument, we must believe in God although perhaps we cannot know that God exists. Immanuel Kant

• Thomas Huxley (1825-1895) argued that it is incorrect to say that one is certain of the truth of a proposition unless he can produce evidence that logically justifies that certainty.
• Sigmund Freud suggested that our belief in God is an “illusion” and had its origins in infantile needs for a “father.”
• Freud’s view was influential throughout the 20th century but is considered by most today as an insufficient explanation. Further, even if it were true as a psychological explanation, that does not make the claim that the belief is an “illusion” and that God does not exist true. Such an argument commits what is known logically as the Genetic Fallacy. Agnosticism

An Option is a person's decision among a set of hypotheses. A genuine option is living, forced, and momentous.

1. A living option in one in hypotheses are live, i.e. , they are real possibilities for someone. Since I grew up attending a Christian church and was raised to believe that way, it may not be a real option for me to become a Buddhist, but it is a real option for me to become a Presbyterian.
2. A forced option is a dilemma— the hypothesis cannot be avoided. I.e. , for someone enrolled in this class to come to class or not is forced. Deciding whether or not God exists and/or we will conduct ourselves according to that may be forced in this sense.
3. A momentous option is one that is unique and may well be one's only opportunity. The choice is not trivial, but significant, because one only has one chance to do it.

• James then argues when an option is genuine ( that is, living, forced and momentous) and cannot be decided on intellectual grounds, it is justifiable to choose on the basis of our passional nature. In fact, James would argue one should so choose.
• For James, our “passional nature” consists of all nonintellectual interests, emotions, desires, hopes, fears, commitments, our deepest personal needs, etc.
• James would hold that when an option is not genuine, it makes the best sense to decide to withhold judgment until “the evidence is in.” “The Will to Believe”

Break!

Chapter Six:

TRUTH

(with a bit ABOUT KNOWELDGE TOSSED IN FOR FREE)

• That is, a belief must be warranted to count as knowledge.The criteria for when a statement is warranted depends on the type of statement.
• Some beliefs are “a priori” and others are “a posteriori”, that is, “prior to” experience or “after experience.” Some beliefs are considered to be “foundational” and others not.
• For example, the basis for justification of all the following beliefs is different – - “A rose is a rose.” - “No circle is a square.” - “John loves Sam.” - “John feels embarrassed by what happened.” What is Knowledge?

• 1. Logical Warrantability.
  • This pencil is either 4” long or it is not.
• 2. Semantic Warrantability.
  • A circle is not a square.
• 3. Systemic Warrantability.
  • Two plus two is four.
• 4. Empirical Warrantability.
  • This bird that I am looking at right now is a robin.
  • John Kennedy was a President of the U.S. What is Warranted Belief?

• However, is true, warranted belief enough? Consider the following “thought experiment”: 1) John who is a trustworthy person goes to the store intending to buy a gallon of low-fat milk. 2) As a joke on his friend Sam or by mistake, he tells Sam that he is going to buy whole milk. 3) At the store, John mistakenly buys whole milk by getting distracted by how sexy the store manager is.
• Now, did Sam know that John was going to buy whole milk?
  1. Sam believed John was.
  2. Sam’s belief appeared to be warranted. It is what John said he was going to do & John usually does what he says.
  3. And in fact, it is what John did. What is Knowledge?

Break!